I am researching my grandfather and have the following details: Jesse Dunkin Service Number 1717666 served 1940 to 1946. I have his service book which has the details as follows: E (HAA) Bty RA and he was W/BDR. I understand the HAA stands for Heavy Anti Aircraft and RA is Royal Artillery. I know from my mother he never left the UK and was on guns in south of England. Despite this knowledge I can find not trace of him anywhere - can anyone help me
Hi Graham Welcome to the forum Initially it would also be very useful in your research to apply for his service record https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records#how-to-apply-for-service-personnel-records , others on this site will also be able to offer services to copy the war diaries for his unit, during the time he served. Good luck with the research TD
HI Graham You wont find him anywhere else online, unless he died in the war or was awarded a gallantry award. All other information is not online yet. (although Find My Past is putting some RA papers online soon). As discussed above getting his service papers is the best start, then from those we can work out which regiment he was in and look for war diaries for them. W/Bdr - bdr = bombardier, are you sure it is W and lot L L= Lance? or maybe U = unpaid regards Robert
Could the w be war substantive Robert? I was thinking workshop but the reme sections lowest rank was always craftsmen or driver
Hi Havn't seen it that way before so not sure, if we could see a scan of the book that would help?? Bombardier = corporal in the RA, found a line here - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/records/abbreviations-in-world-war-one-medal-index-cards-rank.pdf but it refers to the South African army??? So possible regards Robert
As I understand it, the "W/" meant a war time rank and at the end of conflict they could demote so the military wouldn't be swamped with NCOs. My grandfather was a W/Sgt in the LAA. RA.
If you manage to find out all the details, this might be a useful site. It's all the HAA placements through out the UK. Some of them have links to google maps so you would be able to see the exact location - http://www.anti-aircraft.co.uk/HAA_gun_sites_map.html
