Radio operators Secrets

[Mavals]

My father, Ronald Thomas Knibbs died in 2009. He  enlisted in the RAF and before the end of the war, was a non commissioned Warrant Officer.  He trained as a radio operator and after discharge used his skills to develop a career in radio and the new fangled TV, selling and repairing sets for the public etc

I have only recently found out that he had, for a brief time, a posting which involved him in some top secret activity. He told my sister ( but not me) along the lines of  "I shouldn't really be telling you this.." unfortunately she can't remember much about what he told her but it was definitely to do with building radios. I am a bit intrigued and wonder if he had anything to do with equipping spies with radio kit before they were flown to France etc

He learned his Morse code in Blackpool, was in Oban and Leuchars at various times

He spent quite a while in East Africa and the Seychelles and flew in Catalinas I also know that he was in Northern Ireland and had a tankard awarded for being part of the best bombing crew on the training course at Killideas. As a child I polished the tankard on many an occasion!

I also have some photos from E Africa and Killideas if anyone is interested.

If anyone has any bright ideas I would be very grateful.

[nanny jan]

Hi,

You could send for his service record.


http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html



Nanny Jan

[Mavals]

Hi Jan,
yes I am going to do that, I am just what he might have been getting up to!

Everyone seems familiar with Bletchley Park, I wondered if the RAF did something silimar

We have some family papers with my brother, so worth looking there too

[nanny jan]

Hi,

You could look for an archivist/historian for the Squadron your father was serving with at that time.   I've recently had contact (via an old posting on RootsChat) from the voluntary History Officer for the Squadron my uncle was serving in(WW2)  .........amazing what a "google" turns up"!

Nanny Jan

[rafcommands]

The history suggests that he was aircrew wireless operator (W/Op) in Coastal Command.

AIR 78/92 gives his service number as 1269816

The batch of these service numbers was in use for most of the war eg

1250001 to 1299800   , Batch started May 1940   Uxbridge, Gloucester and Penarth

His service record will confirm.

Regards
Ross

[Mavals]

Thanks for the suggestions and comments Nanny Jan and Ross,  some ideas for me to follow up