Help with a few entries on my Grandfather's RAF records please....?

[TylerGib]

Hi.

I finally received my Grandfather's RAF records yesterday, this was no mean feat with his next of kin living in Tasmania, trying to arrange some paperwork with my dear old Gran all that way-a-way was a challenge to say the least, but it's all here now at last.

Rght, I have managed to semi work out his postings but there is a couple of entries that i can't figure out, hoping the lovely sorts on here could help? I shall write down as I have,

1 Depo Uxbridge 22.2.38
3rd SoTT (M) H 13.?.38 (is this at RAF Manston?)
3rd Wing Henlow 20.7.38
3rd Wing St. Athan 30.9.38
4th Wing St. Athan 1.11.38 (did he originally go in 3rd wing in expectance of it being borne of 3rd Wing at RAF Manston being disbanded, then moved to 4th because 3rd never did disband, if you follow?)
AAEE RAF Martlesham Heath 19.5.39
(Then looks like something at possible Duxford, the writing is in thick pen) 7.7.39
AAEE RAF Boscombe Down 3.9.39
3rd Wing Cosford 3.5.40 (can't fathom this one out)
Hospital Cosford 6.8.40
(Then unless i read it wrong) 222 squadron 27.3.41
Discharged (Hospital) 29.11.40
129 squadron 18.6.41
ACD Blackpool 29.11.42 (which is hospital again?)
Admitted (what looks like) Fatherwell?? Hospital 19.1.42
Discharged 24.1.42
Grimsetter (A) 18.1.43 (Orkney's?)
3023 S.E 1.8.43 (Where was this? Thought I found it but my dates don't add up)
185 airfield 15.11.43 (can't find reference to this)
12 APC 26.1.44 (Armanent practice camp?)Location?))
135 AFHQ 5.2.44 (Again u able to nail this one down)
6349 S.E. 20.5.44 (As per the other service echelon above)
6184 S.E 18.8.44 (This I know to be 184 sqn as we have snaps of him at Kastrup with J.Bartley and Flt Lt Bob Hornall DFC)

Any other help on the other issues I have mentioned would be massively appreciated though, no matter how small. We knew he was originally connected to the Spitfire, but didn't know a bean about his whereabouts before his 184 tenure of the Tiffy's, so the record has come up real trumps!

Be nice to find a snap of him with a Spit but, thats another task in hand.

Any questions please fire away!

Regards, Tyler.

[ScouseBoy]

Allied Forces HeadQuarters  AFHQ

[RRTB]

129 Squadron was reformed on 16 June 1941 at RAF Leconfield equipped with Spitfires, according to Wikipedia, so it looks like your grandfather must have joined it two days later.

Also, maybe this website might be of use?
http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-L.htm

RRTB

[ScouseBoy]

Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment

AAEE

[RRTB]

Grimsetter (A) is indeed the Orkney Islands. It is also known as RAF Kirkwall. http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/RAFKirkwall?from=Secrets.RAFGrimsetter

ACD Blackpool = 1 Airmen's Convalescent Depot, formed in March 1940

3rd SoTT = 3rd School of Technical Training. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/81/a7785381.shtml might be of interest. And yes, it is Manston.

6349 S.E. was No.6349 (Belgian) Servicing Echelon based at RAF Tangmere 19-26 Aug 1944, info taken again from www.rafweb.org

No 3023 Servicing Echelon (16 Nov 1941 – 6 Feb 1942, 22 Feb – 30 Mar 1942, 26 Apr - 8 Sep 1942, 2 Jan – 15 Nov 1943) RAF Hornchurch
No 3023 Servicing Echelon (30 Mar - 26 Apr 1942) RAF Digby (Scopwick)

I *think* 135 AFHQ may have been 135 Wing at Merville airfield in northern France (read post #6 in http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?8621-Servicing-Echelon-archives ). Since your grandfather was deployed in August 1944 to a Typhoon squadron which was based in France from 27/6/44 on, this thought about 135 may perhaps hold some water?

Hope some of this is a) correct and b) useful!

RRTB

[TylerGib]

Thanks RRTB. I'll have a look at the links provided with vigour! It seems then he was at RAF Hornchurch on his 3023 S.E jolly according to his record, but say for example the date given for 6349 on rafweb is 19-26 August 1944, and the date on his record is 20 March 1944 which is clearly before no? And is the given date of 19-26 August a date which it became operational and not just for a week, if you follow what im trying to get across? Tying myself in knots.

Would it be an idea to post up an img of his postings perhaps?

And thanks to thd others that have helped out too, much appreciated again!

Grimsetter (A) is indeed the Orkney Islands. It is also known as RAF Kirkwall. http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/RAFKirkwall?from=Secrets.RAFGrimsetter

ACD Blackpool = 1 Airmen's Convalescent Depot, formed in March 1940

3rd SoTT = 3rd School of Technical Training. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/81/a7785381.shtml might be of interest. And yes, it is Manston.

6349 S.E. was No.6349 (Belgian) Servicing Echelon based at RAF Tangmere 19-26 Aug 1944, info taken again from www.rafweb.org

No 3023 Servicing Echelon (16 Nov 1941 – 6 Feb 1942, 22 Feb – 30 Mar 1942, 26 Apr - 8 Sep 1942, 2 Jan – 15 Nov 1943) RAF Hornchurch
No 3023 Servicing Echelon (30 Mar - 26 Apr 1942) RAF Digby (Scopwick)

I *think* 135 AFHQ may have been 135 Wing at Merville airfield in northern France (read post #6 in http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?8621-Servicing-Echelon-archives ). Since your grandfather was deployed in August 1944 to a Typhoon squadron which was based in France from 27/6/44 on, this thought about 135 may perhaps hold some water?

Hope some of this is a) correct and b) useful!

RRTB

Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment

AAEE

129 Squadron was reformed on 16 June 1941 at RAF Leconfield equipped with Spitfires, according to Wikipedia, so it looks like your grandfather must have joined it two days later.

Also, maybe this website might be of use?
http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-L.htm

RRTB

Allied Forces HeadQuarters  AFHQ

[RRTB]

Posting an image up might be helpful, yes.

RRTB

[TylerGib]

Well I know this isn't the photo we want (I'm at work currently and took this on my phone, and transferred it across to my tablet), it is quite faint but its is regarding his medal awards.



Can I have some confirmation that it reads thus please?

66/45 Auth to wear 1939/45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal

Would he  not also be entitled to a War Medal too?

Also the part above? Looks like,

65/45 WSI for 6years ? 3/9/45

Again thanks alot.

[TylerGib]

Posting an image up might be helpful, yes.

RRTB

Here be it, at last!