The 85th entry arrived at Halton on Monday January 7th, 1957 and passed out 1,074 days later on Wednesday December 16th 1959.

The 85th Entry consisted originally of 410 members including additions from other entries, boy entrants and foreign forces. After 3 years of training, 179 members graduated and were released upon the world, supposedly to make it and the Royal Air Force both better places.

During those three years, a bunch of 16-year-old kids from across the UK, from other countries and from totally different ethnic, educational, social and economic backgrounds were thrown together at random and grew through what was probably the most formative years of their lives. This tremendous learning experience and the friendships formed, together with the bonds forged by the shared misery and joys they lived through, will never be forgotten.

These are the reasons why each Ex-Halton Apprentice is a member of a very unique
" Old Boy's Club "

We, the 85th Entry, were all trained in the Aircraft Technical trades and, as far as the Service was concerned, we were supposed to spend our working lives in the mob and were destined to become the future Senior NCOs and Technical Officers that formed the backbone of the aircraft maintenance trades within the Royal Air Force.

A number of us did just that, but what is perhaps surprising is how many of us left the service, took our technical skills and the other, probably more important, skills that we learned as Apprentices and proceeded to carve out remarkably different of careers in all parts of the world.

This web site is now "under new management" and its content, with your help, will increase and improve over time. The emphasis is on what we've done starting from back then, through to what we are doing now. It is hoped that we'll find and keep in touch with more of our old entry mates, especially those who are spread throughout the world and who cannot attend reunions.

All Ex-85th Entry members are encouraged to contribute to this site. Send your stuff to the Webmaster below, he'll take care of it!