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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: Philezra on Monday 22 October 18 19:02 BST (UK)

Title: Enlisted for WW1....then what happened?
Post by: Philezra on Monday 22 October 18 19:02 BST (UK)
Hi.

I have a John Stewart Mills (he was actually Stuart) enlisting on 28 March 1918 for RAF. Service number 140848

Occupation was Draughtsman.

Following the end of the War, what was the formality? As I know, he just "returned" to being a Draughtsman....

Why might he have enlisted? (DOB was 15 Dec 1894).

Thank you for any light that can be shed on this.
Title: Re: Enlisted for WW1....then what happened?
Post by: Viktoria on Monday 22 October 18 19:15 BST (UK)
Well in March 1918 WWI was still being fought with no prior knowledge that it would end inNovember of that year.
Perhaps he was in a reserved occupation so would not have been conscripted.
Also  ,this is a suggestion only as I have no accurate info to base this on,
but the RAF was quite new, had been The Flying Corps before that so
perhaps different rules etc.
Best of luck with your search.
Viktoria.
Title: Re: Enlisted for WW1....then what happened?
Post by: Philezra on Monday 22 October 18 19:26 BST (UK)
Yes of course! 100 years anniversary....

Thank you very much for your reply.

Phil
Title: Re: Enlisted for WW1....then what happened?
Post by: ShaunJ on Monday 22 October 18 19:29 BST (UK)
According to the RAF record he was transferred to the RAF Reserve ( Class G ) on 13 March 1919. He would have returned to civilian life at that point.

Class G meant that he was released from service but liable for recall whilst on the reserve.  The class
was disbanded and all airmen in the class discharged on 30 April 1920.
Title: Re: Enlisted for WW1....then what happened?
Post by: ShaunJ on Monday 22 October 18 19:39 BST (UK)
His occupation is recorded as "shift engineer", not draughtsman. He joined the army (Royal Flying Corps) on 28 March 1918 and was transferred to the RAF four days later on 1 April.
Title: Re: Enlisted for WW1....then what happened?
Post by: Philezra on Monday 22 October 18 20:32 BST (UK)
Many many thanks for this.

I did reply asking if this info is freely available but the post has gone missing....

Was there a "cut off" to who was conscripted and who wasn't??

In the 1939 Register, he is listed as a reserve Air Patrol Warden.
Title: Re: Enlisted for WW1....then what happened?
Post by: ainslie on Monday 22 October 18 20:52 BST (UK)
ARP was Air Raid Precautions.
Title: Re: Enlisted for WW1....then what happened?
Post by: Philezra on Monday 22 October 18 21:07 BST (UK)
 I see....couldn't remember what exactly was on the register.

Without wishing to ask you blow by blow,  what exactly did they do?
Title: Re: Enlisted for WW1....then what happened?
Post by: ainslie on Monday 22 October 18 21:54 BST (UK)
Air Raid Wardens were organised locally and trained to deal with minor fires etc, to look for breaches of blackout and warn people of gas attacks.  If you watched Dad’s Army, Hodges was an example of the over-officious type.
They had dark blue battledress uniforms, whistle, rattle, torch, steel helmet and beret, badges.  Others may add more.
A
Title: Re: Enlisted for WW1....then what happened?
Post by: Jomot on Tuesday 23 October 18 01:01 BST (UK)
deleted - brain not engaged!