31 ENGINEERING APPRENTICE INTAKE

1977 to 1979

RAAF School of Technical Training - Wagga Wagga, N.S.W.

Background

This Site is all about the people and places of Number 31 Engineering Apprentice Intake.  It all started when around 140 boys aged from 15 to 17 years converged on the Royal Australian Air Force School of Technical Training at RAAF Base Wagga Wagga.  The base is situated about 10 km from Wagga at a place called Forest Hill (it just about was Forrest Hill).

RAAF Apprentices do all of their Theory phases and a lot of Practical exercises in one block at Wagga.  This can take from 24 to 28 months, depending on the trade selected.

  It includes :-

3 months Basic Training

 - Learning how to march around a parade ground, polish your shoes, shave,  wash and iron your clothes, polish your shoes, point a bang stick, polish your shoes, live without your Mum, sleep, dignity or time for yourself and polish your shoes,.

9 months General Fitting

 - Learning which end of a File to hold, which parts of a Lathe to stay away from, how to almost get bits of metal to stick together without Araldite, and a host of other things including the things listed as being part of the first 3 months.

The remainder of time is spent in your chosen trade which could be selected from one of the following :-

Airframe Fitter - They learn how to kick tyres

Engine Fitter - They learn how to be glorified Mechanics

Instrument Fitter - They learn how to wind Clocks

Electrical Fitter - They learn how to flick switches

Armament Fitter - They learn how to blow things up

Motor Transport Fitter - They learn how to hot up cars

Aircraft Metal Workers - They learn how to make Esky's (obviously the most talented)

Airframe and Engine Fitters are collectively known as 'Blackhanders' because they can't stay clean, while Electrical and Instrument Fitters were grouped under the title 'Queer trades' because they didn't like to get dirty. (that's pretty strange for boys of any age).  Then there were the Gunnies (Armament Fitters) also known as 'Cracker Stackers' and the Truckies (Motor Transport Fitters).  That just leaves the pick of the bunch, the Metal Bashers.  I could extol their virtues infinitum, but this site is about the others as well.

Well enough of this, follow the links below to find the people involved.

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