Not alot to go on, but where is it?

There really is no info to go on on this photo, no date or any notes on it anywhere. I doub't we'll work out where it is but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Looks like the rows of wooden huts that were at St Athan, just a very biased guess though!

I think it's one of those that we could al gues some likey places, but would be very difficult to confirm.

Could be a Recruit Training Unit in the 1950s, going by the type of uniform worn. I used one of those barrack huts in the 1960 at RAF Cardington, RAF Bridgnorth and RAF Hereford.

Robin.

My thoughts were places like Padgate or Hednesford. Thanks for the suggestions so far.

You can see how our interests affect our focus. That could have been a future king in the photo yet the faces take second place and we all look at the hutting:-D

Yes, a training establishment; i'm guessing the date would be late '40s early '50s.

That said, if you zoom in to what appears to be the only 'permanent staff' member in the centre of the pic, he appears to be a Corporal but no trade badges viisible. His SD Cap is a clue, I think, because it has been 'bashed' that is, illegally modified to lower the visor towards the bridge of the nose and raise the peak. A modification much favoured by RAF Police and Discipline (Staion Warrant Officers and Discipline Staff) to give an intimidating appearance to menials.

A basic training establisment. West Kirby, Kirkham?

Edit: On closer look, there is a Sergeant (with a field service cap) on the right of the 'Corporal' Cant see any badges on the 'erks'

It looks like a direct entry square bashing camp from the make up. They were at Padgate, Hednesford, West Kirby and Wilmslow. I think the group is too small to have been one of the Apps or Boy training camps.
When were forage caps phased out definitely by the late forties?
The link below is from West Kirby in 1948 and seems comparable

www.rafwka.co.uk/182f7580.jpg

Having had a further look at the picture, the uniform that the airmen are wearing is the same pattern that I wore as a National Serviceman in 1960-62, with a belted jacket, known as a 'hairy blue'. Also, having had a browse on the NSRAFA site, the forage cap seems to have been worn as late as 1949. I still think that it is a Recruit Training Unit 'somewhere' in the late 1940s. As far as there being a future King in the photo, there could have been a future Chief of the Air Staff.

Robin.

The term (when I were nobbut a NSA sprog in the mid-1950's) was "slashed" rather than "bashed". It involved cutting the stitching of the peak at the outer edges such that (as has been said) the peak would lower almost to the nose. When I went in I was already SAC qualified, but I did my Square Bashing as an AC2 being shouted at by this Drill Instructor (DI) Cpl. Although he wore 2 tapes on his arm he was only a Substantive (and paid) LAC. After Pass Out Parade I quickly sewed my SAC's props on my sleeves. I still could not give Cpl Stocks (if he's listening, or reading this!) the invitation to "go forth and multiply"! But I could - and did! - to his LAC henchman who woke us up each morning by running his pickaxe handle across our iron bedframes as he ran down one of the huts in the picture.
If I may vote then I would go for (a) the pre-beret time, and (b) Hednesford.
HTH
Resmoroh

PS Cpl Stocks was very hard, but very fair. He said if we came back, in our own time (and there was precious little of that at Square Bashing!!!), he would teach us the Queen Anne Rifle Salute. We did, and our Flight won the Drill Competition. Stocks, to his eternal credit, put half his winnings from the Cpls Club bets into our P**s Up fund!