1940's Disney Link for 1224

by Cadet Flight Sergeant Sam White

Over the past few months, and spurred on by the discovery of a hoarde of historical photographs of 1224 spanning from the 1940's onwards, I have been researching the history of 1224 (Wharfedale), or as it was once known, 1224 (Ilkley) Squadron.

A few months back I was looking up the Squadron on Google (as you do) and came across a very interesting patch for sale on an American website depicting the classic Disney character Jiminy Cricket trying to learn how to fly by reading a book but somehow the seller had managed to link it to 1224.
I contacted the owner of the website asking if he had any more information on the patch. He got back to me and said that during World War 2 Disney would design patches for various military units and that Disney would select a character and draw them in a situation that would be relevant to the units existence (in the case of 1224 Jiminy Cricket learning the principles of flight and flying from a book) that he bought it at a large American gun show around 1985.
I asked all of the staff at the Squadron but nobody seemed to know about this mysterious patch!



Fast forward a few months and during a cleanout of various filing cabinets on Sqn we managed to find something that blew us all away!

During 1989, a previous OC of 1224, Flt Lt Malcolm Bates had actually contacted Disney regarding the patch (though the initial letter from Flt Lt Bates cannot be found) and received a reply from Disney archivist David R Smith and enclosed was a copy of the reason why this patch was linked to 1224.

In 1942, during a discussion about designing a crest for 'B Flight', Brian Dean, a cadet at 1224 (Ilkley) Squadron suggested writing to Walt Disney prompted by an article in 'Illustrated' about Disney designing crests for the Air Force during the war.
The Commanding Officer agreed to the plan and Cadet Dean wrote to Walt Disney (as he was already going to write anyway to ask for his autograph!) and little over a month later he received a reply from Disney along a with the Jiminy Cricket design!

The fact that none of the current staff knew about this made the discovery even more amazing and gave a massive boost to my project of researching the history of the Squadron!

I wonder what happened to Cadet Brian Dean, or if he ever got his autograph. And how the patch came to be in California in the first place...

If anybody has any information regarding the patch please don't hesitate to get in contact with us!

The original letter can be downloaded here!

Many of the photos that were recently found have been scanned and uploaded to the Squadrons gallery at http://picasaweb.google.com/1224sqn.atc and we would be grateful if anybody who had any information about the photos (since there was no information with many of them) could get in touch!

Cadets Celebrate In Style

1224 (Wharfedale) Squadron cadets have just held their annual presentation evening and celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Air Training Corps at the Kings Hall, Ilkley. Warrant Officer David Wood and his wife Jan took on the challenge of organising the event for 206 guests.

The guests included Deputy Lord Lieutenant Roger Whittaker and Mrs. Elizabeth Whittaker, Air Commodore Colin Smith, Deputy Chief of Staff at Air Command based at High Wycombe, the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Peter Hill and the Lady Mayoress, Mrs. Gillian Hill and Wing Commander Steve Wiggins, Officer Commanding Central and East Yorkshire Wing and his partner Rachel. Guests from the Royal Air Force Association and the Royal British Legion joined together with cadets’ families and ex cadets to make the evening very special. Unfortunately two guests were unable to attend as that morning they had been deployed to the Middle East with the Royal Air Force.

Individual training certificates were formally presented to cadets and staff by Wing Commander Wiggins. All guests were then invited to stand and remember ex cadets who were no longer with us and Cadet Corporal Rhys Leighton played the Last Post.

Grace was then said by Cadet Flight Sergeant Fran Cunningham and everyone tucked into a lovely three course meal. Everyone enjoyed the food and the service was excellent.

Individual awards were then presented to cadets by Air Commodore Colin Smith, Deputy Chief of Staff at Air Command.

Cadet Jørgen Moore recieveing the Best New Cadet trophy

Best new cadet: Cadet Jørgen Moore
Best Intermediate: Cadet Sean Silverwood
Best Senior Cadet: Corporal Chris Cavaliere
Cadet of the Year: Corporal Jamie Partovi. Presented by Mrs. Pauline Stead, mother of Flight Lieutenant David Stead who died in 2005
The Commanding Officers Cup was awarded to Cadet Jack Croft for his determination to do well and always complete tasks
Ian Clarke Memorial trophy for Community Service: Corporal Chris Cavaliere
Attendance Trophy: Sergeant Alex Chambers
Royal Air Forces Association Salver: Corporal Chris Cavaliere
Sports Trophy: Corporal Ben Connor
Bandsman of the Year: Cadet Oren Chew
White Rose Shooting Trophy: Cadet James Cooper
Best turned out NCO and Cadet: Sergeant Alex Chambers and Cadet Alex Raabe

Corporal Jamie Partovi being awarded the Cadet of the Year

Air Commodore Smith praised the cadets and their success in the local community. “ I was asked to promote the ‘Big Society’ by my advisors, but there is no need here in Ilkley – its happening already with these excellent young people”

Promotions were also announced for Flight Sergeants Alex Chambers and Tom Smith, Sergeants Ben Connor, Jamie Partovi, Rhys Leighton and Chris Cavaliere and Corporals Alex Raabe and James Cowley

A special presentation was made to Squadron Leader John Hitchen who after 22 years dedicated service as Commanding Officer of 1224 took up the post of Sector 5 Commander of Central & East Yorkshire Wing in September 2010. He received a long and loud standing ovation from everyone.

