Defence School of Photography

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Defence School of Photography (DSoP)
Defence school of photography-crest.jpg
Founded1972 (1972) (as Joint School of Photography)
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
TypeDefence training school
RolePhotographic training
Part of Defence Intelligence Training Group
Location RAF Cosford, Shropshire
Motto(s)Luce Scribimus (Latin: (We) Write with light) [1] [note 1]
Accreditations British Institute of Professional Photography
Commanders
Current
commander		Edwin Hedges

The Defence School of Photography (DSoP) is a training centre for all photographers drawn from the three arms of the British Military and the Civil Service. [note 2] The School has been located at RAF Cosford in Shropshire, England since 1963 and in its own purpose built building at Cosford since 1965. The school has gone through several iterations being firstly a Royal Flying Corps school, then a Royal Air Force School, then a Joint school before becoming the DSoP in 2003.

Contents

Its origins lie in the advent of the First World War, with training being developed as far back as 1912; the school lays claim to being the oldest technical training environment in the Royal Air Force, pre-dating the formation of the RAF itself. [2]

In 2003, the school was renamed as the Defence School of Photography which widened the scope on training it could offer across governmental agencies. [3] Since 2006 it has been under the command and control of the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre (DISC) at Chicksands alongside the Defence School of Intelligence (DSI), the Defence School of Languages (DSL) and the Royal School of Military Survey (RSMS). [4] In 2015, DISC was renamed as the Joint Intelligence Training Group (JITG) [5] which the DSoP still works under.

History

Background

The formation of aerial military photography was down to the determination of a small number of men who were in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) but it was mostly down to Frederick Charles Victor Laws (affectionately known as 'Daddy Laws' by photographers). [6] Laws was initially a Sergeant in the RFC and had a passion for photography. Despite Field Marshall Haig's reputed maxim that reconnaissance was best achieved by the Cavalry, [note 3] [7] Laws and his cohort proved that aerial photography could provide information at a level of accuracy unseen before in theatres of war. [8]

In January 1915, Laws, Lieutenant J T C Moore-Brabazon, Lieutenant C D M Campbell and 2nd Air Mechanic W D Corse were sent to test and report back on aerial photography. [9] They produced such detailed reconnaissance of Neuve Chapelle with its intricate hidden defences that when the attack took place, the eventual human toll was far less than that of previous similar campaigns. [8]

A School of Photography was established in 1915 [10] with a formalised training centre at Farnborough (later RAF Farnborough) in January 1917. Laws came back as Commanding Officer twice; first as a Squadron Leader in 1924 and secondly as a Wing Commander in 1933. [11] Because the school was created in 1915, it is referred to as the oldest technical training environment in the Royal Air Force (even though it is a defence school, it operated primarily for the RAF due to the aerial reconnaissance responsibility). The school was responsible for holding millions of exposed glass-plate negatives from the First World War. 130,000 would be gifted to the Imperial War Museum, whilst many others not considered important enough were simply buried in a hole in the ground at RAF Farnborough. [12]

On the formation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918, all photographers from the Royal Navy and the Royal Flying Corps became part of the RAF Photographic branch. The Royal Navy established its own photographic school at Tipner Ranges (under HMS Excellent) in 1920. This was a dedicated gunnery and torpedo school. [13] During the early 1920s, T. E. Lawrence (under the alias John Hume Ross) was attached to the School of Photography whilst it was at Farnborough. [14]

Aerial Photography during the Second World War Aerial Photography during the Second World War CH6011.jpg
Aerial Photography during the Second World War

During the Second World War the school was renamed No. 1 School of Photography, [15] as the need for reconnaissance and photographic experts became paramount, a second school was opened at a hastily converted technical college [16] in Blackpool, Lancashire to cater for the upsurge in personnel. [17] During this period, the School(s) of Photography came under the Royal Air Force Technical Training Command. [18]

On 17 March 1947, the RAF school moved to Heath End, Hampshire, with the unit being renamed back to School of Photography RAF on 22 August 1949, the unit then moved into RAF Wellesbourne Mountford in Warwickshire on 6 January 1948. [15] It used Avro Anson aircraft in its aerial photography training and stayed for fifteen years at Wellesbourne Mountford before moving on to RAF Cosford in Shropshire on 26 August 1963 [15] [19] as part of No. 2 School of Technical Training. [15] A new building was designed and built specifically for photographic training at Cosford which is supposed to resemble a Rail Camera from the aerial perspective with Bellows as the front doors. [20] Alec Brew in his book of photographs of RAF Cosford, describes the building opened in December 1965 [21] as '...being a drab place enlivened by a marvellous mural.' [22]

