Hi, I’m a new member and would like to request some help in understanding a late fathers RAF WW2 service record. My dad never spoke much about his time in the RAF, prior to getting his service record all I knew was that he spent time at the flight training centre at Goose Bay Canada. He was a very proud man and had a model of a Lancaster bomber and a photograph of Lancaster bomber Queenie 460 Squadron pilots and ground crew taken at RAF Binbrook, I am guessing he is on that picture but it is of poor quality to make him out, I have the photograph and would like to find a better copy. I think I am getting my head around the early part of the record when he joined the RAF and attended flight training school in Canada then came back to England and went to RAF Cranford. I don’t fully understand the entries on the service record on leaving RAF Cranford to being attached to 460 squadron. I mother once mentioned he was a rear gunner on the Lancaster bomber and was wounded in the leg. (all though this could be ared herring) I have read through 250 pages AIR 27 1908 & 1909 and could not find any record of him being a rear gunner. The record also shows that he was admitted to hospital on 3 separate occasions while in Canada this could have been where he sustained his injury. The service record is in 3 pages, but the one enclosed is the one which mentions 460 squadron Any help would be very much appreciated.
Hello and welcome aboard. Well, you've made the first major step and got his Service records. There are expert Pals here who can interpret that record better than I. You appear not to want to reveal his identity, which might assist us helping you further, can you reveal Name and Serial Number, please? I see he enlisted pre War, by 20 April 1939, so he is unlikely to appear on the 1939 Register, which was conducted in September 1939. Presumably you've checked on 460 Squadron which was formed principally with Australian personnel, and was at Binbrook from May 1942, transitioning from the Wellington to the Halifax and finally the Lancaster in late 1942. He seems to have had a remarkable number of hospital admissions,not only in Canada, but also in the UK. Do you have any knowledge if he suffered from that in later life? Despite what appears to have been aircrew training in Canada, he doesn't have higher than AC1 on the page you provide, that I can see. The more you can provide, the more we can help Any other memorabilia, photos, medals and clasps, letters or any family memories? 460 Squadron codes were UV (until November 1943 when it changed to AR. There is a section here dedicated to only Lancaster photos so might we worth looking through. As it was an Australian Squadron there may be more in the National Archives of Australia, but probably not him. If he was ground crew New Page 1
The key to understanding is his trade record. All flight mechanic, engines - so apart from the early part he was ground crew and this accords with the School of Technical Training entry as he progressed through trade training and no NCO rank that was the minimum for serving aircrew from June 1940. Ross
Unfortunately the service record has poor definition making it difficult to read. Joined the service at RAF Cardington as an Aircrafthand, AC2 classification as direct entry recruit. Aircrafthand initial trade status allocated for those selected for trade training or progress to aircrew training. Shown as an ACH/Flight Mech,ie,u/t Flight Mechanic, on 1/9/40 but would still be a AC2. Then an AC1 on 31/12/1940 which indicates he has passed his trade course and received the higher classification. Attended RAF St Athan for trade training on No 4 Wing as Flight Mechanic...cannot see mechanical or electrical bias at this point. Posted to Canada..difficult to see a posting here as groundcrew as the RCAF normally provided ground support staff at flying schools.With the hospital record it might be that that he was remustered on health grounds. Shown with the classification of LAC on 31 /12 /1942 with the trade which appears to be Flight Mechanic Electrical / Fitter11 Electrical. RAF Cranford location?
Many thanks for the prompt reply. I would have posted his full service record but i was limited to 2 mb. I will post the remaining 2 parts of his service record and a copy of the photograph a t Binbrook His name was Harold Eden and his service number was 640633. I have his 2 war medals. i think they both are 1939 / 1945 campaign medals It would also be nice to find out how why he was admitted to hospital and any possible injuries he sustained, He did appear to suffer from any injuries later in life. It would be nice to establish if he ever flew in the Lancaster but f rom what i am reading in your reply he was a mechanic working on engines Cheers Dave
Many thanks Ross, The service record is becoming clearer. I have just posted the other 2 parts of his service record and copy of the Binbrook Photograph. Cheers Dave
Harry many thanks for the reply. Am i correct in thinking that while he was in Canada he attended the FTS ( flight training school ) or was it that he was working on engines as ground support crew. Sorry but i did not understand your comment on Cranford ? Do you know if his hospital records would be available Thanks Dave
He doesn't appear in either the Names of RAF/RAAF ground crew nor in the aircrew names for 460 Squadron, as per my previous link
Hi Kevin, many thanks for the reply, i also looked through the names of the RAF/RAAF as well but could not find any record of him, I also looked through many AIR27 records 1943 / 1944 with no success. I am wondering why 460 appeared on his service record ?. I seems strange that he would have the framed copy of Queenie at Binbrook if he wasn't attached to that squadron in some way. Thanks Dave
i would think that a RAF serviceman at a Canadian flying school would be there for aircrew instruction....pilot... navigator....bomb aimer.As RCAF stations,the flying training unit support groundcrew would be RCAF personnel.Did Harold Eden volunteer for aircrew and was posted to Canada for training but had to remuster to groundcrew after a series of illnesses.? RAF Cranford.... may well have been RAF Heston which was established on land between Heston and Cranford to the south.When the airfield opened in 1929 by private venture it was called Heston.....may have been entered in the records as Cranford. Harold Eden shown as admitted to the Stn Hospital,Cranford. As regards medical records.I would say it might be difficult to ascertain medical record sources unless related to active service incidents and these might be recorded in unit ORBs although some unit ORBs might record general illness admissions.
Hi, I’m no RAF expert but perhaps RAF did keep medical papers post war just in case there was a post discharge compensation/pension claim? I understand British Army service files do still contain medical papers but MOD do not ordinarily release them - due to confidentiality- unless specific criteria are met and family history research isn’t a release criteria. Canadian and Australian files online do contain medical information. Steve
Just a thought, could the Station Hospital be COSford not CRANford? Don't know if it makes any difference, but the handwriting could be either! I'd go along with the suggestion that, having been selected for aircrew training, the injuries/ illnesses/sickness that recurred may have rendered him medically unfit for aircrew - perhaps that was him dream of being an air gunner shattered? It seems strange that the numerous incidents appear not to affect him in some way in later life? I'm also wondering if ST150 paid £30 for just 3 pages, perhaps the MoD just skimmed the file and there might be more they didn't send? Might be worth a phone call?
Steve - the RAF/RAFVR/AAF medical files included in Form 280 were destroyed in accordance with declared pre-war parliament document disposal policy. See post 10 on here for what survives and why lack of info on RAF servicemans record... Dave - He was flight mechanic with the 10 FTS when it was operating in the UK (HH - Headquarters Holding) - as part of the initial creation of the BACATP UK units were transferred to the Commonwealth as equipment and cadre of essential manpower to try to maintain the flow of trainees (10 FTS Canada). If that had not been done then there was a real danger of shortage while the new units worked up overseas. He remained as ground crew but suffered poor health - and was returned to UK (HE - Home Echelon) and posted to No.1 Glider Training School - they operated antiquated powered tugs for the gliders so his out of date training was of use while he was retrained on modern equipment. This followed a short time on first line service with No.460 Sqn before moving on. Ross
Hi Ross and member Steve, thank you both for your responses. with out your knowledge i would have had no idea of what happened to him. I think i can now put this one to bed knowing that he was a flight mechanic whilst in RAF. I am glad that i found this forum otherwise i would have not been able decipher his service record. Brilliant thank you Kind Regards Dave
