Alumni Index

1500

CHS - 'COLLEGE ALUMNI' SECTION

We have totally revamped our CHS offering, placing even greater focus on the people - College Alumni - whose achievements underpin College Heritage and History.

Having established what records exists and the artefacts that we can now reproduce, we start by paying tribute to all who were selected for training at the RAF College and recording their achievements.

Throughout the website, you will detect that our original strategy of addressing College History by four distinct eras has been retained.

Era 1, the Pre-WWII years 1920-1939, was characterised by academic and flying training for pilots in an age when flying was very much in its infancy.

Era 2, the WWII years, was the proving of the RAF as an independent armed service and thousands of Cranwellians played their part in developing its cherished reputation.

Era 3, 1947-1979, reverted to similar flight cadet training of Era 1 and the migration towards officer training for University Graduates.

Era 3 having already extended officer training to Navigator, Engineer, Supply, Secretarial and Regiment Branches, Era 4 centralised all officer training at the College.

Over 30,000 entrants of the RAF College are listed by surname in LookUp Tables, itemising, where known, their branch, highest rank achieved, decorations, career profiles and biographies, including links to relevant CHS albums and supplementary information on other websites. CLICK on the graphic to the left to access these records.

Designated alumni 'Notables', we have assembled biographies, interviews and tribute albums of some of the VVIPs, 'Top Guns' and 'High Flyers' of the RAF who had graduated from the RAF College. But, recognising their value to the running of the College and the contributions they made whilst in service with or for the RAF, we have also included other 'Notables' of whom many Cranwellians will retain very fond memories. CLICK on the graphic to the left to access these items.

In addition to their full listings in the relevant LookUp Table, we have compiled photographs of the majority of entrants to the College. Taken in situ, these photographs are not of the highest quality, but provide further evidence of attendance, dedication and achievement. The photographs of WWII College SFTS aviators are of particular note as we do not believe that they have been issued en masse elsewhere. CLICK on the graphic to the right to access these photos.

Our thorough analysis of cadet records has revealed that international cadets have been provided by 59 different countries. We offer a page that, at a glance, illustrates the College's global footprint and includes three separate albums detailing the foreign students attending before and after WWII. Click on the graphic below.