The standing ovation for Squadron Leader Hitchen

Following speeches, the 9 snare drummers demonstrated their difficult drum routine and stick work and then the whole band played the traditional marches. As always the second half had a different mood starting with a display Sergeant Jamie Partovi playing Maple Leaf Rag on the piano, Highland Cathedral with Mr. Ken Pickles on the bagpipes (Wharfedale Pipers), In the Mood featuring a fantastic solo by Cadet Danny Stainton and ‘Diamonds’ on the guitars led by Flight Sergeant Sam White in tribute to the late Jet Harris.

The evening concluded with Evening Hymn and Sunset played on the balcony by Sergeant Rhys Leighton.

The band performing after the awards

Flight Lieutenant Sue Leighton, Officer Commanding 1224 (Wharfedale) Sqn said “We have had a fantastic evening. We have a lot of young cadets who have never experienced a formal evening and having so many guests has made it very special. I would like to thank again the staff and cadets for their continued support and dedication to this squadron which continues to drive our success and provide new and exciting opportunities".

More pictures are available in our gallery and footage will be uploaded to our YouTube channel.

History Archives

At 1224 we have discovered a large number of photographs and newspaper cuttings from the Squadrons history from 1941 through to the 1980's!

FS Sam White is currently scanning a number of items into the Squadrons gallery so please keep checking back there and if you can add any information to them please don't hesitate to leave a comment or contact us!

Thank you

1224 Annual Dinner

To all Staff, Cadets and Friends of 1224 (Wharfedale) Sqn

Last night (Saturday 19th March 2011) we held our annual presentation evening and celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Air Training Corps at the Kings Hall, Ilkley.

It was a fantasitc evening. The cadets as always were a credit to our Squadron and to the Air Training Corps. Congratulations to everyone for making the evening so special.

Sue Leighton

Flt Lt

OC 1224 (Wharfedale) Sqn

More details to come in a futher article.

Communication is the Secret of Success for 12 Wharfedale Air Cadets

Cadets from 1224 (Wharfedale) ATC squadron took part in a 2 day UHF/VHF Radio Operators Course at the Squadron Headquarters on Ashlands Road, Ilkley last weekend.

All the cadets on the course successfully passed the written and practical examinations, with Cadet Corporal Danny Harm achieving distinction.

The instructor was Mr Alan Fowles, the Central and East Yorkshire Wing Communications Officer. He travelled down from 2394 (East Cleveland) Squadron to deliver the training programme to the cadets and was supported by two cadets from the East Cleveland Squadron; Cadet Sergeant Luke Rogan and Corporal Jason Wears.

Warrant Officer Bob Pratt co-ordinated the event and said " the cadets really enjoyed the weekend and were given lots of opportunities to put the theory into practice. I am really pleased with their exam results".

In the photograph

Front row - left to right....Cdt Raabe, Cpl Cavaliere, Cdt Collier & Cdt Todd

Middle row - left to right .....Cdt Verspyck, Cdt Parker, Cdt Martin & Cdt Kraft

Back row - left to right......Cpl Harm, Cdt Wingate, Cdt J Moore & Cdt Croft

In the working blues - left to right.....Cpl Wears and Sgt Rogan

Central & East Yorkshire Wing 70th Anniversary Parade

by WO (ATC) David Wood

After days of heavy rain and gales, Sunday 6^th February 2011 dawned little better. Cadets and staff made their way to Squadron Headquarters in Ashlands Road in heavy drizzle to collect equipment and board Steels coach, which was to take them to York to join the other 27 Squadrons from Central and East Yorkshire Wing ATC for the Parade to celebrate the 70^th Anniversary of the formation of the Air Training Corps. As we travelled towards York the weather improved and on arrival we found it to be fine, overcast and somewhat blustery.

Over 700 cadets plus staff assembled at the Eye of York adjacent to Clifford’s Tower and were formed into three Squadrons. Numbers 1 and 2 Squadrons had about 200 cadets each but Number 3 Squadron, under the command of Squadron Leader John Hitchen led by 1224 (Wharfedale) Squadron’s Band had about 220 cadets in three flights plus a flight containing the Banners of each of the 28 Squadrons in the Wing.

At 1238 the Parade marched off through the streets of York to the Minster for a service to celebrate 70 years of The Air Training Corps. Our Squadron Band had the honour of playing as all the cadets and Staff from the Wing filed past into the Minster and again at the end of the service as everyone including the dignitaries left.

The day was ended by the customary stop at McDonalds on the way home where the cadets got some well earned food and drink.

To sum up, it was an excellent day for Central and East Yorkshire Wing, an even better one for 1224 (Wharfedale) Squadron.

I must not forget to mention our two stowaways in the band, Chris and Dave Pagdin from 23(South Elmsall) Squadron, both honorary members of 1224 who also smuggled their Squadron’s Banner into the parade!!!

To all of 1224 who took part, be very proud of yourselves for a job extremely well done!

Videos of the parade and of the 1224 band can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/user/1224Wharfedale

More pictures can be seen at http://ceyorks.net/wordpress/?p=556

Cross Country Success for 1224

On Sunday 30th January, a team of 14 cadets along with WO (ATC) Pratt and Sqn Ldr Hitchen travelled to RAF Linton-on-Ouse to take part in the Central and East Yorkshire Wing Cross Country event.

Cadets entered in almost every category, coming second in the Under 15 boys and winning the Junior Men races with Cpl Danny Harm placing third to get through to the Regional finals.

At the end of the day, after the standard FOD Plod, the winning teams were revealed with 1224 eventually placing second overall.

Overall it turned out to be a good day and 1224 will be back next year for sure aiming for the top prize!

The 1224 Cross Country team