The Royal Air Force in Texas: Training British Pilots in Terrell during World War II

Chapter 2: First Courses

23 Chapter 2 First Courses Royal Air Force officials had been overly optimistic in anticipating that flight training in the new BFTS program could begin by the end of May 1941. Delays in congressional approval of lend-lease appropriations , further delays in negotiations with the civilian contractors, and the site selection process all prolonged implementation of the program. The complex program, however, had already been activated in England before the delays became apparent . The BFTS training program anticipated that each school would house 200 students consisting of four courses of fifty cadets each. Courses were scheduled to last twenty weeks, ten weeks of primary, five weeks of basic, and five weeks of advanced flight training. A new course was scheduled to arrive in Terrell every five weeks to begin training. Two RAF officers were assigned to each school. The RAF selected Wing Commander F. W. Hilton, a bomber pilot with considerable combat experience , as the Terrell commanding officer and chief flying instructor (CFI), and Squadron Leader A. Beveridge as the chief ground instructor (CGI). Before leaving for the United States, both officers were extensively briefed by air ministry officers. Officials told Hilton and Beveridge that the civilian flight school operators selected for the new program were extremely sensitive regarding their authority and course curriculum. The RAF officers assigned to the schools would act only in an advisory capacity and in no way attempt to alter the established school flight training program.1 In addition, the officers were warned that isolationist feelings in the United States were strongest in western states such as Texas. The officers were instructed 24 Chapter 2 in the strongest terms to avoid any discussion of the war, or the possible entry of the United States into the war, for fear of creating adverse publicity that might offend local citizens.2 Due to the novelty of the program, Hilton and Beveridge found that there were no manuals, ground school supplies, or other training publications available from the air ministry. Frustrated, Hilton and Beveridge returned to their previous commands at No.11 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) located at Perth and operational training units (OTU) at Heston and Upper Heyford and gathered manuals , publications, and ground school supplies.3 After arriving in the United States, Hilton and Beveridge conferred with the RAF Delegation in Washington, D.C., headed by Group Capt. D. V. Carnegie, an early and enthusiastic supporter of the new training program. Besides discussing training matters, Carnegie reiterated the warnings expressed earlier by the air ministry . After the briefing Hilton and Beveridge must have approached their new assignment with some apprehension as they traveled to Texas in late May 1941.4 Once Hilton and Beveridge arrived in Dallas they quickly discovered that virtually everything they had been told by the air ministry in Britain and the RAF Delegation in Washington had been incorrect . The Terrell Aviation School staff consisted of Luckey as director , chief advanced flight instructor E. Van Lloyd, a former airline pilot and Army Air Corps instructor, chief primary flight instructor R. D. Griffin, chief ground school instructor I. V. French, and maintenance supervisor J. Hayden. The staff proved to be not only experienced and cooperative, but eager to incorporate RAF training methods into the school curriculum. The staff especially wanted to build a strong school spirit since this would be the first BFTS.5 Hilton and Beveridge were also surprised to find an abundance of pro-British sentiment in North Texas. Many local residents who greeted the RAF officers openly expressed the opinion that the United States should not only join Britain in the war, but the sooner the United States entered the war, the better. The month before, the Terrell Daily Tribune commented, “In cafes, department stores First Courses 25 along Moore Avenue and in private homes the average Terrell citizen thinks it will be only a matter of months or weeks until the United States becomes involved in the war which is now raging in most parts of the world.”6 It quickly became apparent that the primary obstacle confronting the establishment of an RAF training facility would be the ageold bane of military organizations, logistics. The two officers found an almost total absence of aircraft, parachutes, equipment, supplies , and support facilities for the new school.7 Not only had equipment not arrived, but apparently no system had been implemented for procuring equipment and supplies. The U.S. Army...