Category: Training

A history of the training ship based on diaries, logs and reminiscences. There is a full account of her wartime tribulations.

COLLINS, L. J. Cadets: The Impact of War on the Cadet Movement. xii,216p., bibliog., illus., in-dex. Oldham: Jade Publishing, 2001. ISBN: 19007340306.
A comprehensive and original account of the movement during both world wars with excellent detail on the role and impact of the Sea Cadets.
 

CRITCHLEY, Bert & DAWSON, William. HMS Ringtail: Royal Naval Air Station Burscough 1943-1946. ‘Ringtail – Retail’. 23p.illus.+ 11 loose pages. Burscough: [authors], 2017.

Mainly concerned with the creation of a memorial at the site of the base, now in part a retail park. Also has some contemporary pictures and memories.

GUINN, Gilbert S. & BENNETT, G. H. British Naval Aviation in World War II: The US Navy and Anglo-American Relations {International Library of Twentieth Century History, 11). xii, 217p., bibliog., index. London: Tauris, 2007. ISBN: 9781845113711.

A good account of both the policy and practice underlying the training of British aircrew in the United States under the so-called Towers Scheme.

BEATTIE, John H. The Churchill Scheme: The Royal Naval Special Entry Scheme 1913-1955. x, 114, [117]p., illus., index. [n.p., author], 2010.

After completing their school education the recruits joined at the then late entry age of 17 to 19. The story is told in great detail as over the years the Special Entries were trained in over 20 different shore establishments and ships, both harbour and sea-going, before they finally went to the RN College Dartmouth in 1939 for the first time. A very detailed account.  

POLAND, E. N. The Torpedomen: HMS Vernon's Story 1872–1986. 415p., bibliog., illus., index. [n.p.: author], 1993. ISBN: 0859373967.

Rear Admiral Poland led the team which compiled this full history of the achievements of not only Vernon but of "her people" and the weapons they designed. A densely packed and sometimes densely written book, which will prove a definitive work.

BAKER, Richard. The Terror of Tobermory: An Informal Biography of Vice-Admiral Sir Gilbert Stephenson, KBE, CB, CMG. 196p., illus., index. London: W. H. Allen, 1972. ISBN: 0491004095.

Admiral Gilbert “Monkey” Stephenson was an unorthodox, unpredictable and colourful personality who ran the training base HMS Western Isles at Tobermory with a unique style which earned him the eponymous title. Over 1000 escort vessels worked up there. Some seventy pages of this biography are devoted to his wartime career.  

AGAR, Rodney, & JOHNSTONE, Murray, eds. Hold Fast the Heritage: An Anthology of Experiences Both Afloat and Ashore Spanning Half a Century from 1943 to 1993, by the Term of Naval Officers Who Joined the Royal Naval College Together in September 1943. 327p., illus. Fontwell: Woodfield, 1994. ISBN: 1873203306.

Not strictly in scope, but a good read.  Included for its information on the training of young career officers late in the war. Reminiscences by the term who joined Dartmouth in September 1943.  Covers both their service careers and subsequent experiences and includes an appendix on the regulations for joining the navy at the age of 13.

MIDDLETON, Judy. HMS King Alfred 1939–1945. 86p., bibliog., illus. [Brighton: author], 1986.

A history of the famous wartime training school for officers, which also considers RN recruitment policy for officers.  Reprinted by Hove Council in 1989.     

HARDING, Gil. HMS Caledonia: the Apprentices' Story 1937-1985. Memories of ex-Apprentices and Staff of Caledonia. 288p., illus. [n.p.], Old Caledonia Artificer Apprentices' Association, [2003].

Gives good coverage of training in World War 2.

SPENCER, Alan. The Great Adventure: A Contemporary Account of a Naval Pilot's Training in World War II. viii, 104p., illus. Woking, author, 1991. ISBN: 0946771839.

An autobiographical account. He volunteered in 1941 and this is a record of his training using a lightly edited diary kept at the time.

DUNMORE, Spencer. Wings for Victory: The Remarkable Story of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Canada. 399p., bibliog., illus., index. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1994. ISBN: 0771029276.

Gives an excellent insight into the overseas training of aircrew. Has some relevance to Coastal Command and anti-shipping strike squadrons.

Includes 30 pages on his war service, mainly in training establishments.

The history of the Navy's gunnery school, with 30 pages on the Island in WWII, by a sometime Captain of the School.

A history which gives a great deal of its space to the defeat of the German magnetic mine.

Essentially the story of the training of RN navigators from 1900 to 1977, with substantial mention of WWII.

The book concentrates heavily on WWII and on the personal experience of those who were trained at the various establishments dotted around the UK in WWII and at Ganges at other times. From Jack Cornwall to Class 112 lost in its entirety on Royal Oak, 15- and 16-year-olds trained hard and sometimes paid the supreme sacrifice.

Includes a chapter on WWII in this domestic history.

Uses first-hand accounts and archival research, to describe how nearly two million citizens joined the Royal Navy. Recounts the training methods that transformed these raw recruits into an effective fighting force.

The Y scheme was a pre-entry training scheme for underage but aspiring seamen. This pamphlet describes the work of the Navy in wartime and how to volunteer for the scheme. It was written by John Moore.

One-third of this brief history is devoted to a summary of wartime events at the barracks.

The training of an ordinary seaman, catching graphically the transition from civilian to sailor. Continued in Lower Deck.

A slight general work with some useful material on the major Skegness training base, HMS Royal Arthur. A new edition was published in 1998. (ISBN: 0902662899).

Daedalus II specialised in air engineering training for the Fleet Air Arm.