I have long been searching for a missing uncle who joined the air force at the early stage of WW2, but went awol very soon. He lost touch with his family and they never spoke about him again. I have no idea what part of the airforce he joined, but he did live in Northumberland at the time. Can anyone suggest how i could start?
there are a number of sites for tracing people but a long time has gone past have a look on the internet that might give you some pointers good luck
Given the sensitive nature of this topic I'm not sure posting a full name is a good idea. This is a difficult question to answer as its outside normal wartime research, and I wish you all the best. Hopefully someone will have an idea where you can go from here. If he returned or was returned to active service then the usual wartime research might do the job... if he wasn't I fear it might be a family matter or involve local records.
As he "joined" the Air Force, presumably he volunteered, rather than was drafted. For whatever reason he went AWOL as you call it. That stands for Absent With Out Leave, i.e. overstaying his leave period. Do you really mean "deserted" in that he never rejoined his unit? If early in the War, then he would have to have kept out of contact with the "authorities" until 1945, a very long time with no one questioning why he wasn't serving King and Country... Most likely he adopted an Alias, perhaps his mothers maiden name and thus dropped from sight. He would still have been a candidate for conscription, so maybe he fought under a different Name. He could have been killed, so how you go about tracing him I can't suggest any practical way forward. If you do find that he is alive, do you really think an old man would welcome someone who knew he deserted? Sometimes letting sleeping dogs lie might be for the best. If he wanted to, he could have made contact. He obviously didn't want to.
I you trying to find him or about him? If about him, I'd look to apply for his service records. If he joined up at the begining of the war he may well be over 90 and no longer with us. Going AWOL could be no big deal depending on the circumstances - One of my G/F's grandads seems to have done it according to his service records. Another relative seems to have had a 'disagreement with an officer'. I wish I had met them, if there service records are anything to go by they sound like right charactors. Even I was initially done for being AWOL Regards Andy PS Not sure why this is in the AIRBORNE section
As he "joined" the Air Force, presumably he volunteered, rather than was drafted. For whatever reason he went AWOL as you call it. That stands for Absent With Out Leave, i.e. overstaying his leave period. Do you really mean "deserted" in that he never rejoined his unit? If early in the War, then he would have to have kept out of contact with the "authorities" until 1945, a very long time with no one questioning why he wasn't serving King and Country... Most likely he adopted an Alias, perhaps his mothers maiden name and thus dropped from sight. He would still have been a candidate for conscription, so maybe he fought under a different Name. He could have been killed, so how you go about tracing him I can't suggest any practical way forward. If you do find that he is alive, do you really think an old man would welcome someone who knew he deserted? Sometimes letting sleeping dogs lie might be for the best. If he wanted to, he could have made contact. He obviously didn't want to. thanks for your advice and I take your point. It would just be interesting to find out more.
I think the Salvation Army do a discreet "people finding" service, as a go between and no contact unless both parties agree. Maybe that's the way forward? Have you checked the CWGC Debt of Honour for any possible Names just to ensure whether or not he survived? :: CWGC :: If it's a "common" Name, you will need a Service Number or Additional Information to trace the correct chap.
