RAF Radar Mechanic 1941-5

[Andy J2022]

curiousgeorge,
If you aren't already familiar with it, you might find this website useful for background (mostly technical) information on WW2 Radar: The Radar Pages

[curiousgeorge1]

Thank you

[rafcommands]

Air Ministry Experimental Station Kilkeel

RAF Kilkeel Northern Ireland - No.79 (Signals) Wing Administered Chain Home Station

See this for descriptions, map location - for the other NI locations he was posted to as well.

https://frontlineulster.co.uk/radar-in-northern-ireland-1939-1945/

also Observer Corps layout

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_ep=kilkeel&_cr=air&_dss=range&_ro=any&_st=adv

Ross

[curiousgeorge1]

Thanks again

[rafcommands]

My pleasure.

Ross

[curiousgeorge1]

You have all been so helpful.
I wonder if I could ask for some more information regarding the excerpt I posted earlier.

Specifically the early training before he went to Kilkeel. I have worked out some of it, F, H etc. I am hoping that H means normal transfer and F means finished training.

The references to 2Wq 11 RC and 1 BC have got me a little flummoxed. There is no reference to location associated with these abbreviations.

The period in question is May 1941 to Feb 1942

He got to Cardton in April, and got to this 2Wq reference in May 1941 before going to Kilkeel in Feb 1942

[rafcommands]

Specifically the early training before he went to Kilkeel. I have worked out some of it, F, H etc. I am hoping that H means normal transfer and F means finished training.

Nope - H/Home and F/Field

RAF referred to units located UK (except NI) as Home Force. Rest of world including NI as Field Force. A carry over from 1918 when Home was training and Field was all the expeditionary forces   

The references to 2Wq 11 RC and 1 BC have got me a little flummoxed. There is no reference to location associated with these abbreviations.

No 11 Recruits Centre, Skegness (his intake was assigned to No.2 Wing (like house names at Harry Potter school)

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7160740

No.1 Balloon Centre, Kidbrook
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7159186

Ross

[curiousgeorge1]

Thank you so much for us. I was heading down the wrong rabbit hole.

Initially confused as to why NI was not home but now I see what you have written. Except I read Kilkeel as being HH and Greystone and White Waltham as being F.

I will follow these up. Thank you again.

[rafcommands]

HH is Headquarters Holding eg manpower reserve for the Command located on a Unit but not of unit ownership.

F for a UK unit can also be an indicator that posted to unit but assigned to Field unit either working up or being administered by the UK unit.

In the scale of things it means little - just the admin clerks finding a cubbyhole in existing systems to cater for a rapidly expanding admin world as RAF ramped up to war footing from peace.

Ross