A new "hedgehog" ground defence plan for Britain will enable the RAF to play a major role in covering the whole country with strong defence centres capable of opposing any action an enemy might take - with ground forces, parachute troops or saboteurs.

In future all Officers, NCOs and Airmen throughout the service must attain specified standards of proficiency in ground defence tests, which will form part of the qualifications for promotion for both Officers and NCOs. In addition, RAF Regiment depots and schools in various parts of the country have formed mobile columns to assist the Army in operations against parachute troops.

The main responsibility for these measures falls upon the RAF Regiment, which was formed early in 1942 to defend airfields and other RAF establishments. The recent expansion of the RAF-which is still continuing apace - and the reoccupation of wartime airfields which had been idle for sometime has increased the RAF Regiment's commitments enormously so it is being correspondingly built up. The strength increased appreciably last year, and further expansion is now under way. In less than two years Regiment's size has been more than doubled.

Recruits receive their basic instruction at Dumfries (Scotland) and continue their training at the RAF Regiment, Depot, Catterick (Yorkshire). Specialized training for anti-aircraft defence is given at Watchet (Somerset). The Catterick depot, near the well-known Army camp, is ideally suited for its purpose. It includes a sizeable airfield surrounded by open country and woods where the men can have field training under realistic conditions.

Several courses are provided simultaneously. Regiment Officers and NCOs take an instructors' course in ground combat training; Regiment airmen are tested to qualify for promotion; and potential Officers take a ground combat course before being sent to an RAF Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU). There are a variety of different courses for senior and junior Officers, NCOs, signals instructors, and for Airmen of any rank who have been specially selected by their Squadron Commanders.

RAF Station Commanders also visit Catterick to learn how best to plan their local defences. Station defence has been devised to permit normal flying to continue in face of airborne or ground attack. Every man on RAF airfield - be he clerk, batman, cook or mechanic - must be able to make his contribution to defence. Carrying on with their normal work until they receive a warning signal, they would then take their places in prepared defensive position.

Apart from giving weapon and ground defence training to all other branches of the service, the RAF Regiment provides reconnaissance and counter-attack troops and light A-A (anti-aircraft) protection for the most advanced and certain vulnerable jet-fighter airfields and vital radar stations in forward areas. The regiment consists of rifle squadrons, armoured-car squadrons and light A-A squadrons, grouped into larger formations as required.

It also provides Officers and NCOs for the locally raised ground forces of the RAF in Aden Protectorate, in Iraq, and Malaya. RAF Levies in Iraq, the Aden Levies and the RAF (Malaya) have already won fame in action. Units of the last-named body are, playing an important part in the jungle campaign against the Communist bandits. At the moment the greater part of the RAF Regiment is serving overseas, but fresh recruits for all branches of its activities are constantly being provided by the training organisation at home.

Courses for regular and National Service men are run simultaneously at the RAF Light Anti-Aircraft Gunnery School at Watchet. Officers, NCOs, and Airmen all receive specialized training there. The instructors' course is designed to provide reliefs of instructors for school and for operational squadrons, while the Airmen's course fits young recruits, both regular and National Service, to take their place in operational units. In addition, courses are run for Officer cadets who afterwards go on to OCTUs. NCOs are trained as assistant gunnery instructors. All courses use the standard weapon of light A-A squadrons the 40 mm Bofor, which has already proved itself a devasting deterrent to low-flying aircraft.

During their stay at Watchet, all pupils have "active service" training under conditions approximating as nearly as possible to those in war. For periods up to 48 hours they take part in mobile deployment exercises entailing laying of communications, mounting observation posts, mounting observation posts, and camouflaging, Gun positions are "attacked" by low-flying aircraft. Regiment trainees are expected to be able to bring a gun into action in 90 seconds. Realism is also the keynote of the training provided at the RAF Regiment Depots at Catterick. With entirely different types of instruction being given simultaneously all over the airfield, the scene resembles a battle-ground.

(By A.H. Narracott)