Cadet Force Adults

[REME245]

Slightly off topic not being badge related, but can anyone confirm if there were adult NCO's in the cadet Force during WW2? There is a lot of reference's and pictures of Officers but not NCO's. Were they borrowed from the TA/Home Guard as necessary.

[badjez]

So far as I'm aware there were no adult NCO's actually in the cadets during the war. If a man was of the age/ fitness etc to instruct cadets he was conscripted or joined the Home Guard. Most OTC officers were older school teachers and therefore fell into the above exemption category. ACF officers were very often also Home Guard officers as most ACF units were affiliated to HG units for training and admin.
Those NCO who performed duties as PSI with OTC were always retired soldiers who took on the PSI role as a retirement job. Adult instructors for ACF were drawn from the HG.

Stephen.

[REME245]

That's what I would have assumed as well but someone was disagreeing with me on the Cadet Force FB History Page.

[matti467]

Amusingly, though teachers were exempt from service that had one of the highest volunteer rates of any profession....
On a cold wet Friday afternoon with a bunch of year nines or a war well, I might just lie about my age...

[SAS1]

In the case of the wartime ATC boys could attain ranks up to Flight Sergeant. Adults could have commissioned rank or serve as Warrant Officers. Those who had achieved that rank or equivalent in the forces could wear the coat of arms (as in the RAF) as a Warrant Officer. If not a special ATC Warrant Officer badge was available. I suspect it was similar in the ACF.

Each ATC Squadron had an adult Warrant Officer effectively as senior instructor.