Royal Flying Corp Help Please.

[scrimnet]

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

Deffo RFC Maternity jacket....but I havent seen "RFC" as a shoulder title....But that doesnt mean it is dodgy!! It COULD be just pre war...The RFC was founded in 1912

[mmm45]

17434 ? that could be his RFC number on the 1918  nominals listed as JH Ardley

Theres been a reply on the GWF link after i asked on there confirming RFC and rare shortened shoulder title ....so we are getting somewhere.

Theres a guy on British Medal Forum Iain who has access to a bit more info will ask on there...

Learning all the time!

Ady

[Flakdodger]

As stated, he wears a standard RFC Maternity Jacket. The aircraft is an Airco DH4, or DH9 or DH9A (difficult to know without sight of the engine nacelle). There are no markings to assist with identifying the individual aircraft, and therefore a date or unit.
Cheers
Dave

[IMBER]

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.

Just for the benefit of anyone following this thread the Market Drayton marriage mentioned earlier was in 1923 and to Isabel Hogg. I also see that a Harold John was born in Deptford in 1895 so that makes him about the same age as the chap whose death was registered in Whitchurch.

[Ravenhook]

My family Bible has his date of birth at 22nd September 1895, his Father John (Jack as he was known by us) was married to Clara Nee Bowler, Jack worked at Chatham dock yard for Humphry's, Tennant & Co, he worked on ships such as HMS Rodney and HMS Invincible. I have their letters of recommendation that they gave him after they closed down.
Harold had Two Daughters....Joan and Sheila, I was in contact with both of them but sadly Joan died a couple of years ago and Sheila is all that is left.
I have a huge record of family members and dates, I also have Diaries of my Gt, Gt Grandfather, also named John who was a Headmaster in Cobham, Kent...if anyone is researching anything to do with my family I would be happy to help out.
Duncan.

[Ravenhook]

Thank you for your help Ady..but

17434 ? that could be his RFC number on the 1918  nominals listed as JH Ardley

Theres been a reply on the GWF link after i asked on there confirming RFC and rare shortened shoulder title ....so we are getting somewhere.

Theres a guy on British Medal Forum Iain who has access to a bit more info will ask on there...

Learning all the time! Smiley

Ady

..Where did you find 17434 and where are the 1918 nominals 
I have written (emailed) Aberegele history society..thats where the photo of the Aircraft was taken and as it was turned into a postcard and there are interested locals, I wondered if the local newspaper might have run a short story...not everyday you have a bomber in your high street...you never know they might know what regiment it was.
Abergele..North Wales, I wonder what airfield they were on their way to.
I will of course post any updates as I get them.
Thank you all for your interest and continuing help.
Duncan.

[Ravenhook]

Oh, I forgot to mention...I have a battered spoon that was in my Grandfathers bureau...it has RFC engraved on the handle.

[mmm45]

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,450673.0.html

1918 RAF Nominals from formation of RAF.

If you open and go to A you also get a date of enlistment.

Ady

[Ravenhook]

Thank you Ady.
Duncan.