Decipher previous engagements

Very little air trooping was done in the early years of the war - just essential ground crew when a unit moved by air so he would typically be moved by troop ship

Nothing in the record to say what port and when - his embarkation date could have been nearly 3 weeks before or after paper move - having had embarkation leave, any remaining uk service leave and then kitting out for overseas.

What the record does tell us is that he fell ill on the voyage and instead of being posted to a disembarkation unit he was admitted to No.26 General Hospital - Hospitals are a bit wooly to research as the subtle name changes and lack of RecorBooks/War Diaries hampers the casual researcher but for No.26

26 General Hospital | The National Archives
No location, not digitised, from April 1941

Scarlet Finders is a better resource and suggests No.26 British General Hospital at Sarafand, Lebanon
Hospitals WW2 - Scarlet Finders

As-Sarafand - Wikipedia
This would narrow down the possible convoys from Arnold Hauge Website.

Couple of months being admitted and discharge there (no date for final discharge but can assume that date of 1st May 1941 in thew ball park.

Admin posted to HQ BAF which controlled the actual unit posted to as
]No.253 Wing. This was an Army Co-op tasked wing in the Western Desert comprising of No.208, No.237 and No.451 Sqn operating Hawker Hurricanes
Operations record book | The National Archives

Not 100% on the unit for the next entry but it is an attachment for training with return to No.253 Wing after a short time so possibly No.103 Maintenance Unit
Operations record book | The National Archives

Another hospitalisation period this time No.27 General Hospital
27 General Hospital | The National Archives

two short attachments to No.24 Sqn and No.451 Sqn (which was part of 253 Wing) both times returning to No.253 Wing

then admission to No.22 medical receiving station
22 Medical Receiving Station, formed Halton (UK) May 1940; moved to Egypt September... | The National Archives

This resulted in almost a year of treatment at various locations with short attachments to HQ formations - assumed paper transfers only as he rehabilitated.between treatments.

finally for this part arriving at Allied HQ Western Desert for what I assume was light duties and recovery.

Ross

 

I could not have worked that all out. Ty again. Learning so much. Also...

 

And in process of completing the rest.

 

By Feb of 1943 the Western Desert Campaign was virtually over within a few months axis forces in Tunisia would surrender so the highly mobile war format for that part of the world was coming to an end.
Western Desert campaign - Wikipedia

A more settled organisation evolved with relatively stable repair and maintenance centres being formed to replace the Wing co-located with squadron format.

No.206 Group was part of this reorganisation comprising of Maintenance Units/Repair and Salvage Units covering Western Desert, Cyprus, Syria and Palestine

Another few weeks of hospital admission to No.63 General Hospital in Cairo then back to No.206 Group.

Final two units on this page are a bother - 6 Signals School had been renamed and was in UK - 6 Signals Centre was in Libya but this reads as School.
Corresponds to his remuster as WOM

Onto the last bit - posted to No.46 Squadron with was changing aircraft and role to Short Stirling and Transport Command

No 46 Squadron: Operations Record Book | The National Archives
No. 46 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia

8th of Jan 1945 was transferred from middle east to HE Home Establishment eg UK

No.4046 Servicing Echelon - mobile servicing unit closly linked to maintaining No.46 Squadron in field operations

Short attachment to No.47 Group and back to No.4046 SE

Finally coming full circle to No.102 Personnel Despatch Centre at RAF Cardington for demob.
102 Personnel Despatch Centre, Cardington (PDC UK). With appendices | The National Archives

Even then the RAF still had a reserve commitment from him until 1959 when it finally decided to release him from possible recall.

Ross

 

Unit 2 is so incredibly difficult to read. I'm going to try to use what you've said to help me, but my golly.

 

Going back to AIR78 he is listed under A Cooke on page 55 out of 105 in the pdf. Service number matches - but with initial only it was a near impossible search.

Ross

 

Think I need a break for now, but will probably only be 30 mins as I'm focussed in on completing this. I never met A. Cooke. He died when he was 50, but I'm glad I get to learn about what he went through, to get to know him a bit.

 

Wow, you're a very dedicated man. I appreciate you.

 

As I said a nice busy record showing an extensive time in the mobile desert war with all the attendant hardships and bouts of illness but still returning to units after treatment.

This was my pleasure - all to easy just to say a Ground Trade Wireless operator but with service record coldly exposing the bones of his service career I suggest that some background reading of the RAF tasks in the Western Desert would fill out this framework.

I suggest the free downloads from RAF Air Historical Branch

Middle East Campaigns
Middle East Campaigns Vol I Operations in Libya and the Western Desert Sep 1939-Jun 1941 19.0 MB

Middle East Campaigns Volume II Operations in Libya and the Western Desert June 1941 - January 1942 30.4 MB

Middle East Campaigns Vol III Operations in Libya and the Western Desert (Including Malta) 21 Jan 1942 - 30 June 1942 19.3 MB

Middle East Campaigns Volume IV Operations in Libya, the Western Desert and Tunisia July 1942 - May 1943 44.8 MB

Happy reading - anything else comes to mind shout up - happy to help if I can again.

Ross

 

Thank you again!

I shall do my reading and research.

Laura

 

Volume II has probably the most on No.253 Wing - including description of wireless operations needs and wing tasking/locations during the advance/retreat/advance.

Ross