My Uncle Arthur Needham was in the RAF during and after WW2, and it looks like he was a signaller (see attached photo) Does this mean that he would have been aircrew? I don't have any more info in terms of service number or squadron, except that he stayed in the RAF for quite a few years after the war. I assume he would have joined up 1943/44 as he was born in 1924. Any further info greatly received, Matt
That looks like an O in the badge, which would make him aircrew (flying), an Observer. Observers later in the war split into Air bombers and Navigators.
The single wing observer badge dated from WW1 and covered a range of aircrew occupations such as radio operator, photographer, radar operator, gunner as well as navigator and bomb aimer
by 1943/44 the O half wing had been phased out so very unlikely that he would be wearing one. Signaller S started in early 1944 so you are correct in that it is this aircrew qualification seen on both photographs. Ross
Your uncle was indeed aircrew as a "wireless operator" but how he got to be wearing the brevet of an Air Signaller is from the path that the AM took in introducing changes in the "wireless operator" designation. There was quite ongoing designation changes made by the AM within Bomber Command to the role of wireless operators/ gunners in the later stages of the war.The role of the WOp/Air Gunner was split into Wireless OP (air) and Air Gunner.Existing WOp/AGs were mandatory remustered into what was the new aircrew designation of WOp (air) in November 1943.Those destined to be Air Gunners were trained in air gunnery alone. However the change of the designation of WOp (air) to Air Signaller had been approved in October 1943,it was not until the end of February 1944 that the Air Signaller brevets were issued...appears to have been a question of brevet availability. Your uncle is shown wearing the Air Signaller brevet and clearly was aircrew.The photograph must have been taken after February 1944 when the Air Signaller brevets were issued. Notice that he is wearing the Wireless Operator flash above his sergeant stripes on his right arm.These flashes were discontinued after the introduction of the Air Signaller brevet.The flash then appears on those groundcrew uniforms whose trades were of wireless and radar and this continued into the 1950s.
Looking online his number might have been 1890913, that is showing an enlistment date in 1943 when he was 18
