Although army and sea cadet detachments were long established in Britain, it was not until the Second World War
that the Air Training Corps was formed to offer pre-service training on a nationwide basis to teenage boys under
the auspices of the Royal Air Force.
In the summer of 1943 the appointment as headmaster of Alex Henderson, a flying officer with the RAF Voluntary
Reserve, led to the No 1590 (Lord Wandsworth College) Flight, Air Training Corps, being formed. Henderson held
the position of commanding officer until 1950. With the war still underway the ATC cadets were taught how to assist
the Home Guard in the event of an enemy invasion, in addition to the usual flying skills.
The OTC had suffered a decline before 1939 and the new ATC detachment was the sole military youth organisation
at Lord Wandsworth College until the formation of the Combined Cadet Force, with army and RAF sections, in 1950.
The ATC cadets pictured in this group photograph are wearing a smart button to the neck tunic in RAF blue serge
with silver buttons, matching cloth belt and trousers and a field service cap.
The Lord Wandsworth College ATC are inspected on Founder's Day in 1948
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