No 644 VGS was originally formed in December 1943 as No 29
Elementary Gliding School at Sheffield and one of 102 schools. At the time EGS’s
operated off grassland, not airfields, when initially formed. In February 1944 the unit
moved to Askern where it remained until January 1946. In May 1946 the School relocated to
Doncaster Aerodrome and later transferred to RAF Spitalgate in 1955, where it remained for
many years.
In 1948 a new Gliding School, No 44, was formed at Cottesmore in Rutland where the Station
Commander, Group Captain JE Johnson DSO DFC (later Air Vice Marshall Johnson CB CBE)
became a frequent visitor to the School making his first solo in a Cadet Mk3 XE799 on July
22 1953. This unit continued to operate from this busy airfield for 6 years, sharing
airspace with Canberra BMk1 Aircraft.
In 1954 a rationalisation of the RAF Reserve Units was being planned and a number of
schools were selected for amalgamation based mainly on their geographic proximity and
consequently by late 1955 Gliding Schools were absorbed into 61 to 66 Groups RAF. As a
result No 29 was formed at Spitalgate where it came under the authority of No 64 (Northern
Reserve) Group of the Home Command and renumbered 644 Gliding School on 29 December 1955,
the fourth school in 64 Group.
No 644 Gliding School remained at RAF Spitalgate, alongside the Central Gliding School,
where it was involved in preliminary trials of the Slingsby T53, all metal glider, and the
only Venture TMk1 XW983. In 1975 the control of RAF Spitalgate passed to the Army and No
644 moved again, this time to Syerston, where it still resides.
In 1977 No 644 GS was selected to be the first gliding school to convert from the
conventional winch launched gliders to motor gliders in the shape of the Vickers-Slingsby
Venture TMk2. The School continued to operate the Venture very successfully, assisting
ACCGS to convert other gliding schools to the Venture.
In 1979 all the gliding schools were prefixed with the word “Volunteer” and the
unit was re-designated No 644 VGS on April 1 1979.
Throughout the 1980’s the school regularly flew over 1000 hours per year, sending
over 100 cadets solo and providing air experience to countless cadets from East, South
Midlands, and Lincolnshire and South Humberside Wings.
In 1990 No 644 became the first school to convert to a new aircraft, this time the Grob
109B or Vigilant TMk1 as it was named by the RAF. No 644 VGS continues to operate from
Syerston, serving mainly the South and East Midlands Wing ATC with a few Squadrons from
Trent and Beds and Cambs together with a small number of CCF Units.
Commanding Officers:
- 1970 Flt Lt J Saunders
1970 - 1975 Flt Lt K R Pearson MBE
1975 - 1978 Flt Lt C D Parsons
1978 - 1983 Sqn Ldr R D Lawson AE
1983 - 1992 Sqn Ldr J R Rogers
1992 - 1993 Sqn Ldr R Bullivant
1993 - 2004 Sqn Ldr M J Barnes FInstLM MRIN 2004
- Flt Lt Ford
Representative Aircraft:
Kirby Kite VD165
Kirby Gull 2 VD203
T53 – XV 951
Cadet Mk1 VF 179
Sedbergh WB 977
Venture Mk1 XW 983
Prefect WE 990
Cadet Mk3 WT 916
Venture Mk2 XZ551
Vigilant TMk1 ZH 115
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