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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: tedjeff on Monday 14 September 20 11:36 BST (UK)

Title: raf india ww2, medical issues
Post by: tedjeff on Monday 14 September 20 11:36 BST (UK)

Hi, I'm a newbie here so please bear with me.  I have recently received my dad's service record and wondering about a few things.  He was with the RAF in India for some time (aircraft servicing??);  I'm not sure why the RAF were there - he was eventually posted back to the UK in 1945.  Looking at his record it seems he was hospitalised many times over there, and when back here over the years and I'm wondering whether this was likely to be malaria or similar?  It looks like he was in Portsmouth hospital but I think this has been closed for many years.  Am I likely to be able to access any of his actual medical records?  Thanks for any help.

Title: Re: raf india ww2, medical issues
Post by: ev on Monday 14 September 20 16:46 BST (UK)

Hi , welcome to RC  :)

This thread may be of interest -
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=401839.0


ev

Title: Re: raf india ww2, medical issues
Post by: rafcommands on Tuesday 15 September 20 08:02 BST (UK)

I'm assuming he was not commissioned.

His medical section was held in his Form 280 Certificate of Service.

In accordance with Parliament schedules of document retention/destruction it was destroyed a given number of years after he left the service.

All other documents in his Form 280 were also pruned as time went on until the only document retained was the index wrapper sheet Form 543.

This document will be what disclosures has sent you and is the only surviving part of his Form 280.

A few years ago I extracted the official regulations on the content/update and destruction of Form 280 and posted on Rafcommands web site.

http://www.rafcommands.com/reference/form-280-certificate-of-service-airman/

There is quite a bit of information that can be gleaned from Form 543 and it gives leads to other documents at The National Archives that give the role, conditions and notable events that happened to each formation he was posted to.

If you are happy to do so then an image of the Form 543 posted here will allow some of the more obscure abbreviations to be explained.

Ross

Title: Re: raf india ww2, medical issues
Post by: medpat on Tuesday 15 September 20 08:16 BST (UK)

The RAF in India had an important roll against the Japanese in WW2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Third_Tactical_Air_Force#:~:text=The%20RAF%20Third%20Tactical%20Air,during%20the%20Second%20World%20War.

Title: Re: raf india ww2, medical issues
Post by: luciacw on Thursday 12 November 20 13:15 GMT (UK)

Which unit was he serving with while in India?