Hi All My name is Stacey and I'm a newbie here so please bare with me. I have received my grandfathers records yesterday and it's made me more confused regarding his RAF career that I was before they arrived. He spent most of his time in India although I recall he did mention that he was in Singapore and had to be evacuated by boat but it doesn't mention on his records anything about Singapore. He was awarded the pacific star with Burma pin. I was wondering if there is anyone with any knowledge regarding service records that could help me to get started and point me in the right direction. I have attached the service records to this thread. Thanks in advance, Stacey
It would appear that after a spell in Ely hospital in April 1941 he was attached to 2730 Squadron before shipping out to India in Dec 1941. From then on he appears to have remained in India, with a couple more hospital admissions before being attached to HQ in Bombay, thence back to the UK in 19(43?), the date isn't easy to read.
Blutto Thank you for replying. Would you know of anyway that I could find out what he was in hospital for in Ely?? Stacey
It is immensely difficult to obtain medical details, especially military details of why someone was in a hospital. Maybe, if for example it was a Malarial hospital then you could guess why. I have received in 2017 the medical details of why my Great Uncle was hospitalised in 1917, they would not release them before 100 years had passed even though I could prove he died many years ago, and I think you will find the same today with all the data protection laws in place. TD
Thank you for replying TD. I don't think I'll bother to pursue this then. I was so excited to receive my grandfathers records but I am a little bit disappointed with what they have revealed. Evidence I have doesn't match his records and I'm getting frustrated now. I'm sure I will get to the bottom of it soon. Stacey
Might be worth posting the evidence - as we already have his records to see if other members can make sense of it or at least help. To be honest we have had threads where family stories and actual facts are not quite the same Might be worth just making sure the scans/images are good quality as some are difficult to read in your initial post and rotated in the correct orientation - it hurts my neck these days especially as I cant turn the screen through 90 degrees TD
TD Thank you. I will collate the info and upload it. I will see if I can get better copies of the records. Stacey
Hopefully these are clearer images the right way up . I will try and scan the letters etc but they are small and the writing is a bit fussy now so not sure if you can read them. Stacey
OK so some background and this is where you need to satrt your research and delve into areas you dont know exist as yet - for example he was in the RAF Regt ar Secunderabad in 1943 [for a short time] before being admitted to No68 Indian General Hospital so doing some searching : It gives an idea of the situation - BBC - WW2 People's War - A Queen Alexandra's Nurse in India by Margaret Ledger There is also 2945 Squadron RAF Regiment. Formed at Secunderabad (India) and moved to Feni. Part of... | The National Archives Reference: AIR 29/136/2 Description: 2945 Squadron RAF Regiment. Formed at Secunderabad (India) and moved to Feni. Part of 224 Group. Later moved to Burma and Thailand Note: Open in 1972 Date: 1943 May-1946 June Held by: The National Archives, Kew Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description Another possible lead from his records - drigh road 1943 - Google Search So its time to start the joy of research TD Dont forget to use the search facility on this site
TD Thanks for getting me started. I'm sure I'll a few more questions in the future. Thank you for your help so far. Stacey
His dates do line up with possibly being at Singapore. The entry 'FAR EAST 4.12.41' is likely the date he embarked on a ship (though not necessarily the day it set sail, as it could take many days to load the ships and form up a convoy - overseas service was calculated from the day you got on the boat to the day you set foot back in the UK). This could potentially put him on convoy WS14, which assembled on the 9th of December. A chunk of that convoy sailed on to Singapore, arriving just before the fall: WS (Winston Specials) Convoys in WW2 - 1941 Sailings
This involves Jessore where your relative was in May 1942 BBC - WW2 People's War - Some of My Wartime Experiences By Bob Turk After that I got my posting to the Far East and was sent to Liverpool where I boarded the troop ship Andes. Our route took us around The Cape as the waters were deemed too dangerous because of submarine attacks in the Mediterranean. On the way we stopped off in Durban before setting off for a Bombay transit camp in India and then onto Jessore in East Bengal (now called Bangladesh). TD The IWM is also a site to investigate - for example - ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST, 1941-1945. Search our collection | Imperial War Museums
Thank you both Packrat & TD. Looks like I have a lot of reading to do tonight. This really means a lot and I really appreciate it. Stacey
Hi me again, I trying to pick my way through the records and was wondering it someone could tell me what D.T.I. stands for in the trade section. It states: 31/12/43, Rank: CPL, Character: VG, Trade: D.T.I. Also from the time it states he went to the far east 04/12/41 then 166 wing 11/11/42 - can I take it that he wasn't assigned to a group, wing, squadron etc and was just being held waiting to be assigned at Drigh Road & Jessore? Thanks in advance, Stacey
