Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm

[luciacw]

Hello Everyone,

Despite having spent several years researching my family history, I have only just begun to think about finding out more about my grandfather's time in the services. My mother remembers him mentioning Morse code. His marriage certificate states his occupation as "serving on fleet air arm of Royal Navy". The family believe that he spent some time around Egypt and/or Palestine. My Scottish grandmother was a WREN and they met at Invergordon.

After my grandmother moved into a home, we found a copy of his military records amongst his effects. My problem is that I can't decipher the abbreviations in the document. I wondered too if anyone here could advise me on how I can use his service records as a basis for further research.

At the top of the document under "Port Division", there is written 'fleet air arm' which has been crossed out with 'Lee-on-Solent' written above. The "Official Number" is filled in with 'Later JX 182698' which has been crossed out with 'F. X. 79491' written above. Under medals the text is 'CDQS 283/3' and 'Westminster 283.232'.

The next page has a list of ships including:- St Vincent, Kestrel, Daedalus, Furious, Landrail, Victorious, Ark Royal, Heron, Buzzard, Cormorant, Illustrious, Grebe and Royal Arthur. I can't read all of the names. After some of the names there are numbers: 810, 825 and 928, which I assume are the names of Fleet Air Arm squadrons.

- Lucia

[sheldonesque]

Hi

The *J* in the service number indicates states that he signed up for 12 years service as a seaman, specifically communications. The *F* indicates that he transferred to the Fleet Air Arm ( as you suspected).

The first three names in you list were shore bases, where he probably did his training. Landrail was a FAA shore base. It should roughly correspond withe date of his transfer to the FAA.

The numbers certainly correspond with FAA squadrons operating on some of the ships mentioned.

One way to use the record would be to tabulate the dates of his assignments against the known movements and actions of some of the ships and squadrons. Most of these histories are available online but if you have ay problems then certainly ask here.

I hope that  helps you get started. If you find any pictures in your grandfather's papers then I am sure many would be interested in seeing them.

Sheldon

[luciacw]

Thanks for your message, Sheldon. I have emailed you a copy of the records and I'm looking forward to hearing about what you find.

I haven't found many photographs amongst my grandfather's possessions except for pictures of people. I want to post them here but rootschat won't allow me. Once I figure it out, I'll post them below.

- Lucia

[Salty]

HMS St Vincent was a training establishment in Forton Road, Gosport.

HMS Daedalus was Fleet Air Arm at Lee on Solent.

HMS Victorious, Ark Royal and Illustrious were all Carriers

HMS Royal Arthur was also a shore base.

810, 825 and 928 were Squadron numbers as you said.

Regards
Salty

[seaweed]

For information
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/searchresults.asp?SearchInit=0&txtsearchterm=810+AND+diaries&txtfirstdate=&txtlastdate=&txtrestriction=&hdnsorttype=Reference&image1.x=22&image1.y=8&j=1

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/searchresults.asp?SearchInit=0&txtsearchterm=825+AND+diaries&txtfirstdate=&txtlastdate=&txtrestriction=&hdnsorttype=Reference&image1.x=40&image1.y=9

You would need to visit Kew to read. 928 diaries seem to have been lost or destroyed.
The Fleet Air Arm Museum is also a good source.