About Us

 

THE BOYS SQUADRON ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS WAS FORMED AT BOVINGTON CAMP, DORSET IN 1952. 
IT COMPRISED OF FOUR TROOPS AND NAMED BALACLAVA, ALAMAIN, CAMBRAI AND DETTINGEN. ON LEAVING SCHOOL AT 15 BOYS COULD JOIN THE SQUADRON AND LEAVE AT THE AGE OF 18 TO JOIN THEIR CHOSEN REGIMENTS. REGIMENTS AVAILABLE WERE CAVALRY AND TANK REGIMENTS.
 
EACH TROOP HAD IT'S OWN BOY NCO's. THESE WERE BOY SGT, BOY CPLS AND BOY L/CPLS. THE HIGHEST RANK THAT COULD BE ACHIEVED WAS BOY SERGEANT MAJOR. TROOP STRENGTH WAS APPROXIMATELY 45. PERMANENT STAFF CAME FROM THE ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS REGIMENTS,  ARMY PHYSICAL TRAINING CORPS AND THE ARMY EDUCATION CORPS
 
AS THE BOYS WERE TRAINED IN WIRELESS, DRIVING AND MAINTENANCE AND GUNNERY TRADES THEY  BECAME AN ASSET TO THEIR REGIMENTS.
 
DURING THE PERIOD '52 TO '57 THE FOUR TROOPS WERE INCREASED BY THREE WITH THE ADDITION OF BLENHEIM, TUNIS AND WATERLOO.
 
DURING LATE 1957 THE OVERALL STRENGTH WAS INCREASED AND  RENAMED THE JUNIOR LEADERS REGIMENT.
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Bovington became a military camp in 1899. Originally it was used as an exercise area and rifle range. In 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War, it became the initial training camp of the newly formed 17th Infantry Division. Towards the end of 1916 it became the Tank Training Centre. Since then it has undergone various changes in nomenclature, culminating in the present ‘Armour Centre’ and is now the British Army’s Centre of Excellence for training in the core skills of armoured warfare using tanks and other Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs). These skills include AFV driving and maintenance, together with the operation of associated weapon systems and communication equipment.

The first boy soldiers to be posted to Bovington began training in January 1920. They were all under fifteen on enlistment and were considered to be of sufficiently high academic standard to be able to pass the Army Certificate of Education (ACE) 2 during their first year of service. There were initially 40 of them, but their number soon grew to 200. They had been recruited to make up for the lack of qualified mechanics volunteering for the Tank Corps. Their training therefore concentrated on the technical aspects of their trade. Nevertheless, a considerable portion of their time was devoted to elementary theoretical work, physical training, drill and organised games. This scheme came to an end in 1924 with the opening of the Army Apprentices’ Schools.

The next boy soldiers to arrive in Bovington did so when the Boys’ Squadron, RAC, commanded by a Major, was formed in 1952. Initially there were 44 Junior Soldiers but their number soon increased to 200. Age entry was set at 15 years and the boys were trained to take their place as crewmen in the regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps. The educational content of their course was aimed at the passing of those examinations which would give them exemption from adult soldiers’ examinations, viz:

a.    Junior Certificate – exemption from ACE 3 – necessary for promotion to Corporal
b.    Intermediate Certificate – exemption from ACE 2 – necessary for promotion to Sergeant
c.    Senior Certificate – exemption from ACE 1 – necessary for promotion to Warrant Officer

The unit was obviously successful in this aim because in 1957, for instance, the last year of the unit’s existence as a squadron, 86 of the 94 boys passing out obtained the Intermediate Certificate or higher qualification.

 

History of this project

THIS WEBSITE CAME ABOUT DUE TO THE PREVIOUS TWO WEBSITE PROVIDERS DECIDING TO CLOSE DOWN THEIR FACILITIES. AFTER LOOKING AROUND THE INTERNET AND SPEAKING TO FRIENDS I DECIDED THAT THIS PROVIDER CAME UP TRUMPS. AT FIRST IT WAS HARD GOING BUT AS I PROGRESSED IT BECAME EASIER AND ALTHOUGH IT HAS A LONG WAY TO GO, I FEEL THAT THIS SITE WILL MEET ALL OUR NEEDS.

 

I DO HOPE YOU LIKE WHAT I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DO SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP IN TOUCH AND MEET UP AT OUR REUNIONS.