RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: GreenandGolden Bellfrog on Thursday 15 April 10 23:04 BST (UK)
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G'Day All,
I know it's a long shot but can anyone recognise these Raf personell?
The photo was taken in Blackpool 19/06/1942, (shortly after my father married)apart from wings on their shoulders there are no other badges, they could be still in training?
Far left is my Father, F/O Eric Ledwidge, I am still waiting on his record, so I dont know what Squadron he was in. I believe he went to Ceylon!
Heres hoping,
Graham
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Hi Graham
Cant help you with the faces but ref the photograph yes he would have been in some sort of basic training to be in Blackpool. They seemed to do a lot of training in the coastal places maybe because they had a lot of accomodation. I remember reading in someones book about technicians being trained in Blackpool to do with radios or radar will have to go raid my box of books to find out!
Might be worth registering with rafcommands.com and putting a copy on there as well though one or two of their experts check this site out too.
Let us know what happens with this.
Dee
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Hello Graham,
these chaps look like recruits. No trade badges to be seen. When you get your Father's record the date that you have will fit into the list of postings. You will probably find it as 9RC (Recruitment Centre). When you get his record you are welcome to PM me for assistance with abbreviations.
Blackpool was an RAF town during the war, a transit and training area. My Dad had two stints there, both in transit.
Cheers
Dave
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Good morning, looking at my Uncles service records for around the same time it says he was at RDU Blackpool and had two stints there early in his training.Looks like the first place he went approx six months after joining up.
Radio Direction Unit??
I would like to know more about the place.
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GDay All,
Thanks for your replys Dee and Dave, I have signed up for rafcommands just waiting for confirmation, before posting.
I recieved some information from my sister in England: He was RAFVR, ID.1537721 no 139115 Rank F/O enlisted 26/11/1941 at Padgate Selection Board.
Still no sign of the records, have to give my sis the hurry up. she was supposed to order them!
Regards,
Graham
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139115 E. W. LEDWIDGE was in the Adminstative and Special Duties Branch rather than the General Duties Branch. It was in the latter branch that aircrew were listed. The A&SD branch covered a lot of the specialist, groundcrew roles.
K
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Good morning, looking at my Uncles service records for around the same time it says he was at RDU Blackpool and had two stints there early in his training.Looks like the first place he went approx six months after joining up.
Radio Direction Unit??
I would like to know more about the place.
Yes I would think Radio Direction Unit too
Dee
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I think RDU is Recruit Disposal Unit.
Radio Direction Unit (which I have never encountered - but hey, what do I know) sounds a bit too specialist an outfit to be part of initial training.
Certainly a lot of signals training at Blackpool but this was the initial listening to Morse Code before the Airman passed on to E & WS (Electrical & Wireless School) (later known as SS - Signals School).
Dave
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Hi Dave, l am sure l got Radio Direction Unit from somewhere after l got the service records and was doing the usual digging.
For me it fits because a great many Gunners trained as wireless ops too and it made sense to me.
No slight on what you say though, sure someone will put us right. ???
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Hi Welwyn, no slight taken, of course. I use the Air Britain glossary which points RDU as recruits rather than radio
My Father was a Wop/AG, but does not have RDU listed on his postings.
Cheers
Dave
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Thanks Kyt,
Dad was a Catering Manager at the Earls Court Exhibition complex , prior to the war, so I suppose he could've been in Admin in the Rafvr. I am sure he was in India or Ceylon as he was invalided home from there with TB. (memory not so good as to where).
Regards, Graham.
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Hi Graham
Just started to research my fathers service history after receiving a copy of his records in the post and came across your photo. The guy seated with glasses (2nd from left) could be my father or either of my uncles.
my father, LAC Ronald Welch, had a twin brother and i beleive they were both in the RAF. as was, i beleive, their older brother. Certainly my father was based in Blackpool for a while, but i am unsure of my uncles service history. I've found an old photo of my father taken in 1946 and he is the spitting image of the person in your photo. However, as far i can tell he was in Blackpool earlier 1940-41 - i will try and get information from the family on his brothers
Regards
Pat
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I think RDU is Recruit Disposal Unit.
Radio Direction Unit (which I have never encountered - but hey, what do I know) sounds a bit too specialist an outfit to be part of initial training.
Certainly a lot of signals training at Blackpool but this was the initial listening to Morse Code before the Airman passed on to E & WS (Electrical & Wireless School) (later known as SS - Signals School).
Dave
Flak has more experience of this stuff than I do I am still learning so I will bow to his greater knowledge. Ta Flak... Hope this guy gets so much more information but you and Kyt will be able to help him further..
Dee
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G'Day All.
There you go, I knew some one would be able to help! This site has so many knowledgeable people .
G'Day Pat nice to hear from you, I am still waiting for dads service record to confirm his details. But the Date on the back of the photo and his enlistment details seem to match up quite well.
You can PM me if you dont want to put personal details on this thread.
And we are getting two for the price of one , so economical.
Regards
Graham