Following our recent 80th Anniversary we published an appeal for members of the public to share their experiences of being an Air Cadet.
We were contacted by Mr. Micheal Crick on behalf of his father who still lives in Ely and who was one of our first cadets to join our Squadron back in February 1941.
His father wrote a letter for our young cadets of today and here is his fascinating letter and a photo of him as a young Air Cadet in February 1941and a photo of him as a glider pilot flying huge Horsa gliders full of troops pulled behind RAF transport aircraft full of paratroopers on the D Day landings.
His letter reads;
“You recently asked former members of the 1094 ATC Squadron, and volunteers, for their memories of service with the squadron. I would like to give my own.
I joined the squadron in about 1943 during WW2, our heroes then were the RAF pilots and crews. I thought that when I was called-up I would like to go into the RAF.
The CO of 1094 at that time was a Mr Cant and there were officers from different local businesses, and the Post Office, to give training to the cadets.
The Reverend Pelloe taught us maths.
On occasions we would visit local RAF airfields and on one such visit to RAF Witchford, myself and one or two other cadets, were taken up in a Lancaster. On a visit to RAF Waterbeach our flight was in an Airspeed Oxford.
A guard of honour by 1094 cadets was put in place for a visit by the young King Peter of Yugoslavia in front of Ely’s magnificent old Corn Exchange.
On becoming 18 years of age, the age that men and women were called-up for military service, I was placed on the defered service list to train as an aircrew radio operator.
I didn’t get to wear an RAF uniform but I did have an Army one instead. A detachment of glider pilots visited our camp looking for volunteers to train as glider pilots, which I did.
The RAF taught us to fly their Tiger Moths and then gliders. The ATC training was relevant to the glider flying. I became a second pilot in the Glider PIlot Regiment and the 1094 ATC Squadron had helped me on my way.
I met Mr Cant whilst in my glider pilot uniform by chance in Ely one day. He shook my hand and we had a brief chat.
Both of us realised we had been involved in a job well done.
Mr C R Crick”
What a remarkable story and one worthy of recognition, as soon as our cadets are back to face to face cadet activities our Commanding Officer Flying Officer J Donoghue intends to create an honour roll for former cadets in the Squadron and Mr Crick will be the first ex cadet to be honoured.
From 1094 Ely Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets
A young Mr C R Crick 
Mr C R Crick
An image of the Horsa Glider mentioned in the letter
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