Until recently my family had very little idea of what my father did in WW2. Information gleaned so far is: Service record. He went to RAF Padgate. He went to RAF unit 8 Blackpool. He served in Malta. When or where we don't know. He returned to England from Italy on a train at the end of the war. I would like to establish which unit of the RAF he was in so I may be able to trace his career. Attached is a picture of him in uniform. He is on the left of the picture. Thanks for reading this.
Hi Bob Welcome Best place to start is with his service records - Request records of deceased service personnel - GOV.UK then when received go from there TD
Thanks for the reply Tricky Dicky. I have his service records but they don't give any information as to where he went to after basic training. Thanks.
Here's what I have so far. Other members of the family may have other documents, I don't know at this stage I have had to reduce the document in size to upload it. There wasn't any other info on the part I cut off.
Hi, I'm no RAF expert but do know that RAF Padgate was in Warrington, Lancashire (now Cheshire) and post war it became the Police Training Centre for the North West of England (closed about 15 years ago so probably a housing estate by now). RAF West Kirkby was a training base on the Welsh side of the Wirral Peninsula. I do know that there was a RAF Training base at Squires Gate, Blackpool. As I'm sure you're aware there were a number of RAF bases on Malta but I don't know enough to help any further. I would try and email RAF Museum at Hendon and send them the document and see if they can interpret it for you. Have you tried to search for any books about WW2 RAF Police? Good Luck Steve Y PS The author of this blog spot may be worth contacting. He has published a book for the centenary of RAF Police - there is a taster in his blog spot. You may be able to get a copy of his book via an inter library loan. HISTORY - ROYAL AIR FORCE POLICE
No. 48 MU (Maintenance Unit) was at Hawarden List of Royal Air Force Maintenance units - Wikipedia He seems to have moved there in 1941.
His Malta posting and dates are in the Form 543 Service Record you have posted. As a HQ function role it is just listed as a general posting to MAAF theatre. Mediterranean Allied Air Forces - Wikipedia Ross