Marriage certificate query/ Military records

[andytilley]

Service records after c1920 are classed as private. Only the MOD have legal access to them. Anyone else cannot have the same information without breaking privacy laws. If you do not have his service number the MOD may say they cannot help you. Supplying his date of birth may be enough, but you may get the MOD on a bad day.

If he was in the RAF for 30 years you would expect him to have received a long service medal. If you can find this award list it should give his service number. So start your RAF contacts on that path, or ask on the British Medal Forum.

Ken

FYI
The LSGC is given to the RAF when they reach 15 years, even if they have lowered conduct

The RN is a different matter where if in the 15 you have any conduct rating under VG( Very good) then you can get to the 15 and still not get your gong( Medal)

[ShaunJ]

Have you checked the RAF service records on FindMyPast?

[andytilley]

Yes I have, and they don't seem to come up with much.
None of the records match his name, DOB or his attestation date.
His army demob certificate states he re-enlisted in 1920 and all records on FindMyPast direct an earlier date.
Some of them in 1916 which baffles me as the RAF wasn't formed until 1918

I went through AIR78 and managed to find about 15 entries under his name. But there again this isn't conclusive as not all the records are complete I am led to believe.

As I am new to the hobby, it is becoming slightly frustrating, however patience is a virtue seeing some on here have been doing it for over 30 years and still searching.

I recently found TWO naval writers made an incorrect entry on my uncles service medal records so it goes to show even military can get it wrong

[IMBER]

"His army demob certificate states he re-enlisted in 1920 and all records on FindMyPast direct an earlier date.
Some of them in 1916 which baffles me as the RAF wasn't formed until 1918".

ScOOp mentioned that he might have been in the RFC (ie Army) which became the RAF in 1918. Just wondered whether you had picked up on that?

Imber

[andytilley]

"His army demob certificate states he re-enlisted in 1920 and all records on FindMyPast direct an earlier date.
Some of them in 1916 which baffles me as the RAF wasn't formed until 1918".

ScOOp mentioned that he might have been in the RFC (ie Army) which became the RAF in 1918. Just wondered whether you had picked up on that?

Imber

Thanks yes I did,
I have posted his demob certificate

He demobbed to the Army Z reserve in 1919 and as he was still a reservist, I guess he had to get permission to enlist into the newly formed ( and possibly quite glamorous) RAF
He was attested into the SWB regiment in 1916 and called up 1917.
He was injured in battle and saw active service as we can see from his decorations etc.

I have some more research to do in that respect, but from the time lines, I think I am right in saying he wasn't in the RFC, as I have records of him in the SWB regiment

Andy

[km1971]

Z Reserve was disbanded in March 1920. So he would not have required permission to join the RAF in April.

Ken

[Sc00p]

Other that the note on his demobilization, do you have any direct evidence he was actually in the RAF?
Edit: I wonder who was working out his age in 1928 at the bottom of demobilization image.

[andytilley]

Other that the note on his demobilization, do you have any direct evidence he was actually in the RAF?
Edit: I wonder who was working out his age in 1928 at the bottom of demobilization image.

quite a few photographs of him as a Staff Sgt in Singapore and Egypt. he was how can we say, not accepted back into the family well when he came back. or as the mother in law put it, "im telling you thats the chinese girl, Anna Mae Wong or whatever her name is"......followed by some expletives etc.
Turns out he "may" have gotten involved with a lady of Singaporean origination whilst serving out there. so the feelings were strong and the pictures of him out there are verified by her as her Father in law. Unfortunately my Father in law died some time ago so cannot verify any further as he was an only child.

We have a picture of him dancing with the said "anna Mae " whilst in mess dress with medals. We know from records that he had WW1 standard medals but we are struggling with RAF Records as these are after 1920 and subject to the 100 year laws? not only that there are more than 2 medals on show but are far too small to pick out what they are

we can try and get his records, but we are on a dwindling line not knowing his service number.
Its not making it easy so I know his station in Singapore so may try and back track if possible.
I seem to be going round in circles so may take stock of what I know and follow those leads, but by god, miss marple would have a run for her money on this one  haha

[andytilley]

Z Reserve was disbanded in March 1920. So he would not have required permission to join the RAF in April.

Ken

If that is the case why would they even need to annotate his certificate as re-enlisted in the RAF July 1920?
I am not sure of the time period for reservist enlisted men was back then. When I left the Royal Navy i was required to do 3 years reservist time