Does anybody know any flyers who were here ?? The Royal Flying Corps was formed in 1912. On the outbreak of war it went immediately to France with the BEF, almost in its entirety. Although initially dismissive of the air arm's usefulness prior to 1914, High Command soon began to appreciate the importance of the RFC and to depend more and more upon their reports of enemy concentrations and movements. As the war settled down into stalemate in 1915 it became obvious that things would not be resolved quickly and the RFC would need expansion, just as all branches of the Army would do. Not only would new types of aircraft be required but so would increasing numbers of pilots, observers and all squadron specialists, mechanics, riggers, armourers down to large numbers of humble erks. An increase in flying schools would be required and so, in the Midlands, the Castle Bromwich Aerodrome as it was known was taken over by the War Office to form No 5 Flying School for the training of pilots and crew. Accomodation was originally in tents but soon various buildings had to be requisitioned, a jockeys' quarters at a local Racecourse, the Old Hall Farmhouse which became the officers' mess, then huts were erected and the site grew. As well as training, Castle Bromwich began to play a more important role as a station for the formation of squadrons and their working up to a state of operational efficiency prior to departing for active service in France. http://www.hellfire-corner.demon.co.uk/castlebrom.htm Annie
