I have recently received my grandad's RAF service records and am not getting very far in understanding them. From what he told me as a child, I know he was stationed at Tangmere when it was bombed in 1940, Romsey, Stranraer Scotland, The Isle of Anglsey and Appledram 1944. How do these fit in with the above? Mandy
Brief snippets I can see are that he was initially at RAF Tangmere in AUGUST 1939 (before War declared) then in 1941 to 430 Sqdn (the ink looks contemporaneous with his 1939 date but 400 series Squadrons were mainly Canadian crewed and not formed in 1939....). He is later posted to No3 AGS (which I interpret as Aerial Gunnery School) in Jan 1942. he shuttles back and forth to and from Tangmere and is admitted to RWS Hospital (Royal West Sussex?). Sounds more like airfield defence than aircrew, but I'm probably wrong on most of the above!
Thanks Kevin for your input. I know he was not aircrew and he never left the country during WW2. The Canadian link is new to me. Is it possible to find out more about Aerial Gunnery Schools? RSW Hosp, I agree is the Royal West Sussex Hospital that used to be in Broyle Road in Chichester long since converted into apartments. Somewhere I have the original advert that he replied to from a newspaper. Mandy
Mandy Don't know if this website might help - RAFRA - Royal Air Force Acronyms and Abbreviations - although you may have found it before. There is so little detail here in the record that it's hard to work out where your grandad might have been or what he might have done. 12 BC is mentioned but the only "BC" I can find is Bomber Command. ACDW seems to be Air Crew Disperal Wing, which suggests he was nearly air crew at some point. That fits with him attending Air Gunnery School. I initially thought the entry for January 1945 for Tangmere was "CSE" - maybe "Central Signals Establishment". But I wonder if I'm reading that wrong and it is "CFE" - central fighter establishment? See this website - RAF Tangmere - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - which confirms the CFE was at Tangmere in 1945. But it's all a bit of a mystery. The "430 sq" reference is odd, as KevinBattle has said. From what I can find, they (a British one and a Canadian one) were not formed until 1943 or so. There was a 43 sqadron. But that would only be relevant if "430" was really "43D", with the "D" short for "rd" or third. That would be an unusual abbreviation, though. His ranks don't give much away either.
Hello 12 BC = No12 Balloon Centre, Titchfield Hampshire. 430 Squadron = 930 (Hampshire) Balloon Squadron, Southampton. Regards Pete
Ah! Balloons! That would fit with air gunnery and airfield defence and why at Tangmere for so long. Well done, snailer!
Ah, Balloons indeed! My better half's grandfather was in balloons. Basically didn't do a lot for most of the time. But did go over in late '44/early '45 to Belgium. Bit of digging found this - http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/united-kingdom/5338-balloon-defences-titchfield-hants-1940-a.html - as well as this - BBC - WW2 People's War - Loss of Whitley P5044 15th August 1940. There's probably more but I think the OP can have that pleasure!
Thanks for the info Pete and Chick, that will gives me something to go on. Will check with my dad and see if balloons triggers anything? Thanks Mandy
