Royal Flying Corp Help Please.

[forester]

Duncan,

Just to add a bit more, 17434 is in the batch allotted to civilians, as opposed to transfers from other branches of the army (as the RFC came under).

Do you have the National Probate Calendar entry?

ARDLEY, Harold John, of Field House, Kynsal, near Audlem, Cheshire, died 20 December 1940 at Tern Hill, Market Drayton, Shropshire.
Administration Chester, 7 March 1941, to Isabel Henderson Ardley, widow.

A Google on RAF Ternhill will bring up loads of hits, a good few relating to WW2.

Phil

[Ravenhook]

Thank you for the great information Phil, this is all new and I will try and find out, if I can which squadron he was under when he was killed...I only know that my Grandfather told me that he was knocked off his motorcycle by a bomber...whether it had landed badly or was taxiing, we dont know...unfortunately my Grandfather took that to his grave and he was extremely embittered with the RAF treatment he received at the time...again another dark hole.
Duncan.

[IMBER]

Perhaps it would help to get a copy of his death certificate?  This might just have some information regarding his status at the time of death. IF he was a civilian then it seems unlikely that he would be linked with a specific squadron.

[forester]

As Imber said earlier, he's not on CWGC, so not likely to have been RAF at the time. I'm not sure of the criteria for Civilian deaths being included in WW2, whether it had to be directly due to enemy action only.

He's not on any of the Lewisham War Memorials that I can access, despite Joseph still being in the area.

Phil

[mmm45]

Info from the RAF Muster books at RAF Hendon museum.


17434 Ardley
Old Trade: Rigger
New Trade: Rigger (AE)
Old Rank: A. Mech. 1
New Rank: A. Mech. 1
Joined: 6th Jan 1916
Last Promotion: 1st Oct 1917
Rate of Pay: 4s 0d
Terms of Service: Duration of War


Ady

[Ravenhook]

Wow, thank you for that Ady...that's outstanding, I can add that to the rear of his photograph.
Many thanks.
Duncan.

[CB515]

In my database of officers and other ranks who served, however briefly, at Castle Bromwich aerodrome during WW1, I have 17434 Harold John Ardley who was posted from the Recruits Depot to No.55 Squadron on 16/6/16, a unit that was just beginning to form up at this date. This information comes from The National Archive - Ref:- Air1/1307/204/11/193. I have also transcribed his service record from Ref:- Air 79/195. The service records for the other ranks are sparse indeed - no further information until 1/4/18 - but I don't think he stayed with No.55 Sq. when it moved to Lilbourne, but rather stayed at Castle Bromwich, most likely with resident training unit No.5 Reserve Squadron.
When an aircraft had been repaired after a mishap it was customary for either rigger or fitter to accompany a pilot on a test flight. The Pilot's Flying Logbook of G.N.Wilton records a passenger named Ardley a number of times during early 1917.