As headquarters to the Air Transport Auxiliary, White Waltham played a key role in World War Two. The airfield's origins lay in 1935 when it opened as the DH School of Flying, although by the outbreak of war this had become 13 Elementary Flying Training School. The first ferry units, 3 Ferry Pilots Pool (FPP) formed here in February 1940, although this became 1 FPP ATA. The role of the ATA moving thousands of aircraft from airfield to airfield in all weathers and conditions - cannot be overstated. ATA pilots allowed front-line pilots to remain in 'Ops'. White Waltham was very much at the heart of this.