Latest update. I've copied the airmen's record for C F 'Pinsow' and indeed the name is written as Pinsow on the front of the document. However on the reverse it is written as 'Pinson'. (see attachments) His year of birth also matches Steve's BMD search. So we can say Pinsow really is C F Pinson but the jury is out on whether he is the lad in my photograph or not. However, I can't find any other possibilities. Cecil Frank Pinson was born on 23 Jan 1900. Joined the Royal Flying Corps effective from 31 January 1918. Then transferred to the RAF on 1 April 1918. His civilian occupation is listed as a short-hand typist insurance clerk. Mother lived in Balsall Heath, Birmingham. Edit to add: Looks like later he was a county court clerk: http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/33209/pages/6457/page.pdf
Satisfying result (for me) and thanks for sharing Lee. I did, BTW, try out a totally unbound FreeBMD search for surname 'Pinsow' and drew a complete blank - lending weight to the idea of it being a fiction of someone's misimagination. And as we seem to have proven your initial instinct right, rather than just let them go to waste, I may as well now share with you the results of some further BMD searches I made to flesh out his family fortunes: * 1900 Q1 - birth index v6c p447 - PINSON, Cecil Frank - King's Norton * 1920 Q3 - marriage index v5a p680 - COPELAND, Annie C F - Blandford * 1920 Q3 - marriage index v5a p680 - PINSON, Cecil F - Blandford * 1921 Q2 - birth index v1d p2155 - PINSON, Cecil L - Lewisham * 1933 Q2 - birth index v6d p475 - PINSON, Carol F - Birmingham * 1952 Q4 - death index v9c p425 - PINSON, Cecil F - Birmingham (age 52) * 1957 Q2 - marriage index v9c p1689 - FOSTER, Norman G - Solihull * 1957 Q2 - marriage index v9c p1689 - PINSON, Carol F - Solihull * 1960 Q1 - birth index v9c p200 - FOSTER, Simon G - Birmingham So, assuming his 52yo grandson Simon to still be alive & well somewhere, you now have the option of tracking him down ad lib ... Happy landings, Steve
Thanks for those Steve. Probably the only way to confirm whether my photo is of him or not is to contact the family to see if they have any photos and/or hand writing examples. That middle initial could be a badly written 'F' but it would be nice to be able to get a positive ID from the family.
Talk about missing the obvious, just noticed on the rear of the postcard the photographer's name and address. And it's less than half a mile from Cecil Frank Pinson's family home! If it is him in the photo, it was likely taken in either February or March 1918 when Cecil had just turned 18-years-old. Perhaps the inscription was either to his mother or maybe he was already courting Annie Copeland and the postcard was given to her? Just speculation obviously. A question for the RAF experts. Over what time period would the RFC have swapped their cap badges for RAF ones? I'm now much more certain that the photo is C F Pinson and will make an effort to contact his grandson Simon G Forster so to pass a copy on to him and hopefully clarify 100% that it is him.
Hi Guys , Its been a long 12 months wait , but very pleased with the records . I was originally looking for any info of a Horsa glider that was shot down during the Varsity landings in which my grandfather was a passenger . I now know it was Chalk number 390, piloted by G squadron and took off from Great Dunmow destined for LZ P. He was with B troop HQ1 and landed far south of LZ in the American area , the glider and load was shot up by MG fire and had to be abandoned . All this info was not in the records but the glider number and troop number allowed me to build the fuller picture using the war diaries. I am really pleased with the wait , i still have more to find out , ie the name of the pilot who he pulled out of the glider who eventualy died while evading capture and exactly where this took place . I will up load the records if any one would like to see them as you may be able to help with some of the abrieviations. oh and one more thing , He was paid an extra shilling a day airborne pay not a shilling a week , need to change my name . Cheers .
Over what time period would the RFC have swapped their cap badges for RAF ones? I'm certainly no expert* but I read this short badge thread (Army transfer to RFC) as saying no new badges were introduced during the war - just the new Imperial Russian Cavalry blue uniforms in 1918 and those probably slowly since neither metal nor cloth were exactly plentiful by then. HTH, Steve PS: Good luck finding your man. I see BT actually list a Brummie "Simon Foster" but who's age 192.com gives as 41-45. * Portmanteau word = 'ex spurt' ('has-been drip under pressure')
In which case that opens the possible date of the photo from any time after January 1918, rather than the two month window between the beginning of his RFC service until transferring to the RAF. There are a couple of Simon G Fosters on 192.com in the correct age group but I don't have a membership with them any longer to get the addresses.
Hi, We have dated this photo to 19.07.1919 which was The Allied Victory Parade and taken by my grandfather who was photographer for RFC It shows the RFC/RAF in their RFC uniforms. Unfortunately we cannot see their cap badges. The naval people at the rear are the Roval Naval Air Service.
Hi Lee, I took a different approach to find a definite family member and have PMd you their details to respect confidentiality ... Steve
Red Ling what a wonderful photograph! Thanks for sharing. And a nice job done by Steve, I've replied to your PM.
Good news. I've received a reply from the daughter of Cecil Frank Pinson and she confirms that my photograph postcard is indeed her father. She remembers the postcard and was thrilled to see it again. Cecil's son, her brother, also joined the RAF in 1938. She sent me a photo of him and the family resemblance is clear. I've had this postcard for well over 25 years, so am very chuffed to finally discover who he was and making contact with his daughter.
Yes that is indeed a most satisfying outcome. NB: If Cecil's 'F' stumped you then you might want to check out his father's 1911 census return (for 71 Ombersley Rd, Brum indexed as Balsall Heath, Worcs) - free from Ancestry until 2 Nov 2012. Of special note there - highlighting the value of context: * The initial 'B' of "Booking" & "Birmingham" looking like 'D'/'A' ?! * Cecil's sister Theodora Maud's middle initial looking like "tr" ?! * "Daughter" looking like "Waughter" ! * Ancestry's OCR indexing of Cecil's middle name as "Fran" ! Cheers, Steve
