The newspaper article on the right is from The Times of 27th October 1938. It reports on a meeting by Sir Kingsley Wood (Secretary of State for Air), Lord Trenchard and the Lord Mayor of London regarding the formation of an Air Defence Cadet Corps, and talks of a squadron for every London borough and town of at least 40,000 inhabitants.

The Air Cadet organisation was formed in 1939, and Cheltenham was one of the initial squadrons. At this time, the organisation was known as the Air Defence Cadet Corps (ADCC).

The notice on the right calls a meeting in Cheltenham on 17th April 1939 to outline the proposals.

The Gloucestershire Echo of 18th April 1939 provides details of the proposals for the new ADCC squadron in Cheltenham.

125 (Cheltenham) Squadron was formed on 24th May 1939, as reported in the Gloucestershire Echo of 26th May 1939.

This newspaper article reports on the donations made by people and organisations in and around Cheltenham to establish an Air Defence Cadet Corps squadron.

The first Commanding Officer was Lt Col Tudor Fitzjohn D.S.O. The Adjutant was F/Lt. Albert Wyndham Payne

This article advertises the content of some early Wednesday and Friday evening sessions for 125 Squadron, at the end of June 1939

Extracts from ADCC Gazette - August 1939

A picture of the initial group of cadets in 125 Squadron ADCC

This Christmas Card depicts the 125 Squadron 'Cheltenham Flyers'

The squadron parades for Queen Mary in 1940

125 HQ moves initially to Carrick House in Lypiatt Terrace and later on to the Old Pate's Grammar School in North Place

This recruitment advert from 27th January 1941 now refers to the 'Air Training Corps'

The squadron at this time comprised 6 Commissioned Officers, including a Squadron Leader, plus one Warrant Officer and 100 cadets.

The picture shows some early tuition in Aero-engines, Airframes, Signals and Wireless. 

This picture from November shows that the Squadron incorporated a band (wind and percussion)

F/O John Chesters, a former fighter pilot, takes over from Flt Lt A Wyndham-Payne as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron.

At this time, a second Cheltenham Squadron, 2006th is also formed.

4th-10th April 1943 was recruitment week, and this poster shows activity across Cheltenham.



This included parades from different parts of town (see below left), as well as an exhibition at the Town Hall, as detailed in a poster (below centre), which showed the public various aircraft components (below right). The poster identifies some familiar local aerospace names, including Dowty, Rotol, The Gloucester Aircraft Company and Smiths, plus other names such as Cavendish House.

Our first Camp was at RAF Castle Coombe

A Victory fund parade in Cheltenham

Flt Lt F W Austin takes over from Flt Lt Chesters as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron

Annual Camp at RAF Locking

Flt Lt C H Ansell takes over from Flt Lt Austin as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron

Summer Camp at RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire

125 HQ moves initially to the Cheltenham Grammar School for Boys in the High Street, and then later on to the British Restaurant in Montpellier

Annual Camp at Mount Batten

125 HQ moves to the Officer's Mess at RAF Staverton

Annual Camp at Chivenor

Annual Camp at RAF Hullavington

125 HQ moves to the Territorial Hut at Alstone Lane

Annual Camp at RAF Little Rissington

Camps at RAF Little Rissington / RNAS Yeovilton

Flt Lt W C C Blackford takes over as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron from Flt lt L Miller, who earlier in the year had taken over from Flt Lt Ansell

Camp at RAF Little Rissington, Gloucestershire

Aston Down, Gloucestershire (now home to the Cotswold Gliding Club)

Flt Lt I P Thompson takes over from Flt Lt Blackford as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron

An excursion from camp at Aldergrove (now known as Belfast International Airport)

Flt Lt A M Mellor takes over from Flt Lt Thompson as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron

Annual Camp at RAF Chivenor

Camp at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire

The squadron band

Air Experience Flights in Chipmunks (this brings back memories for the webmaster!)
Annual Camp was at RAF Rufforth

Gliding (further memories...!)

Camp at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk 

Flt Lt Mellor retires after 5 years as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron to be succeeded by Flt Lt M K Bruton
(The picture shows the old hut at Alstone Lane)

Annual Camp at RAF Tern Hill

A parade down the Promenade in Cheltenham

A VIP for 125 Squadron - no less than an Air Chief Marshall (Ivelaw-Chapman)

The Queen Mother inspects 125 Squadron

Annual Camp at RAF Leuchars

125 HQ moves into an ATC Hut in Alstone Lane

Annual Camp at RAF Leeming

Camp at RAF St. Athan, South Wales

Flt Lt E Cothey takes over from Flt Lt Bruton as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron

Annual Camp at RAF Cottesmore

Annual Camp at RAF Odiham

Camp at RAF Wyton, Huntingdonshire (as was, now part of Cambridgeshire)

Annual Camp at RAF Gaydon / RAF St. Mawgan

125 HQ moves to Six Ways Old Council Offices, London Road, Charlton Kings.

Annual Camp at RAF Locking

Annual Camp at RAF Waddington

Annual Camp at RAF Valley

Annual Camp at RAF Aberporth

Annual Camp at RAF Shawbury

Annual Camp at RAF Abingdon

Annual Camp at RAF Cosford

WO R Smith joins 125 Squadron Staff - and is still serving the squadron today - a remarkable achievement

Annual Camp at RAF Bicester

Flt Lt M J Snapes takes over from Flt Lt Cothey as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron

Annual Camp at RAF Marham

Annual Camp at RAF Wyton

Flt Lt B D Hesketh takes over from Flt Lt Snapes as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron

Annual Camp at RAF Abingdon

Annual Camp at RAF Coltishall

Annual Camp at RAF Linton-on-Ouse

125 HQ moves to its present location at Grange Field, Charlton Kings

Annual Camp at RAF St. Athan

Annual Camp at RAF Odiham

Annual Camp at RAF Shawbury

Annual Camp at RAF Wyton

Flt Lt R I Vass takes over from Flt Lt Hesketh as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron

Annual Camp at RAF Finningley

Annual Camp at RAF Hereford

Annual Camp at RAF Conningsby

Annual Camp at RAF Portreath

Flt Lt K T Webb takes over from Flt Lt Vass as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron

Flt Lt D Morgan takes over as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron

Flt Lt K D Bennett takes over from Flt Lt Morgan as Commanding Officer of 125 Squadron