Tracing an RAF relative

thanks for that information. I have just sent an email to RAF Cranwell with all the information i have so am waiting to here ?

will post anything here once i get it if its the right place

Chris

Between the wars the RAF was struggling to survive. Both the Army and the Royal Navy were making political moves to control the air service to suit their needs.

To a large extent the home RAF was a caretaker force of minimal size but in the Middle and Far East it had found a niche to provide “policing” of the various factions that made up the extremes of the Empire.

Rather than numerous garrisons of the Army the RAF could cover great distances and bring control from the air.

As such it was the area that most between the wars RAF personnel served so you will probably find extensive service from him in this theatre in his records.

Come declaration of war in 1939 the government had already set the annual spend for the armed forces for that year and a few years beyond and the needs of war could not move the treasury to alter that.

What could be done is to give additional funds for the duration of the War Emergency. All reserves, conscripts, volunteers etc that were to be funded as part of this budget needed to be separated and as such were denoted Hostilities Only or Emergency.

This is why his commission is given the (emergency).

Someone promoted to a new rank may not be suitable for the role and it would mean too much paperwork in recording the Establishment Position filled then having to refill it if the incumbent did not make the grade.

The way round this was to make all promotions prob or probationary for a period of 6 months.

The position to be filled was populated but not confirmed.

If the person did mot make the grade the promotion could be cancelled at any time and a new bod appointed without new paperwork.

If the grade was met then six months after probation the appointment would be confirmed and the estabisment was set in stone.

Pay and conditions would start from the time the appointment was announced but seniority would only be backdated to gazette date when probation period over.

Regards
Ross

The family history more or less matches.

When he entered the RAF it was straight from civilian life.

Boy entrant was for a very specific age and training group but his service number shows that he was not part of this group so was classed as a man.

This means that he was subject to different training and regulations regarding service and promotions.

The amended details I gave for his service number was
340001 to 360000 Sep 1919 Civilians (completed 16.6.25)

So it was active between Sept 1919 and June 1925 and these dates are the absolute limits for his entry.

Roughly number 346439 is a third of the way through the block so you can assume enlistment around 1921/1922.

He rose through the ranks to become the most senior non commissioned rank of Warrant Officer.

Some might say he initially was a “doer” then became the one who said “do not do” to sitting at a desk barking the orders at those who say “do not do”. Only the station commander could tell him what to do, others only suggest if they knew what was good for themselves.

In 1942 something happened where he was recommended for a commission. I would suggest that it was not his choice as he had more responsibility and better living/pay conditions as a Warrant Officer than as a relatively junior Commissioned Officer.

I suspect it was to do with establishment on the units were he was serving.

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?12424-Establishment-Unit

As a commissioned officer his movements and speciality is easier to trace. Six times a year an official list called the Air Force List was published which listed all officers and the branch in which they were serving.

Looking at the March 1943 list he appears in the Admin and Special Duties Branch which usually means non flying/recalled retired/administration eg accountants/stores officers/support staff.

However he is entered in a sub branch category of Special Duties (Photography).

Only two pages are used to list all the Officers in the entire RAF in this sub branch serving as of March 1943.

The most senior is a Squadron Leader. As to Flying Officers one has a seniority of Nov 1940, two with 1941 senority and twenty eight of 1942 senority. He is the only Flying Officer in this group with Dec 1942 senority.

So this fits with a previous service history of photgraphic experience.

As to what he was doing Photographic Interpretation/I.C. Photographic Equipment Section or analysing bombing photos for bomber command units you will need to get this from his RAF service record.

This is available for a small fee from the RAF at Cranwell.

Given the length of service it should be interesting reading.

No good looking at Forces War Records they do not have the info on any WW2 RAF service record despite the impression given.

Using the Online London Gazette

Retirement.
Flying Officer H. A. ANDREWS (50486) retaining
the rank of Flight Lieutenant. 26th Nov. .1945.

So he remained officially at Flying Officer but was recognised as a Flight Lieutenant in terms of pay and authority for the actual duties he was carrying out.

After VJ day his service was no longer required and he was allowed to retire from his War Emergency Commission.

Regards
Ross

A propos this I have tried to use the Forces War Record site but get error boxes after typing in the each name. Not sure what I can be doing wrong as it is very simple….

Nope,

Typical commission of senior NCO. W/O were treated in the same manner as Medical Officers and commissioned straight into Flying Officer rank bypassing Pilot Officer.

This recognised their service (or medical) experience prior to commission.

However all promotions were for a probationary period of approx 6 months before seniority in rank was confirmed.

To meet the constraints placed on RAF manning by parliament yearly budgets and treasury audits 99% of wartime commissions were for duration of current war emergency only (1939 to 1945/6).

That way when peace was declared the additional manpower could be demobbed and the staffing levels return to peacetime establishment.

The second number is his OR service number as ACH to W/O. On commission he received a new service number and this is the first one.

His OR service number is from the block 49801 to 50800 and related to entry Nov-Dec 1916 into the RFC for civilians. So he will also appear in the foundation lists for the RAF in April 1918 and have an Army service record upto this date.

So the start of his commissioned career as Flying Officer rather than any temporary promotion/duty.

Regards
Ross

Hi Ross im still a bit confused with all the shortening as im total unused to all this.

As for his joining date i have been told that he joined in as boy service probably around 1923- 28 doesn’t narrow it down much i know but that’s all i have at percent apart from that he was involved in air photography served in Afghanistan ? and finished his service working in Whitehall along side Churchill. Another relative says he was mentioned in despatches ? and my father has the camera he used to take photographs from with the range finder used still attached (a match stick stuck to the outside of the lens)

Chris

My comments removed to avoid confusion.

Regards,

kev35

Sorry brain fade.

Other way round for service numbers.

340001 to 360000 Sep 1919 Civilians (completed 16.6.25)

So no prior army service

Regards
Ross

Nope,

Typical commission of senior NCO. W/O were treated in the same manner as Medical Officers and commissioned straight into Flying Officer rank bypassing Pilot Officer.

This recognised their service (or medical) experience prior to commission.

However all promotions were for a probationary period of approx 6 months before seniority in rank was confirmed.

To meet the constraints placed on RAF manning by parliament yearly budgets and treasury audits 99% of wartime commissions were for duration of current war emergency only (1939 to 1945/6).

That way when peace was declared the additional manpower could be demobbed and the staffing levels return to peacetime establishment.

The second number is his OR service number as ACH to W/O. On commission he received a new service number and this is the first one.

His OR service number is from the block 49801 to 50800 and related to entry Nov-Dec 1916 into the RFC for civilians. So he will also appear in the foundation lists for the RAF in April 1918 and have an Army service record upto this date.

So the start of his commissioned career as Flying Officer rather than any temporary promotion/duty.

Regards
Ross

I’m not sure of the exact meaning of the terms but I believe the second line breaks down as:

“To be Figurative Officers on probation (emergency): – Warrant Officers”

Which sounds very much to me like a temporary promotion due to the task he was transferred to do. Emergency commissions and promotions weren’t uncommon to fill a need for men of that rank in certain units.

Rank

Looks like he was promoted from Warrant officer to Flying officer for special duties.First number would be his service number and the second a commissioned officer number,I think?The “London Gazette” published promotions and awards to service personel.More replies will probably follow with corrections!!