Air Mechanic: locations in WW1

[fisherj]

Records for Joseph Gallagher 2nd Air Mechanic RFC/3rd Air Mechanic RAF  Service no 89314 state:

28.07.1917  He enlisted - 65 Sq
07.12.1917 - 22.04.1918  France (I understand the squadron moved to France)
22.04.1918  transfer to RD  (Is this a Recruitment Depot?)
06.07.1918  25 TS (I assume this is the Training School in Thetford?)
01.09.1918  43 Stn
11.12.1919  (Discharged on health grounds - "Myalgia from trench fever")

Is there any way I can find out where in the UK he enlisted?  I have what scant information is available from Fold3.  Should I be looking for some code to clarify this?

I think 43 Stn was a casualty clearing station but information on line (Long long trail) states this was located overseas - which does not seem to make sense if he transferred there from Scotland.

I would like to find out where 43 Stn was.

Also - whether I have misunderstood any of the above information.

But also - where would an air mechanic like Joseph learn the skills needed to be an air mechanic?  Would he have had to have some relevant experience before being given this role? 

Would he have joined the 65 Squadron immediately on enlistment?  or completed training after enlistment, prior to being alloted a squadron??

I am guessing that he would be receiving further mechanical training at the 25 FS??

Many thanks

[mckha489]

From his record on FindMyPast. His wife was in Reading, so perhaps that is where he enlisted.

It also says he was a Barman.
What was his occupation in 1911?

[fisherj]

Ahh...  that's the mystery I've been trying to solve for many years!

I have information on his wife, her ancestors and their child  but Joseph remains a mystery. 

We have no information on his family background or where he came from other than that on their marriage certificate - which includes his service number and occupation. 

Joseph left the family around the time their daughter was born in 1919.  His pension card has an address for him in Manchester in January 1920 where he is said to be single.  We have no idea what happened to him.

The reason I am posting my query about locations on this forum is to try to understand his whereabouts - and what he was involved with - during his service career.

I find the abbreviations and initials on the service docs difficult to understand.

[mckha489]

What are the details for his father on the marriage?

[fisherj]

Whoops....sorry!

I omitted an entry from Joseph Gallagher's service record in my initial post.

07.12.1917 - 22.04.1918  France with 65 sq
22.04.1918  transfer to RD  (which I think maybe Recruitment Depot?)
06.07.1918  25 FS  (Luce Bay, Scotland?)

Apologies for not getting this chronology correct the first time!

[fisherj]

According to the marriage cert, Joseph's father was James Gallagher, journeyman carpenter, deceased

[mckha489]

What was the address in Manchester?

[fisherj]

Manchester address on pension record card: 

18.01.1920    244 Brunswick St, Manchester

[Andy J2022]

Given the timing of it, I don't think RD stands for Recruitment Depot.  I think Regimental Depot is more likely, but since he transferred there after the formation of the RAF on 1 April 1918, 'Regimental' is less likely to have been used since that was very much an Army term. On the other hand the RAF hadn't had time to create its own identity so might well have clung onto understandable terminology for a short period.

The usual abbreviation for Casualty Clearing Station is CCS,  not Stn which could easily be confused with a railway station. While the RAF are now located on RAF Stations, I don't think this terminolgy was in use in 1918, for the same reasons as given above. I think 43 Stn is much more likely to be a mistranscription of 43 Sqn.