I have successfully applied for Army Service Records without a service number 
Your friend will need his father'sdate of birth, and a death certificate (unless he died in service).
This is correct. You do not need a service number to apply for service records. Full name, date and place of birth plus d/c is more than enough. The cost is £30.
I'm trying to help a friend find details about his father's WW2 war record.
Edward Valentine Footman.
Born 1909 Walthamstow, Essex
Marr 1934 to Constance Stevens
Died 1990 Willesden, London.
Enrolled 1941 with the RASC and (possibly) served in Egypt, Germany or France.
The Service number is not known, so unable to apply for his records.
Can anyone here assist please?
Thanks
My father was in the RASC and he served in both France and Egypt, So ask your friend to try to remember more specific places where the man served.
The OP is looking for information about this man's service. If he could remember more about the places he served then he would not need to ask for more information. The service record, when purchased, will give all the information required. That is the best route for strong's friend to take. Anything else is pure speculation, very likely to be wrong and a waste of time.
Knowing his previous trade will not help in the search for details of his service. Photographs may not either unless they are annotated or include obvious features which identify them as having been taken in a specific country. Relying on them solely may just cause additional (possibly incorrect) speculation and confusion.
The service record is definitely the way to go.
