Air Force Lookups - if you need help

[fred1951]

Sorry Ross I should know better by now!

He lived in March Cambridgeshire so I think that is where he was based

All I have are these the "passport" type photo (front and back)is probably when he joined does he look around 18yrs to you  so that would make 1943., on the back is The insignia is from a christmas from him but undated and the other is badge from his jacket
 

[rafcommands]

Okay Doke,

The white flash in the cap denotes that he was aircrew candidate at the time of the photo.

The insignia is for an Air Gunner 1/2 wing that he would have gained on completion of the first phase of aircrew training. (usually in the UK) before crewing up at OTU.

He appears in the card index of AIR 78/133 - free download from the TNA website and this gives his service number as 1850696

This number block was in use from Late 1942 to 1944 at Oxford so this would have been where he went for attestation/medical etc.

He would have volunteered twice - one to join the RAF and then again for aircrew training.

No hits in the London gazette for his OR service number so on completion of training he should have been promoted to Sgt and remained an NCO for the rest of his service career.

As said you can apply for his service record which takes a bit to come through but does shine a torchlight for where to look for trace rather than the stabs in the dark that happen without it's guidance.

cheers
Ross

[fred1951]

Hi Ross

Thank you so much for all that info' I really struggle finding my way around the TNA site so as yet haven't been able to find his name in the index cards I did find AIR 78/133 but only one name came up and it wasn't Rhodes but I'm sure I will find it by the end of play.  I've worked it out now and have downloaded 

I'm sure I have a photo of a plane in my tin of photos, I wonder if he flew it, mind you it was a very small plane

Thanks again

Julia

[Rosie (MaccHistorian)]

F in a circle means that he was graded into Class F reserve and usually means pre war service.

His service number is from a block used for RAF entry at RAF Cardington commencing Sept 1939 and running to April 1940.

The other chap is also a wartime entrant and comes into a block that was enrolled between June 1941 and July 1942 at Birmingham combined service recruiting centres. As his number is late in the block I would suggest an enrolment of early 1942 eg Feb/March/April.

Regards
Ross

Thank you that information, Ross. I have a few photos of him in uniform, one of which has on the back, "After arrival from Crete 5/41", so I assume he must be the one who enrolled earlier. A couple of photos were taken at Tel Aviv but no dates, unfortunately; and the one which says it was taken after arrival from Crete has the date but no location. I despair of our ancestors!
He was born in 1919 so perhaps could have joined up at the age of 18 in 1937? What would be the usual age to join the RAF in the 1930s?

[DeeBoneham]

Cyril Norman Stanley Campbell (b.1913) .

Any information, particularly about Francis would be gratefully received   

Found him on the London Gazette being promoted to Pilot Officer in December 1940.  His non commissioned rank was Flight Sergeart at the time and his service number was 580306.  His service number as an officer was 44879.  Hope this will help you find somemore information.
Dee

[Beverly27]

was looking for a George Lewis in the RAF served in the middle east 1937 to 1945..cannot find any info

[Carleton]

I apologize for not posting this message the way it should be posted.  I tried!  :-(

I am hoping to find information I am lacking on Sgt. Sidney Rhodes RAF (VR) Serv. No. 1680670.  He enlisted 07 Nov. 1942 (E. Riding, Yorkshire?).  He surfaces for the very first time as Flt. Eng. with No. 405 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron aboard PB477 and was shot down 02 Jan. 1945 on a raid to Nuremberg.  Out of a crew of 7 men, Rhodes and the rear air gunner (Plyley) were the only two survivors.  Rhodes and Plyley both spent time in Stalag Luft 1 before being freed by the Russians in May of 1945.

I have copies of Rhodes' and Plyley's POW debriefing papers.  Two of the questions asked were, "Were you lectured in your unit on how to behave in the event of capture" and "Were you lectured on escape and evasion" (state where, when and by whom)....Rhodes' answer to both these questions was "Only at Dalton Battle School".  There was no mention of a post to another/other squadron(s).  Plyley, on the other hand, mentions in his report that he  learned this when he was part of 419 Sqdn.

I am looking for help in determining if indeed Rhodes served with another squadron before he was posted to No. 405 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn.  There is very little "war" information out there on this man.  Post-war is a different story.  He was remustered into the regiment upon his release from POW camp and retired from the Air Force in 1958.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Carleton   

I have a fair collection books on the Commonwealth Air Forces for the WW2 period and if anyone would like any assistance, or a look up, please ask. For example (just a sample):

Honour The Air Forces - a complete register of all gallentry awards to RAF and Commonwealth airmen (except MiD) with date, unit and LG reference

Bomber Command and Fighter Command Losses of WW2

A number of squadron histories

Unsung Heroes - a register of all RAF etc POWs in the Far East

Several books on the RAF in the Far East (an area that is particularly difficult to research for airmen casualties)

etc

Just thought I'd mention it 

K

[Zuluss12]

Hi - you posted asking about VT Bradley - he was my uncle and I have the following info. for you.  I wondered why you were interested in him?  Best wishes:

The plane was nicknamed:'Saint the Second'/Bomber Command
Squadron:No. 76 Squadron RAF
He is buried at ROERMOND (KAPEL IN 'T ZAND) ROMAN CATHOLIC CEMETERY in the Netherlands.

On the night of the 30th/31st of August 1943 the RAF dispatched a force of 660 aircraft for an operation to Monchengladbach and the nearby town of Rheydt.
The force was made up of 297 Lancasters, 185 Halifaxes, 107 Stirlings, 57 Wellingtons and 14 Mosquitos. The plan was for the Pathfinders to mark Monchengladbach with target indicators first, and two minutes later, to mark Rheydt. Visibility was good and target marking was described as "model". The result was that around half of the buildings in both towns were damaged or destroyed with the main railway station in Rheydt being particularly hard hit.

Charles Akroyd-Stuart and his crew took off from RAF Holme-on Spalding Moor in Halifax DK207 MP-S at 12.06am on the morning of the 31st of August for the operation; the target for his aircraft was Monchengladbach.

The aircraft was shot down by a German night fighter flown by Oberleutnant Martin Drewes of II/NJG1 and crashed at 3.58am near Grathem (Limburg). Two of the crew survived to become prisoners.

The crew were:-

Squadron Leader Charles Anthony Letteblere Akroyd-Stuart (Pilot)
Sergeant Douglas Gordon Jackson Powell (Flight Engineer)
Pilot Officer Kenneth Holme (Navigator)

Sergeant Victor Thomas Bradley (Air Gunner)

[/b]Sergeant Stuart Cameron MacLennan RCAF (Air Gunner)

Sergeant WG Williams prisoner of war (Stalag VI B Mulhberg)
Sergeant DJ Doe prisoner of war (Stalag VI B Mulhberg)

Theirs was one of 25 aircraft which were lost on the operation.

[Carleton]

Hi Zuluss,

You have sent this message to me in error.  I am not researching Sgt. V. T. Bradley.  The messages I have posted on this forum have been in regards to the crew of No. 405 (R.C.A.F)  Squadron who were shot down 02 Jan. 1945 near Rohrau, Germany.

Carleton