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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: emfranky on Wednesday 03 September 14 13:03 BST (UK)
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I recently was given this picture of my Great-Grandfather with his Squadron from May 1944. I know that he was a drill sergeant in the RAF, however, in the picture he, the squadron commander, and the flight commander are with men in, what appear to be, sailor uniforms. Why would this be? Is anyone able to shed some light on this? :)
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Hi, I cannot tell you anything much, however I put the title of the photo into the internet and one of the only "Hits" to match anything like was an item on a auction site "*bay", this was titled
"RAF Flight "G" Squadron No.36 R & C Wing 1944" -Navigators Course Photographs.
so perhaps they could all have attended a navigators course and your Great Grandfather and the other two RAF men were instructor's?
Hope that's of some help.
Regards.
Frank.
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Curious that the naval uniforms, complete with Leading Seaman badges and 'HMS' on cap talllies, conflict with the ranks shown on the photo mount.
Someone may know where Walkers photographers were based, or what F Squadron was. Most had numbers.
A
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Maybe something to do with Air Sea rescue?
Ady
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Not my area but I would research down the Fleet Air Arm route as a starter.
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Hi everyone, sorry for the late reply! Just wanted to say thank you for your time and assistance, you've given me lots to look into :)
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I recently was given this picture of my Great-Grandfather with his Squadron from May 1944. I know that he was a drill sergeant in the RAF, however, in the picture he, the squadron commander, and the flight commander are with men in, what appear to be, sailor uniforms. Why would this be? Is anyone able to shed some light on this? :)
I just scanned some pictures in and looking at the date and numbers I presume this was the previous shot?
51 flight f squadron number 36 R&C wing squadron may 1944
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If you can get hold of your great-grandfather's service record it could identify which squadron he served in.
I noted that S/Ldr Macrae and F/O W R Cook were in RAF uniform on the photo so I tried a search for them. No luck, but I found a website which might be useful (it has a contact).
http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RAF_officers_M01.html
Hope this helps
Philip
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I have located Walkers photographic studios limited to St Thomas street Scarborough.
The hotels of Scarborough were used to accommodate recruits of the no. 10 and 11 Initial training wings where they learned about the ways of the RAF before going on to trade or flying training. The building in the second picture looks more like a hotel than military accommodation. Other coastal resorts were also used for this purpose.
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The building in picture 2 is Scarborough College.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/8399776?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com
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The building in picture 2 is Scarborough College.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/8399776?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com
Stunning find :)
Frank.
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The collection of photos that were on ebay some months ago appear to have been of two separate events - one is the squadron photo of No.39 Flight "G" Squadron, No.36 R & C Wing 1944; and the other is No.25 Navigators Course.
See description http://www.ebay.ie/itm/RAF-Flight-034-G-034-Squadron-No-36-R-amp-C-Wing-1944-Navigators-Course-Photographs-/380888972894
and the photos http://tinyurl.com/lsgfeog
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The three Initial training wings 10,11,and17 at Scarborough provided basic training in aircraft mechanics, navigation, meteorology as well as square bashing and PT specifically for potential aircrew (pilots ,navigators and bomb aimers). (google to confirm this). The men in naval uniform must therefore be potential aircrew of the Royal Naval Air Service, who would need the same sort of training before going on to Elementary flying training. Free French, Polish and Belgian Air Force Trainees also went to Scarborough
http://www.raf-lichfield.co.uk/GroundUnits.htm This reference shows the three ITW's ceasing to exist in spring 44 but I believe this was just a name change because of the the impending closure (jul 44) of the Aircrew reception centre at Lords CC RAF St Johns Wood and the dispersal of the ACRC responsibilties to the ITW's I think that 17 ITW became 36 R&C Wing. (R = reception)
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Hi everyone, thank you all so much for your help. Phillip and ShaunJ - thanks for the links, they've been really interesting to look at :) Althos, thank you so much for that information, after I told my grandma, my great-grandfather's daugter, she said that she remembered something being said about her mother visiting him in Scarborough during the war. I didn't know about the Royal Naval Air Service but makes sense from what you've said :) Craigatkinson, was you grandfather an instructor or a trainee?
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http://www.scarboroughcollegeww1.co.uk/no.-17-initial-training-wing.html Have you seen this :)
Strangely they are all AC2's (other than the instructors) which is an RAF rank not a navy one.
Dee