RAF Locking

Former RAF station in Somerset, England

RAF Locking was a Royal Air Force station near the village of Locking and about 3 mile (5 km) from Weston super Mare in North Somerset, England. During the period 1939 to 2000, the station trained tens of thousands of engineers in the maintenance of aircraft then radar, radio and computers.

Early in 1938 the Government purchased of land near to the village of Locking and warned adjacent landowners not to sell further property. Speculation about its use was ended when the House of Commons was notified of additional technical training camps during the RAF Expansion Debate on 12th May 1938. RAF Locking was opened as a training unit in 1939 as No.5 School of Technical Training. Its role was to train new RAF and Fleet Air Arm entrants in the trades of aircraft mechanics, airframes, carpentry, fabric working and parachute packing. Training was also provided for marine craft personnel. Within three years 30,682 personnel had been trained. Fleet Air Arm training ceased at the end of 1942 after 5710 ratings had passed through. RAF training continued and by the end of WW2 the station had developed into a huge settlement comprising hutted accommodation, classrooms and offices, workshops and hangars. Aircraft used for training included Avro Ansons, Gloster Meteors, Hawker Hunters and a Handley Page Victor.

In May 1947 the first recruits to the Royal Air Force boy entrants scheme arrived at RAF Locking. They were to graduate in November 1948. The scheme offered general education and technical training to boys aged 15 to 17 and a half whose education was not up to School Certificate level. Recruits needed nomination by an approved organisation such as their local education authority or the Boy Scouts Association. They were also required to undertake aptitude and intelligence tests. The scheme was run down after five entries. Subsequent entries were partially or totally completed at RAF Cosford. After the tenth entry, the scheme was discontinued.

Twenty five members of the Royal Air Force Apprentice Association (RAFLAA) and their wives together with 45 other guests assembled at 2pm on Wednesday 18 July 2018 to witness the dedication of the RAFLAA Monument. The monument commemorates the training of over 5,750 apprentices at RAF Locking during the period 1952 to 1976. Squadron Leader Richard Atkinson AFC RAF (Retd.) was the designer and driving force for the construction of the monument. He was an apprentice at RAF Locking from 1959 1961. In attendance were Air Commodore Martin Palmer RAF (Retd.) President of the Association, The Honourable Mayor of Weston super Mare, Squadron Leader John Clark (Retired) ex Flight Commander RAF Locking, the Chairman of Locking Parish Council, St Modwen Southwest Regional Director, St Modwen Senior Development Manager, representatives from Homes England, and the Branch Secretary of the Weston Super Mare Royal Air Force Association.

After the war, RAF bands were re established as six Regional Bands. At first known as No 5 Band, the Western Band of the Royal Air Force was initially formed at Bridgnorth in 1947, then at Stanmore, next at Buckeburg in Germany, before finally settling at RAF Locking in 1949. During the 1950s and 1960s the band was mostly engaged with Apprentice and station parades alongside its duties throughout Wales and the Southwest of England. In 1964 the Near East Air Force Band was disbanded resulting in the Western Band taking responsibility for an annual tour of the Mediterranean and Gulf states. In 1977 the Southern Band, formerly No 4 Band, ceased operations leaving the Western Band as the last of the six Regional Bands. During the Gulf War the band was deployed to Saudi Arabia to provide medical orderlies. The band undertook multiple overseas tours including one accompanying The Queen on a state visit to Thailand. In 1997 the imminent closure of RAF Locking caused the posting of band members and the loss of identity of the Western Band which had provided 50 years of music

Marshall of the RAF Lord Trenchard, the founder of the RAF, visited the station in August 1941 and again in 1942.