RAF Service Records - Fitter Grades and Abbreviations

[peckham]

I need assistance deciphering an entry in my father’s RAF Service Record - see attached for clarification.

I have via the Internet service entries referencing Fitter II or F2A (Airframes) and Fitter IIE or F2E (Engines) . . . but my father’s record appears to show (the quality if not good) the following entry “FI mech (B) n a FII (A)” . . . Would this have been an FMA Flight Mechanic Airframes?

Thank you for any assistance

[tonepad]

Looks like:

F1. mech (A)
a. tFII (A)
FITT. IIA


F1. mech (A) = FMA Flight Mechanic Airframes


Tony

[peckham]

Thank you Tony for your quick response . . . and if you would please add to my education I have the following questions:

Q1. Any thoughts on what the “a. t” portion might signify?

Q2. Am I correct in thinking Fitter Grades (lowest to highest) were F1 either Airframe or Engines . . . F2A or F2E . . . FMA or FME? I am trying to make sense of my father being an FMA and also an F2A unless an airman might hold different grades based on specific training and experience, e.g., the attached image shows a different section of the same service record but it does not reference the 6 December 1940 sequence you have clarified and the following is my attempt at its transcription.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
24 April 1941 Exam Re-Muster Exam FIT II 66% FIT IIA
1 August 1942 Exam Re-Classify LAC 88%
1 February 1943 Wellington Airframe Course
8-14 February 1943 Attended Vickers Course 70%
1943 Wellington Mk III and ?
1944 Wellington Mk III and ?

Q3. Might there have been occasions when an FMA/FME (or even an F2) would have accompanied a flight?

Thank you again for indulging me.

[Michael J]

I would say that the aircraft he qualified on were Wellington Mk III & Wellington Mk X - there is a trainer version of a Mk X in the RAF museum.

Michael.

[peckham]

Thank you Michael for that clarification. As with many things . . . once one knows the answer it becomes obvious . I have been researching my direct and related ancestry for many years but this is the first time it has involved WWII material and as always with research it is proving to be educational.
Bryan

[Michael J]

More thoughts -

The grades progression is Flight Mechanic - Fitter II (todays equivalent is Mechanic - Technician), ranks are AC2 - AC1 - LAC (Leading Aircraftman)

On his service record the a.t. is most likely u.t. = under training (to become Fitter II airframes). This training seems to have taken place 'on the job' when he was at 27 OTU, servicing the Wellington bombers being used for the final stage of Operational aircrew training.

He appears to have gone to 2 School of Technical Training in February 1942 for either one day or one month (the month figures are not very clear) for his final training/fitters test as he returned to his unit as a Fitter II A.

Michael.

[peckham]

Hello Michael:

Thank you once again . . . The pieces are gradually coming together . . . If only I had had a “What did you do in the war Dad?” conversation. 

I also have struggled with reading some of the entries. When I received the record the accompanying RAF Cover Letter apologized for the quality by saying . . . “it is a reflection of the condition of the image from which the print was taken”. My scan of the copy (for the attachments) has further degraded the legibility.

I was able to determine (a you have) that he attended the following Technical Training Schools but the handwriting of the respective dates is blurred
No. 10 STT Kirkham Lancashire . . .  best guess 24 July 1940  . . . he enlisted 12 July 1940
No 12 OTU . . . best guess 20 December 1940
No. 7 STT Innsworth, Gloucestershire. . . . best guess  21 February 1941
No. 2 STT Cosford, Northamptonshire . . . 24 February 1942

Bryan