7134 Servicing Echelon

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by hiram, Nov 17, 2013.

  1. hiram

    hiram New Member

    Hello Everyone,
    I hope someone out there can assist me. I am trying to trace the movements of the RAF Servicing Echelon No.7134. I know that it was at RAF Baigachi, India, between 19th and 26 November 1944. I am trying to find out where it was moved to after that.
    Also if possible, the whereabouts of No.3(?)Mobile Field Hospital in January 1945.
    Thank you in anticipation.
    hiram
     
  2. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

  3. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Just had a quick look at the CWGC via Geoff's search engine to see if casualties from the unit could assist in plotting it's movements - apparently no-one died while serving with that unit during WW2

    I suppose war diaries (Operational Record Books) are the best bet - assuming they exist.


    They should be in TNA under AIR 29 but I'm not finding that specific unit


    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res/2?_q=air%2029%20Servicing%20echelon
     
  4. hiram

    hiram New Member

    DaveB, Many thanks for your help, at least you have given me further avenues to explore.

    Thanks again.
     
  5. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Cheers H - I was hoping that my feeble contributions might have enticed some of the RAF gurus to point out why I can't see an ORB for this unit.

    It is possible that their exploits were rolled up and included with the ORB for a higher formation, but as I have no idea on what that unit's designation might be then it doesn't really help.

    I wonder if moving this from the B&I sub-forum to the War in the Air sub-forum would help to draw in the RAF types.......
     
  6. RAFCommands

    RAFCommands Senior Member

    Hi Dave,

    Servicing Echelons were tied to an associated unit which is in the Echelon number eg 7134 mainly serviced No.134 Squadron aircraft.

    Their notes will be included in either the No.134 Sqn Appendices or in the ORB for the RAF Station they were operating on as a Forward Aerodrome

    Servicing Commandos were expected to service anything that landed on an aerodrome and defend the position against armed ground attack if necessary. In this case they are not linked to a particular squadron.

    Regards
    Ross
     
  7. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Cheers Ross - that makes sense.


    Hiram - as you can see from the three mentions of 7134SE on the RAFWEB site, 134SQN appears at the same base.


    I suppose there are a few options from there, one is to open up all other 23 letters of the alphabet on the RAFWEB site to see if 134SQN's movements post 26 November 1944 are specifically mentioned.

    Another is to pay for the SQN's ORBs - in the thread I have provided a link for below I propose one solution on how to do this which is then overshadowed by another solution. Basically if you only want a month or two of the SQN history then I suggest doing the on-line approach and paying a few quid. If you want more than a few months then it appears to be more cost-effective to follow the 2nd process and pay 20 quid for the entire unit history.



    You haven't really said why you want the info, but I presume it is to try to work out where a relative was based & that you have something as a starting point (his service record?) that shows his time at 7134SE. The ORB will most probably show where his unit moved to and if you are really lucky he might be mentioned by name.

    But from what I have seen with similar accounts, erks seem to only get a mention if they get placed on a charge or get seriously injured.



    http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/50481-total-ignoramus-researching-dads-war-story-in-raf/?hl=orbs#entry592401
     
  8. hiram

    hiram New Member

    Ross,
    Thanks for that, I'll try following 134's movements.

    DaveB,
    It's all in an attempt to find out where my father was during his time in the Far East. I have his mustering record which shows he went to A.C.S.E.A. 18/10/44 and then to 7134 SE 2/12/44. The next move was admitted to No.3 MFH 24/1/45 and discharged No. 63 MFH 30/1/45 then nothing until release in Feb 46.
    He never spoke about the time he was out there except for a couple of times when something was shown on TV about that region, then all we got was, "I remember that place " or " it didn't look like that when I was there".
    One thing I do remember, once when I was building a model of a Republic Thunderbolt, he said " I used to work on those and then told me all about P&W radial engines and why they have odd numbers of cylinders.
    But that was the only time it was mentioned
    I'll keep looking,
    Many thanks for your help.
     

Share This Page