Background

For 45 years, from 1948 until 1993, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operated an apprentice training scheme aimed at providing skilled tradesmen, and in the later years tradeswomen, for its engineering and radio musterings.

Intake 1 (ANZACS) through to intake 15 (BEAVERS), spent three years at either RAAF Wagga (Engineering) or RAAF Laverton (Radio).  For intakes 16 through to 25 the time spent was two and a half years.  From intake 26 until the end, course time and graduation was staggered dependent on the particular trade.

Over the 45 years, over five thousand young 15 and 16 year olds entered one or other of these RAAF bases as apprentices.  The scheme not only catered for the Australian needs, but also provided training for some Pakistanis and New Zealanders too, and in its later years included both boys and girls.

This web site is devoted to the 20th Intake engineering apprentices(SQUIRRELS) based at RAAF Wagga from 10th January 1966 until June 1968. 

     

The 20th RAAF apprentice intake was the largest ever with 190 young appies arriving in Wagga to begin the apprentice training. 

Most of these young Australians went on to complete their training and deliver an exceptionally high return on that training to the RAAF and the Australian government. In a survey conducted with the apprentices of 20 Intake (107 respondents of 135 surveyed), the average length of service was 16.5 years.

The camaraderie of this time together has ensured continued contact between various 'SQUIRRELS' to the degree that a reunion to celebrate 40 years since graduation was held in Wagga Wagga in June 2008 with over 80 of the original apprentices (plus wives and partners) attending.