Page 5 - Dennis Ovenden

Dennis attended the Combined Recruiting Centre at the Drill Hall, Dukes Road, Euston, London
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on the 15 January 1942. Here, Dennis would have completed the required documentation to join
the Royal Air Force and having taken the oath of loyalty to the Crown, been given the
the Kings Shilling. Dennis was given the Service Number: 1801616, from a batch of numbers
1800001 to 1814800 allocated to the Euston Combined Recruiting Centre from December 1941 to
January 1943. In total 14,799 recruits passing through this establishment during this period.

That formality completed Dennis, it would appear stayed overnight at the Drill Hall and was given
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next day a travel warrant and sent home, he now on the RAF Reserve. On the 27 July Dennis
received orders to attend No. 1 Aircrew Reception Centre (1ACRC) at St Johns Wood, London.
The task of this establishment was to give the new recruit some basic induction training prior to the
recruit moving on to the Initial Training Wing. Messing for the recruits was at the London Zoo
restaurant, with accommodation in requisitioned flats in and around St Johns Wood between the
Zoo and Lords cricket ground. The RAF using the buildings at the cricket ground as classrooms.
Here Dennis would be put through basic training, aptitude testing, medical examinations and
selection boards to decide his future aircrew trade in the RAF. If Dennis had failed these tests, he
would have been relegated to a ground role. His rank was of aircraftman class 2 (known to all in
the RAF by the affectionate name of ʹErkʹ). The recruits were also required to swim 100 yards
before being allocated a training position with an Initial Training Wing. This requirement was
crucial as a downed airman would have had to swim from his crashed aircraft to the aircrafts
dinghy. For those unable to swim, further training was given until they were competent swimmers.
Failing this test would have also meant relegation to a ground role.
At this establishment Dennis was, after a selection examination recommended for Pilot only
training, Dennis prior to joining the RAF was in the ATC (Air Training Corp), the modern-day
equivalent of the Air Cadets, the RAF thinking this young lad will make a fine pilot.
Dennis declining the Pilot choice opting for the Observer (Navigator) course. This was not unusual
for pilot candidates to opt for the Observer role, as the responsibilities to be a pilot and eventually
captain of a large heavy bomber would have been a heavy burden for a young airman to carry on
his shoulders. Furthermore, if Dennis had continued with this pilot training would he, with a new
crew have survived the 30 Main Force operations he would have been required to complete.
We will never know the answer to that question, other than to say his choice of Observer ensured
he survived hostilities.
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Dennis stayed at 1 ACRC until the 15 August when he and the rest of his intake moved to the Air
Crew Camp (ACC) at RAF Ludlow in Shropshire. This establishment was a holding unit for recruits
until positions could be found for them at any of the Initial Training Wings scattered around the
country. These recruits were kept occupied during their stay here by, in the summer months
working on farms harvesting produce and fruit picking. They were also sent to other RAF stations
undertaking basic duties there to keep them occupied. Dennis stayed at Ludlow until the
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5 September when he and his fellow intake were allocated a training position at No.17 Initial
Training Wing (17 ITW) at Scarbourgh, North Yorkshire. This unit, located at Burniston Barracks in
the town, with accommodation either in the barracks or local hotels. Here Dennis would have
continued his basic training, including fitness training, induction on the principles of flight,
navigation, aircraft recognition, morse code and service law. The recruits would have also been
introduced to the Lee Enfield rifle and spent time on the firing ranges just outside the town.
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This part of his training was completed by the 12 December, with Dennis posted on to an Aircrew
Dispatch Centre to await his next training position. It is believed the RAF’s main ACDC was
located at Heaton Park in North Manchester, as this establishment during the war held many
recruits in transit to various training locations around the world. Dennis stayed at this
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establishment until the 1 May 1943 and was then transferred back to RAF Ludlow, this time
allocated a position in ʻAʻ Flight (a sub-unit at this RAF station) in preparation for his
next posting overseas.