RAF records 1946 - 1954

[Ellenmai]

Thanks for that explanation Ross

[BushInn1746]

There was a strict order in who could apply for Service Records.

When we applied to the UK MoD for information relating to my blood Grandfather who died in the RAF in WW2, we had to apply for and send a Scottish Death Certificate copy to prove his spouse (my blood Grandmother had since died).

However, because my late blood Grandmother had remarried after his WW 2 death, we had to apply for and send a second Scottish death certificate to prove her 2nd spouse had since died, before an index page was released to us by the MoD Veterans Agency.

You say his spouse is still alive, then she has the duty to apply?

Last time I read the rules on Military Service Record applications, a son or daughter won't be next in order for the purpose of applying for Military Service Records until both the Service person and his or her spouse are both dead (and in our case the subsequent remarriage spouse was dead).


If what you are saying, is that a son or daughter can apply whilst the spouse is still alive, it seems the MoD are being selectively awkward with some, and there is really no rule?

Kind regards Mark


EDIT: Does you mum have his RAF 'Certificate of Discharge' still?

My late Grandfather's, Four page RAF 'Certificate of Discharge' was sent out in WW 2 and apart from one next of kin address change, has all the same Information on the four page 'Certificate of Discharge', so we found the £25 (as it was then) a waste of money, as in our case the 'Service Record' was just a duplicate of the information our family had been sent and held since WW 2, except on two sides and pink in colour.

[rosie99]

If what you are saying, is that a son or daughter can apply whilst the spouse is still alive, it seems the MoD are being selectively awkward with some, and there is really no rule?

I think that if there is someone such as spouse still alive only they will get full details.  The children can still apply but won't get the same amount of information.

[BushInn1746]

I have recently received both my parents service records from WW2 and I'm very disappointed. My Mum's records do actually state where she was stationed, but some of the reasons she was moved are just numbers. With my Father's records where he is stationed is mostly numbers. They did send a list of common abbreviations with the records but they are no help as there are no numbers only letters. Sorry to put a damper on things but just don't expect too much, or to be able to understand most of the records. I had to wait 10 weeks before I received the records and paid £30 for each application.

Yes, Rosie, some applicants, only get a letter with certain information transcribed, where they are not the authorised applicant.

Ellenmai, you are correct, the postings/musterings; Units and/or Squadrons are abbreviated, usually with an 'Authority Reference'. The Authority Reference related to a standard form or instruction, probably minuted on their file and possibly with further details, all now destroyed we are led to believe.

The lack of a full Abbreviations Key are giving problems for some applicants of these Records.

I have seen recently the result of an application by the entitled person, for her late father's Service record (after her mother died) who served during WW 2 with an RAF number, on research work and immediately post-war until about 1948.

The Post-war part arrived 1945 to 1948 with the usual abbreviations, with a reference to being transferred in 1945 (dated) reference to experience already gained and his old work was ending.

So the daughter has an account of her father's wartime Service from his lips before he and her mother died, but a rather vague answer from our MoD, despite the post-war copy RAF Form sent out confirming that her father had previous Wartime Service.

Some RAF personnel were seconded to Units run by a Civilian firm under official Air Ministry Directorates and TNA, Kew, were saying on their website that files were kept for 100 years.

So yes, some applicants are disappointed with what is received, for the fee.

Post an exact transcription (PM too), or picture image and we'll see if we decipher it.

Regards Mark

[Brewins girl]

To Ross, RAF Commands
I see you have Coastal Command as an area of interest.
My Dad served in Coastal and Transport Commands during the war - his name was Frank Brewin Robinson. At home he was also called Frank, but I think he was known as Brewin in the RAF.

I recall a badge with an Octopus - would this have been Coastal Command?

Also, any idea why he would have served with both?

[rafcommands]

At the end of the war Coastal Command had the most experience in long duration flights over water.

Trooping by air was seen as the emergent post war skill that would be needed for communications with the empire so quite a few Coastal crews and units were converted onto Transport duties as being the easiest to retask.

Also by late 1944 the Bomber Command training machine was starting to wind down - it had enough crews for the forseen end of europe and actions in the pacific.

So fewer surplus Bomber Command new crews from the FTS/AFU/OTUs to populate the transport units and no transport training of any note to provide own trained resource.

Normandy had not been the decimation of the transport aircraft that was expected but the losses of Arnheim depleted the stocks of experienced transport crews needing them to replaced before the final assault over the Rhine. 

Ross

[Brewins girl]

FTS/AFU/OTUs???

[rafcommands]

The aircrew training meat grinder (depends on trade where they come in)

EFTS - Elementary Flying Training School

to

SFTS - Service Flying Training School

to

AFU - Advanced Flying Unit

to

OTU - Operational Training Unit

to

HCU - Heavy Conversion Unit

(to - for Lancaster Units only)

LFS - Lancaster Finishing School

to - finally

Squadron

Between 1 and 1.5 years EFTS to Squadron - Trainee entrant to pilot in command Lancaster - approx 50 flying hours of training - basically the same duration and flying training hours as Graduate Entrant to pilot in command Typhoon Jet in today's air force.

Ross     

[Brewins girl]

Thank you. The military is full of abbreviations and acronyms, all intended to fox us civilians!!!