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Author Topic: Royal Flying Corp Help Please.  (Read 4950 times)

Offline Ravenhook

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Royal Flying Corp Help Please.
« on: Friday 15 April 11 14:32 BST (UK) »
Can anyone help me find some information about this relative of mine, his uniform has RFC on the shoulder titles but we know nothing about his career, he was killed in 1941 after being hit by a taxiing bomber...he was in the RAF and his wife took a curly one and destroyed all his papers and effects with her grief.
His name was Harold John Ardley and I have included the only two surviving photographs of him in uniform...one portrait and the other of him with some other men and an aircraft on a lorry on their return from Colwyn Bay.
Any help would be appreciated as I have hit a brick wall at the national records office with both his WW1 and WW2 service records.
Many thanks.
HMS Seraph My Uncle Bill Garland Served On Her.
HMS HOOD My Relative Jack Charles Died On Her.
HMS RODNEY (WWI) My Gt Grandfather Helped Build Her.

Offline Ravenhook

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Re: Royal Flying Corp Help Please.
« Reply #1 on: Friday 15 April 11 14:33 BST (UK) »
And this is the second photograph with the aircraft on the lorry.
HMS Seraph My Uncle Bill Garland Served On Her.
HMS HOOD My Relative Jack Charles Died On Her.
HMS RODNEY (WWI) My Gt Grandfather Helped Build Her.

Offline IMBER

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Re: Royal Flying Corp Help Please.
« Reply #2 on: Friday 15 April 11 15:55 BST (UK) »
How certain are you that he was in the RAF in 1941?  His death does not seem to appear on the CWGC website but should do if he died in RAF service.  However, the death of a Harold J Ardley, age 45, was registered in Whitchurch during the first quarter of 1941. Does this sound like the same chap? Might be useful to clarify this before chasing records.
Skewis (Wales and Scotland), Ayers (Maidenhead, Berkshire), Hildreth (Berkshire)

Offline IMBER

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Re: Royal Flying Corp Help Please.
« Reply #3 on: Friday 15 April 11 16:16 BST (UK) »
I also see that a Harold J Ardley was married in Market Drayton which is very close to Whitchurch.  Could he have been a civilian working on the airfield but living at home?
Skewis (Wales and Scotland), Ayers (Maidenhead, Berkshire), Hildreth (Berkshire)

Offline candleflame

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Re: Royal Flying Corp Help Please.
« Reply #4 on: Friday 15 April 11 16:24 BST (UK) »
Can I suggest you either wait for Rootschat member  mmm45 to come along or pm him. He was very helpful indeed with a query I had about my Royal Flying Corps ancestor.
North East of England

Offline Ravenhook

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Re: Royal Flying Corp Help Please.
« Reply #5 on: Friday 15 April 11 16:35 BST (UK) »
There were TWO H.J.Ardleys
Harold John...the one who's RFC records I'm looking for.
and
Harold James
This pdf is the letter his Brother (my Grandfather) received from the Air Ministry in 1941 regarding the event...annoyingly we haven't got the prior letter...
His wife's name was Isobel nee Hogg by the way and he left two Daughters.
HMS Seraph My Uncle Bill Garland Served On Her.
HMS HOOD My Relative Jack Charles Died On Her.
HMS RODNEY (WWI) My Gt Grandfather Helped Build Her.

Offline mmm45

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Re: Royal Flying Corp Help Please.
« Reply #6 on: Friday 15 April 11 21:02 BST (UK) »
Hi
The uniform doesnt look like RFC it looks maybe American??

Or possibly Australian as in AFC Australian Flying Corps...if so you may get lucky!

RFC uniforms had Royal Flying Corps actually written on shoulder title.

Ill do a bit of digging see what i can find.

Ady :)
Lowe(Lower Gornall-Castleford)
Blackburn (Castleford)
Sidwell(Ledsham)
Fairburn(Hartshead)
Wood(Liversedge)
Tallon (Whittington Lancs/Hartshead West Yorkshire)

Researching all Great War soldiers from the Spen Valley of West Yorkshire Especially lads from the Cleckheaton Company of 1/4th West Riding Regiment.

Offline candleflame

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Re: Royal Flying Corp Help Please.
« Reply #7 on: Friday 15 April 11 21:08 BST (UK) »
Knew you would be able to help Ady  :) :) :)
North East of England

Offline mmm45

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Re: Royal Flying Corp Help Please.
« Reply #8 on: Friday 15 April 11 21:37 BST (UK) »
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=162551

Hopeful well get to the bottom by combined knowledge :)

Ady
Lowe(Lower Gornall-Castleford)
Blackburn (Castleford)
Sidwell(Ledsham)
Fairburn(Hartshead)
Wood(Liversedge)
Tallon (Whittington Lancs/Hartshead West Yorkshire)

Researching all Great War soldiers from the Spen Valley of West Yorkshire Especially lads from the Cleckheaton Company of 1/4th West Riding Regiment.
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