Genealogy Chat

I have my dear dads little service book given to him when he left the RAF in 1947. Would his actual service records show a lot more - with all his postings and stuff or be much the same does anyone know please?

Heather, So far I have only sent for WW1 Service Records and they told me a LOT about my relative that I didn't know. As it is such a close relative, it would be worth sending for these records because you will never know exactly what is in them until you see them. They would make a further family memento for you and would be nice to pass down to the family. Is your Mum still alive? If so you will need your Mum's permission to get the records because she is his next of kin. Best wishes, Horatia

No, I lost my mum 17 years ago - only 65 - terrible waste. Its just when we were small, to get us to sleep, dad used to sit on our bed and tell us stories about India and Bengal and so on - he had such a lovely tone of voice - right up to the end. I just wondered if all these places he told us about would be in his service record. So I guess yes, my sis and I are the next of kin. Ill have a google then and see what I can find.

This is rather embarrrassing, but.......................... I have my dad's RAF service record....he was in from 1938-1971. 1) I can't remember what is in it....and 2) I can't think where it is!! LOL So....later on I'll have a look for you and post on here tonight. I know I sent off for it and it was VERY quick indeed, not like the army ones. Back later. Merry

Its I wondered if it would have the things he told me about - like when victory was declared, hed just come back from India and was in Cornwall. They were all told the war was over, but no one could have leave. That night he walked about 10 miles to a rail station, chatted up the ticket bloke (you were supposed to have a pass and he didnt) and got home to Rotherhithe to mum the next day. He said 6 hours later and 2 armed military police were knocking on the door!! And he was escorted back to Cornwall. Id just like to see if things like that are recorded

Can someone please post the address of where to send for these records? I am my Dad's next of kin so should be abl to get them except that I'm in Canada, so does anyone know what type of identification is needed? thanks Audrey

Audrey, Copied from RAF website: 2. Royal Air Force Service Records Personnel Records Royal Air Force personnel records are held at RAF Innsworth. If service number and details are known, please quote it in correspondence. Innsworth will only divulge information to the person to whom it refers or, if he or she has died, to his or her immediate next of kin. Anyone else must obtain written permission from the person about whom they are enquiring, or from his or her next of kin, before any information will be given to them. Innsworth make a charge of £25.00 for any information they provide. The only people exempt from charge are the person to whom the records refer or their widow or widower. The address is: PMA IM1b (RAF) Room 5 Building 248A Personnel Management Agency Innsworth Gloucester GL3 1EZ For the bit about being next of kin, just send copies of the relevent certificates if you can. For my dad we send his death cert and his and mum's marriage cert, as she was doing the application. She didn't seem to have to PROVE that Mrs X who signed the letter was the same person as the bride on the marriage cert.....they just accepted that bit, so she could have been anyone!! Ah well....... Merry

Heather you were asking what you get. Remember, my dad was in the RAF for over 30 years, but this is what I got for him: Record of service: gives dates, jobs done, promotions, places served in - three A3 sheets. Personal details sheet: next of kin, education, other employment before joining up - one A3 sheet. Application to join: gives all personal details, length of time signed up for etc - one A3 sheet Discharge sheet - stamped ''Deceased'' in dad's case (one sheet). This really got to me..........Had always harboured an idea he might be still alive, despite having his death cert. This ''new'' rubber stamp reminded me I am suffering from delusions!! Three other pages covering bits of the info on all the other sheets. Medical Record - Also rubber stamped ''Deceased''.......Sniff....... Nothinh about him being a naughty boy, but he was probably no good at sweet-talking railway staff!! Merry

Thanks Merry, there is some confusing and obviously out of date stuff on websites about this. I am quite looking forward to hearing my dad was a naughty boy actually. He was such a lovely funny person. I remember he told me when these two military police took him away - mum screaming and crying!! (theyd married in 1940 and hed seen her for about 3 months since then - she was only 19 when they married) - they took him to a local barracks first - on a bus!! You forget that there werent that many vehicles available. When they got on the bus, the conductor said 'Room for two upstairs, one downstairs' Dad (handcuffed by now!) said to the police - 'You take the upstairs seats'. Bless him. When he got to the holding barracks he was stripped of his stripes and medal strips - the Officer in charge said to the police sergeant, 'Did you take these strips off this man?' The sergeant said he had The officer said, 'This man is a hero who fought in Burma, you just stand there and put them all back on him' Dad said it was lovely seeing this bloke totally embarrassed!

Another one Im interested in - Dad said when he was in Burma he got malaria (in fact he had recurrence of that for years, even when I was a kiddie!0. He was on morning parade and looked so ill he was sent to the Medical Officer who said to him, 'Whats wrong with you?' Dad said I think I have malaria Sir. The medical officer said, 'You have malaria when I tell you you have it and when you collapse' Dad promptly collapsed and was rushed to hospital!

LOL - I like that! My dad waited until 1946 to be posted to Burma (waited until it was safer???!!!) I keep wondering if he was out there when his baby was born (my unknown half sister) and died (same Q - the baby, I mean) - can't really tell from these papers, there's so many acronyms..................I do wish the GRO would hurry! Can't they see I am DESPARATE!!! Merry

Well, you should get a medical record sheet, so the malaria should be on that! Merry

So your 'Brylcream Boy' went out as dad came back - coincidence, eh?

Yeh! Except he lost his hair when he was 20!! LOL Have ONE photo aged 18 with hair and brylcream! .....then Zilch! When he was a toddler he had long golden ringlets like a cherub......said he paid the price later! Merry

Im lucky, Ive got lots and lots of photos (plenty of Brylcream) and several he took out in India and Burma - the RAF veterans website had asked to use them (they all have dads beautiful writing and notes on each one) but they wanted me to send the originals so they could get a better copy and I am very reluctant to do that. Hey, we are pming on here!

Well, I wouldn't let them go either!! Hubby says either the RAF can pay for photographic reproductions or..... 600dpi scan and save as a .tif not a .jpg (If you have a decent scanner) should be good! Merry

Nudging for Anne

Many Thanks for this THREAD. I posted one about my Grandfather being on HMS Vindictive as a member of the RAF last night. Mandy thanks for the nudge on this THREAD. The information has been recorded and helps greatly with my search for information about my Grandfather. Anne in North London X

Sorry to muscle in, Heather! This thread is more than interesting, and have made a note of details and addresses etc. My father and mother were in the RAF during the war - Dad in Italy and North Africa, and Mum was a teleprinter operator. He is nearly 83 years of age now, as is my Mum, so I guess I don't qualify in getting their details without their consent, as both fortunately are still with us. However, my maternal grandfather was in the Royal Flying Corps during the 1st World War, which of course was the forerunner of the RAF. Would I be able to get his service record from the same address in Innsworth, please? Anybody help please? Thanking you, Kind regards, Chris

Chris, I dont know - they were actually part of the army werent they? Why dont you have a look at the RAF site and see what it says. Im still waiting for the forms to complete for my dads records.