Meaning of letter X in the Reason Column - WW2 RAF Service Records

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by Mike Selcon, Aug 16, 2021.

  1. Mike Selcon

    Mike Selcon Active Member

    I wonder if anyone can help? I am researching a WW2 RAF airman who was training as a WOP/AG and in the 'Reason' column on his service record are various letters. - H, HH and X,

    H and HH I have identified as Home Force and Headquarters Holding but so far I haven't been able to find out what the X means.

    He qualified as a Wireless Operator in 1942 and on 23/01/43 attended No.3 Air Gunnery School for his gunnery course. It appears he may have failed the course as on the 7th of March 1943 he was posted to 14 MU and on the 8th of April 1943 to RAF Chigwell that I believe had just been changed into a signals training establishment. The posting to 14 MU spelled the end of his aircrew training and the X appears in the reason column for his posting to Raf Chigwell.

    Can anyone tell me what the X means?

    Thank you and best regards

    Mike
     
  2. RAFCommands

    RAFCommands Senior Member

    Never found conclusive proof but as far as I can tell it relates to paragraph X in a Casualty/POR Form 747.

    Casualty Returns were also called Personnel Occurance Reports and were filled in at unit level to record changes of circumstances eg permission to live out, change of rank, results of trade tests, pay increments, postings etc.

    They tended to have formalised paragraph contents depending on POR

    Reason/Auth Columns on RAF Service Records

    This was my understanding several years ago - recently I have come to suspect that paragraph X is a catch all for not covered elsewhere.

    Ross
     
  3. Mike Selcon

    Mike Selcon Active Member

    Hi Ross
    Thanks for the information it seems to make sense. After the gunnery course he ended up as a signaller in 83 Group GCC so wondering whether this might be the reason for the X - a change in his circumstances, going from aircrew training to a ground role?

    Best regards

    Mike
     

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