MOS EE AA Ynyslas Meeting 2 January 1946, pg1

Disgrifiad

One of the few documents that have survived are the minutes of a meeting held at the camp on 2 January 1946. The chairman of the Guided Projectile Project, Major Jubb, was given a tour of the range facilities. Discussions centered on how observational techniques might be improved with the camera systems available - the Akeley or the Ascania.
The next propulsive duct (long range rocket) trial was scheduled for 11 January 1946or 9 days time, proving that Ynyslas was indeed used for top secret rocket trails.
It is also interesting to note at the bottom of the page that the leader of the team recording observations was a Jun. CommanderBiddle, a 'she' - probably a member of the woman's Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS).
TheATS was formed in 1938 and, by the end 1943, the number of volunteers had grown to over 200,000. New recruits were sent to army camps for basic training and at the end of 4 weeks written and practical tests help to determine the tasks for which they were best suited. Jobs in the army varied from cooks, clerks, telephonists and translators to lorry drivers, motorbike messengers and engineers.
The recruits assigned to anti-aircraft units could track aircraft by radar, pick them out with searchlights, aim large anti-aircraft guns, but were not allowed to fire the guns. At Ynyslas, these anti-aircraft tracking skills were employed on new types of missiles.
It becomes clear that they were indeed highly skilled.
Inlater correspondence, Major Jubb noted that theSuperintendant of Experiment (camp commander)Lt Colonel Todd sorely lamented the loss of theirexpertise when,after demobilization, they were replaced with regular army(male)recorders.
Page 2 of the document contains the actions arising from the meeting.