During the same period, the Royal Naval School of Photography had moved from Tipner Ranges to Felpham at Bognor Regis (1943), then in 1947 it moved on to HMS Peregrine [note 4] at RNAS Ford. It moved to HMS Daedalus (Lee-on-Solent) in 1961 and then onto HMS Fulmar. [note 5] (where the Naval aerial photographic training was undertaken). [23]

Formation

In 1972, the schools combined to become the Joint School of Photography (JSoP) when the Royal Navy closed their school at what was RNAS Lossiemouth. The Royal Navy and Army photographic training was formalised into a new programme at the school in Cosford alongside the Royal Air Force [10] and was the first instance of formalised Joint training at RAF Cosford. [24]

In 2003, the school became the Defence School of Photography which allowed it to train employees from across the military spectrum either enlisted or civilian. [10] In 2015 the school celebrated its centenary with a special open weekend and formal dinner at the RAF Museum Cosford. [25] [26]

Training

Royal Navy and Army trainee professional photographers are drawn from existing strength within their respective services. [27] The Royal Air Force have traditionally taken on recruits as direct entrants with no military experience. [26] [note 6] The Royal Navy see being a sailor first as important to its overall ethos. On completion of successful professional photographic training, Royal Marine personnel transfer over to the Royal Navy but are allowed to keep their Green beret. [28]

All three services have now had their training aligned into one professional photographic course which last for eight months. [29] A civilian course with the same content and commensurate qualifications is normally undertaken over two years. [30] All trained professional photographers have the opportunity to come back for further training in courses that enhance their skills.

Professional photographers are given NVQ's in their respective fields [31] and the ability to receive a Modern Apprenticeship. [29] They are also entitled to join the British Institute of Professional Photographers. [32]

The DSoP also operates training for non-professional photographic staff, such as coastal survey and reconnaissance training. [26] [28]

Military nicknames

Photographers in the military are commonly known as 'Phots'. In the Royal Air Force, they were traditionally known as 'Clicky's' whilst the original term for a photographer in the Royal Navy was 'Snaps'. [33]

Commanders

Unless annotated at the end of the name of the Commanding Officer, all are Royal Air Force. [34]

YearRank and NameYearRank and nameYearRank and name
19152nd Lt F C V Laws (RFC)1941Wg Cdr J B Newman1974Sqn Ldr A A Blain
1917Lt C Porri (RFC)1941Wg Cdr A E Taylor1976Sqn Ldr G P Proctor
1917Major P R Burchall (RFC)1942Wg Cdr P R Burchall1978Sqn Ldr G C Ashman
1920Sqn Ldr A R Cooper1943Sqn Ldr W H Dunton1982Sqn Ldr G J Brown
1922Sqn Ldr W J Guilfoyle1945Wg Cdr C G R Lewis1985Lt Cdr M H Larcombe (RN)
1924Sqn Ldr F C V Laws1947Wg Cdr H C Westwood1989Sqn Ldr B A Broad
1930Wg Cdr A H Steele-Perkins1950Wg Cdr E T Scott1991Lt Cdr C L Hamlin (RN)
1932Wg Cdr H M Probin1953Wg Cdr G J Buxton1993Sqn Ldr V Kinnin
1932Wg Cdr R H Neville1955Sqn Ldr S Hoskin1996Sqn Ldr S Ivory
1933Wg Cdr F C V Laws1955Sqn Ldr J W Berry1998Mr J D Ness (Civil Service)
1933Wg Cdr G Bowman1959Sqn Ldr P R Mayle2000Mr G H Sellars (CS) [note 7]
1934Wg Cdr M L Taylor1961Sqn Ldr F R J Richardson2010Mr J J Jarvis (CS) [note 8]
1936Wg Cdr C Porri1964Sqn Ldr J E Bellingham2018Mr F Tomlinson (CS)
1938Sqn Ldr J Silvester1968Sqn Ldr K M Hall2022Mr E Hedges (CS) [note 8]
1939Sqn Ldr R C Sturgiss1972Sqn Ldr W H P Brown
1940Wg Cdr H G Barrett1974Lt Cdr T Marriott (RN)

Notes

  1. ↑ Also translates as We write by light. This was the motto of the RAF School of Photography which became the motto of the Joint School of Photography in 1972. Whilst it was a Joint School, it retained an approved RAF Badge up until its name change to DSoP in 2003.
  2. ↑ The Royal Marines are part of the Royal Navy.
  3. ↑ There is some doubt that Haig actually said this; in the citation from Air Power Review, it mentions that it is more likely to be attributable to a technophobic officer under Haigh's command or part of his headquarters staff.
  4. ↑ The Royal Navy Photographic award is called the Peregrine Trophy.
  5. ↑ This base became RAF Lossiemouth in 1972.
  6. ↑ RAF Photographers belong to Trade Group 14 in the non-commissioned branches.
  7. ↑ Former Royal Navy photographer.
  8. 1 2 Former Royal Air Force photographer.

