Woomera site

[TreeDigger]

L.S.

Piecing together facts (and discarding myths) surrounding my biological father, I'm trying to find out whether he actually worked at the Woomera test site in Australia. Lacking facts like the exact years he might have been there, or whether he was there as a civilian or while still in the RAF (I don't have his service records), is there any way to go about this?

Any help much appreciated.

TD

[Billyblue]

Woomera is still a prohibited area, I see - apparently under the control of the RAAF.

It was all very hush hush when set up.
Employee records are probably 'closed files' I would imagine.
But will be interested to see if others have any more constructive ideas 

Dawn M

[Aussie1947]

Hi LS,

What time frame are you looking at for Woomera.

Gerry

[TreeDigger]

Hi Gerry,

Seeing how I'm the lock-picking skeleton of the family, I really don't have that much information to go on. But if I had to (gu)estimate, it would probably be between 1945-1955. I do know he was in Malaysia in the late Forties, so from there to Australia might make sense.

Again, I don't have his service records. There's a lot of military involvement that side of the family, and SKSs have generously provided me details of some of the older generations, but truth be told I am somewhat embarrassed to have to provide a DNA result just to prove I'm a (close) relative for the request of the records of both my father and grandfather.

Not to mention the costs involved (from The Netherlands) are beyond my means, and I don't have a credit card.

So anything you're willing to try and find out is really hugely appreciated!

@Billyblue

Yup, hence not being able to find anything through the Internet. Otherwise I wouldn't even bother you guys

TD

[Aussie1947]

Hi,

Maybe if he was RAF he might have been stationed at Maralinga and not Woomera.

From Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_nuclear_tests_at_Maralinga

Maybe try contacting this site.

https://www.forcesreunited.co.uk/units/2211/raf-maralinga

Australian National Archives Factsheet

http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/fact-sheets/fs129.aspx


Gerry

[TreeDigger]

HI Gerry,

Thank you for that information.

I am fairly certain that it was Woomera, but I will definitely contact the site you supplied on the off chance I was given faulty information.

Your efforts are much appreciated.

Regards, TD

[Voltaire1694]

As Gerry alludes, you should clarify whether you believe he was in the Royal Air Force (RAF) or Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). If it was the RAF, you would be looking at British service records (perhaps the resources listed or a post on http://www.rootschat.com/forum/armed-forces/ could help there). While there was a heavy British presence at the Maralinga test sites, I don't think it out of the question there was also British involvement at the Woomera rocket range. With either RAF or RAAF, I think the applicable service records are a good avenue to pursue. Re the RAAF, contact the National Archives of Australia, see http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/fact-sheets/fs32.aspx.

[Voltaire1694]

Actually, a websearch (woomera AND "royal air force") comes up with quite a lot of returns, including a photo at the State Library of South Australia entitled "British military detachment at Woomera" (1958) (https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/find/%22British+military+detachment+at+Woomera%22, seems to be accessible only if physically at the SLSA though). Would be great if that photo had the names of the service members!

[edit] Woomera was established in 1947 as a joint British-Australian site (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAAF_Woomera_Range_Complex).

[majm]

...
Australian National Archives Factsheet

http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/fact-sheets/fs129.aspx


Gerry

following up from Gerry's post,  one of my older rellies retired after many years as an Archivist, and has asked me to share :
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/SeriesDetail.aspx?series_no=A6242

Identification cards of persons employed at the Maralinga (SA) atomic test site

  The cards are printed on the back and front. The front carries the bulk of the information and has a square in the top right hand corner for a passport size photograph. Not all the cards have this photograph, about 20 percent show a blank space. The poor storage conditions in which the cards were held in Salisbury may have caused some photographs to become detached and lost.  ..... The following information appears on the front of each card: name, address, occupation, date of birth, place of birth, nationality, build, height, hair, eyes, and signature. Signatures appear on only a small number of cards; it appears that they were not consistently obtained. The cards also display an entry titled 'List No..of..', however the meaning of this entry cannot determined. The cards contain some obvious file references but no series of records relating to these numbers has been identified. The back of each card displays a list of temporary and permanent passes issued and some have references to security vetting.

JM