raf help

[sandi15]

Trying to find my granddad during WW11. He was in the RAF from '39to '45. He was a land gunner and flight mechanic based somewhere in England. I know he was injured by shrapnel during an attack and he was also awarded the DSO, the medal disappeared about 2 years ago. I don't know what squadron he was in or his service number as he never spoke about it!  There's nobody left in the family now to help me so any help here would be great. Thank you

[miriamkinga]

Hi Sandi and welcome to rootschat 

There's a list of recipients of the DSO here : -

http://en.ww2awards.com/award/9

Is your grandfather still living? It's not permitted to post details of living people on Rootschat.

What information is it you are looking for?

Best wishes

Maria

[sandi15]

Hi Maria,Thanks i'll try it. Sadly my granddad died in 1973.
Mum mentioned years later but never said why he got it. It looks like me and my sisters are the next of kin.

[rafcommands]

Best to do is apply for his service record.

The details are in a sticky message at the top of this forum.

Another form of self help is to download the free file from AIR 78 at the TNA and look up his name to see if you can find the index card for his service number (nice to have but not essential for service record).

If you fell like others can help while you await the service record, his full name would assist.

Regards
Ross

[Shirleyjjj]

hi.

my father was in the RAF too same time - from lancashire but his friends were all over Uk - so they didnt keep in touch afterwards - he only started to talk about it many many years afterwards and died last year - we do have some pictures , my father was in a salvage team (so different from yours)
I was going to get his records from the RAF - i think its 20 pounds or so to get them (cant rememebr) although there are one or two rules -

you have to be the next family member to get them - cant rememebr what they said but there was a special rule - i didnt know  any other details

your father should still have kept his service record and for some reason he kept his knap sac - this was an imporant for them its a very strong fabric holdhall bag which for some reason was important -

unifrom/gun/boots were all handed back to the military and we thought we had a medal but we havent

[sandi15]

HI, Thanks for all this info. After granddad died, my auntie threw out lots of things belonging to her parents so I suppose all his papers were among them.
 He signed up here in Dundee Scotland and I've no idea where he done his training but I do know he was based in England, somewhere. I also remember being told he gave the wrong age to join the then RFC before the end of WW1 but I can't find any record of him doing so. There is only one photo of him in his raf uniform which I have but doesn't show the medal so I think he got this afterwards. Would it help if I gave his name here?

[Shirleyjjj]

hi same . i simply have his raf pic black and white wearing like a woollen type cloth uniform and cap and tie the servicemans book doesnt hold much info - just to say her was issued with a rifle and how many round of ammo ect

hi did have a friend in scotland interestingly enough they would have been about the same age born about 1923 but he regretted not keeping in toucn with his friends - i wish i was able to get in touch with the families of the people in the pictures but hes put names like ' mr jones' on them and no first names - no ides why must have been very formal in those days - i did have the name of his sergeant in charge -

im sorry that your family have thrown things away - such is life

my fathers pic doesnt show his medal either - its a black and white portrait type pic  i think the picture was taken before the medals were passed out - as far as i know he only got one medal - my father said his parents had the medals but they were not to be found - we thought we found them at one time but they were ww1 medals and my grandad s

[Shirleyjjj]

ha just noticed something - what does it say on the back of your grandfathers RAF pic ?

my fathers has the following -

MOVIESNAPS (RE ROBERTS)
birnbeck Chalfont Road
Milton Weston -s-Mare

if you look at the back of the pic it may give you a clue WHERE he was based ?

we are no -where near milton weston s mare so they must have had the pics done near base of regiment or somehing

[rafcommands]

Any one can apply for a copy of a service record.

Please read the sticky message for the real gen.

Yes it would help to post his full name if you are looking to others for help.

Ross