Hi I have the medals of S A Austin consisting of 39-45 star Atlantic Star Africa Star Defence and War medal I have just got his records back and they are heavily redacted He served 201 Sqn but cannot see how he got the Africa star Also it does not tell me what aircrew brevet he would have worn Could someone with more knowledge on RAF records point me in the right direction to found out which aircraft he flew and position held He was AC2 AC1 T/Sgt T/F/Sgt T/WO back to AC1 I have now received his un m-redacted trades He was fitter 2 (E) which i think means fitter 2nd class engines Then he was AG(E) - Air Gunner engineer which seems to be a unique trade for flying boats He got to Temp Warrant Officer before reverting to AC1 in 1944 when transferred to a training school is this normal He was then F2(e) again with a remark of flight engineer which was a new trade introduced in 1944 Would a AC1 wear a E half wing? As he was qualified and was former aircrew As he was 201 Sqn from 1940-44 which was on Atlantic patrols does anyone know how he got the Africa star? Any help greatly appreciated Are there any operational books available Regards Jamex
No 201 Squadron: Operations Record Book | The National Archives No 201 Squadron: Operations Record Book | The National Archives Might be worth posting his records so others can can see
I think it would be helpful to add his service record in detail which would give an insight to S A Austin's RAF induction, dated training, postings and rank progression. His rank progression from the classification of AC2 on induction to Warrant Officer and then back to AC1 can only have come about via remustering either voluntary or involuntary Regarding A G Austin's trade which was in Group 1,the highest trade category, in 1940,the trade of Fitter was designated as Grade 1 and Grade 2.Also in the Group was Fitter (Aero Engines) AG (E) would be Air Gunner / FM (E).ie Flight Mechanic (Engines) and this designation was confined to those undertaking those duties in Coastal Command. He would be entitled to wear the AG brevet identifying his AG role. No 201 Squadron was a Coastal Command squadron and were equipped with the Sunderland Marks 1,11,111,and from the new year of 1945,the Mark V. The squadron was based throughout the war at various bases within the Coastal Command Group areas in the UK. I cannot account for any detachment which would indicate the award of the Africa Star. Coastal Command patrols were of long duration. There was a degree of on the job multiskilling in spelling other aircrew for short periods. With AG Austins trade being a Flight Mechanic (Engines) then he would be in a position to act as flight engineer as appropriate. The aircrew designation F E was developed in March 1941 which catered for Bomber Command four engined heavies. However since the Sunderland and other flying boats had entered service, Coastal Command had coped with the monitoring of engine operation and performance with fuel tank management by the use of their own category of Fitter 11 (Engines) flight engineer. The Flight Engineer designation was not recognised as dedicated aircrew, RAF adoption of the FE designation would come later in 1942 with the issuing of the FE brevet to follow.
I do not know the criteria for the Africa Star, but there are some clues why your subject could be awarded this medal. "Need must" in particular the Sunderlands long range, could find it useful, even for short periods not operating from mainland UK bases. Either in a combat role, especially for blockade runners and in a transport role. I found the following useful: Link: How RAF Coastal Command Defended Britain During The Second World War For blockade runners: No. 201 Squadron (RAF) during the Second World War and Operation Stonewall - Wikipedia For transport use to (West) Africa see: No. 422 Squadron (RAF) during the Second World War The movement of convoys direct from the USA for Operation Torch comes to mind, when a temporary duty would make sense. To discover that you would need to read the squadrons Operational Record Book (ORB).
