I am trying to research the wartime service of an RAF bomb-aimer I was fortunate enough to meet when I was a child. Back in the late 1970s, the Birmingham Evening Mail did a special tribute for the RAF’s 60th anniversary and included in it articles about a number of local former RAF servicemen. Through it I made contact with several of them, including a WW1 fighter pilot!
In the 1980s, I tried to make contact again with the bomb-aimer but learned that he had died. As far as I am aware, he had no next of kin at the time I knew him (though I realise his circumstances might have changed before his death) and I am wondering what the situation is in regard to seeing his service records. As I understand it, you need the nod from next of kin in order to gain access to WW2 servicemen’s records. But what’s the situation where there are apparently no next of kin? I have written to RAF Innsworth about this but they have yet to respond.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Tom
By: cessna152towser - 26th December 2006 at 19:54
After my father died in 2004, at the age of 85, I obtained a copy of his RAF service record 1940 to 1946 from RAF Innsworth. Best £25 I ever spent. Filled in a few gaps, with details of some shorter postings which he had never mentioned.
By: northeagle - 26th December 2006 at 12:52
Hi Tom,
The records contain full photocopies of all documents. Again I can only speak from personal experience. My relative flew on 19 bombing missions. His records show everything from where and when he attended school. All training and courses are shown: there should be one ‘mug shot’ photo, in my case two but I have been told some of these may be missing. There is even a shot of the folder that holds the records, some eleven pages in all. There was even a letter of request from his mother, applying for a brooch, on the death of her son.
Hope this is of help to you.
Best Wishes.
Robert.
By: Tom Kilkenny - 25th December 2006 at 21:38
Robert, thanks for the info. As a matter of interest, how much detail are the service records likely to give? Do they provide photocopies of original documents or is it a brief digest of when and where the person served?
Oh, season’s greetings to you too!
Tom
By: brewerjerry - 25th December 2006 at 17:02
thanks
Hi Robert
Many thanks for the reply and merry christmas to all.
cheers
Jerry
By: northeagle - 25th December 2006 at 12:48
Hi Jerry,
I think any of JDKs will do but try this one as well www.naa.gov.au/The_collection/recordsearch.html You can request a digital copy from there. It wiil take a few weeks to process it, mine took two months, but its well worth the wait.
Best Wishes.
Robert.
By: brewerjerry - 25th December 2006 at 02:03
link
Hi
Thanks for the link, still working on the project, I haven’t forgot and I will let you know when it’s done.
cheers
Jerry
By: JDK - 25th December 2006 at 00:08
Start with the Australian War Memorial (http://www.awm.gov.au/research/index.htm) lots of useful links and databases but the Nominal Roll is: http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/
By: brewerjerry - 24th December 2006 at 23:18
What a great pity they were not Australian, you get there’s on line for nothing!
Robert.
Hi
Any chance of the link to the website ?
cheers
Jerry
By: northeagle - 24th December 2006 at 12:00
Hi Tom and Kev,
I have known people who seem to have had a lot of trouble in trying to get hold of these records. Most seem to pass on great amounts of details to Innsworth and get nothing in return.
I can only go off personal experience here. I wrote and gave the name, rank and number of a serviceman I was interested in. I got a simple form in return. Keeping it simple I merely entered his name, rank and number. Where it asked for details of next of kin; I wrote NONE. Within two weeks I had the records. The cost then was £25 but I think it has gone up to £30.
I think the main thing is to keep it simple. What a great pity they were not Australian, you get there’s on line for nothing!
Hope this helps….Seasons Greetings to you both.
Robert.
By: kev35 - 23rd December 2006 at 21:58
I’m in a similar situation regarding an airman who was killed on operations. His wife lived into her 80’s and I met this lady late on in her life and sadly she died before we had time to apply for his service record. Phone calls to Innsworth have informed me that, sadly, with the demise of any remaining relatives, further access to this gentleman’s service record is permanently denied. His name is Alexander McGee Cormack and a search will probably bring up a thread about him here on historic. Fortunately, I was able to go reasonably deep into his life but access to the service record would put the whole story into a proper chronological order.
While we’re on this topic, if anyone has access to 61 Squadron’s ORB would they please get in touch with me.
Regards,
kev35
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December 23, 2006 at 9:12 pm