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References

  1. ↑ Pine, L G (1983). A dictionary of mottoes . London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. p.  132. ISBN   0-7100-9339-X.
  2. ↑ Bennett, I (1978). "A history of RAF Cosford". RAF 60: 43.
  3. ↑ Robinson, Tim (Autumn 2015). "100 Years of Continuous Military Photographic Training". Cosford Grapevine: 9. OCLC   751026701.
  4. ↑ "Royal School of Military Survey". Joint Intelligence Training Group. Archived from the original on 5 June 2007. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "Bedfordshire - Joint Intelligence Training Group Chicksands". Sanctuary (44): 74. 2015. ISSN   0959-4132.
  6. ↑ Williams 2011, p. 32.
  7. ↑ Marr, Paul (Summer 2014). "Haig and Trenchard: Achieving Air Superiority on the Western Front". Air Power Review. 17 (2). Royal Air Force: 25. ISSN   1463-6298.
  8. 1 2 Humphrey 2014, p. 10.
  9. ↑ Jones, H A (1928). "The War in the air". Internet Archive. p. 88. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 "Defence School of Photography". National Archives. Ministry of Defence. 18 October 2012. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  11. ↑ Humphrey 2014, p. 20.
  12. ↑ Williams 2011, pp. 366–367.
  13. ↑ "Early history of photography in the Navy". Royal Navy Photographers Association. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  14. ↑ James, Lawrence (23 September 2004). "Lawrence, Thomas Edward [known as Lawrence of Arabia]". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/34440.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  15. 1 2 3 4 Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 212.
  16. ↑ Robinson, Tim (Autumn 2015). "100 Years of Continuous Military Photographic Training". Cosford Grapevine. Ministry of Defence: 8. OCLC   751026701.
  17. ↑ Humphrey 2014, p. 15.
  18. ↑ "Training in Photography". Gloucester Journal. 22 November 1941. p. 9. Retrieved 2 July 2016.(subscription required)
  19. ↑ "WW2 Peoples War; RAF Wellesbourne Mountford". BBC History. BBC History. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  20. ↑ "New RAF School of Photography Open". Shropshire Magazine. January 1966. p. 35.
  21. ↑ Humphrey 2014, p. 17.
  22. ↑ Brew, Alec (1995). RAF Cosford in old photographs. Stroud: Alan Sutton Publishing. p. 53. ISBN   0-7509-0701-0.
  23. ↑ "Peregrine Trophy". Royal Navy Photographers Association. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  24. ↑ Bennett, I (1978). "A History of RAF Cosford". RAF 60: 82.
  25. ↑ "A century of military photographic images goes on show at Cosford". RAF Museum Cosford. RAF Museum. 21 January 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  26. 1 2 3 Robinson, Tim (Autumn 2015). "100 Years of Continuous Military Photographic Training". Cosford Grapevine. Ministry of Defence: 10. OCLC   751026701.
  27. ↑ "Logistic Support Photographer". British Army. British Army. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  28. 1 2 "View from our office - behind the scenes with the Navy's photographers". Navy News (739): 14–15. February 2016. ISSN   0028-1670.
  29. 1 2 "Defence Photographer Course - 5300". Royal Air Force. Royal Air Force. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  30. ↑ "Five days to show they're cool enough for phot school. Will they click?". Navy News. No. 741. April 2016. p. 21. ISSN   0028-1670.
  31. ↑ "Defence School of Photography". RAF Cosford. Royal Air Force. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  32. ↑ "About the BIPP". BIPP. British Institute of Professional Photographers. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  33. ↑ Jolly, Rick (2000). Jackspeak - a guide to British Naval slang and usage. Cornwall: Palamanando Publishing. p. 410. ISBN   0-9514305-2-1.
  34. ↑ Humphrey 2014, p. 21.

Bibliography

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