Deciphering RAF service record

I'd be immensely grateful for any help in deciphering the attached RAF service record.

I'm writing a biography of this chap as part of a community project to commemorate all those from our village who lost their lives in WW2. I'd like to include as much information as I possibly can regarding his short time in the RAF. I have detail around the circumstances in which he died but not much before then.

The record also states he was "training as (a) pilot (b) observer (commission)". Does that mean that he was trained to be adaptable for two roles or that observer training was a backup in case he didn't meet the standard to be a pilot?

 

Record shows a training stream for Observer - no alternative trade as pilot noted.

This is Form 543 which was only used for OR/NCO airmen. So your note commission is incorrect. His rank on death was Sgt.

Entered the RAF when training resumed after re-organisation from the Sept 39 tidal wave of volunteers.

No time on reserves - Recruit Centres then to No.51 Group pool.

Cadre of RAF Schools had been sent to Dominion to set up training schemes away from UK skies - in his case attached first to RAF West Kirby and then trooping by ship to South Africa.

No.75 Air School then No.45 Air School and then to No.42 Air School to gain half wing badge before Pollsmoor Air Station and return to UK.

From a recent thread "SAAF formations from schools, groups, flights etc that do not reside as duplicates in AIR27.

A few years ago I did a guide to what can be found in AIR54 here
Guide to AIR 54 series covering SAAF 1939 - 1945" this will tell you where to look for the Operations Record Books of the SAAF Air Schools that can be downloaded for free after registering at the TNA.

Cooling of heels at No.3 Personel Reception Centre to await a space on stream to No.2 AFU to adjust to UK flying conditions.

No.11 OTU to be crewed up (Pilot, WOp/AGs) and learn the needs of operational flying and posting as a crew to No.75 Squadron.

Attached to RAF Station Oakington before back to No.75 Squadron.

Two years of training for 4 months of operational flying. Later in the war one year from entry to operations was more the norm for aircrew.

F449 is RAF Form 449 Monthly Return - more here from a summary I did in 2013.
Form 449 - Monthly Return of Officers and Airman Pilots

Ross

 

That's really excellent stuff, Ross. I'm very grateful for the detail and really interested to understand that he had only 4 months of operational flying. Also seems that during this time he would have also switched from Wellingtons to Stirlings.

Regarding your comment about the commission, what do you make of this screenshot from the service record?

Also it has his rank at one stage as LAC - can you tell me what that means please.

Chris

 

F2171 was a recommendation from the Aviation Candidate Selection Board as to how the board thought he was best employed not an instruction.

Pilot were the longest aircrew trade to train pre war and the prewar/early war heavy bombers required two.

As part of the re-organisation of aircrew training schemes it was examined how to remove the perceived bottle neck of providing enough pilots for the intended expansion of Bomber Command.

The solution was to only have one pilot in an aircraft and to revive/revamp the trade of Observer to provide the non pilot activities that a 2nd pilot would have undertaken eg navigation, relief wireless operator/bomb aimer etc. Training for this trade would be shorter that pilot training.

It was to this trade that he was trained and also along with the other aircrew influx of RAFVR hostilities only on completion of training was assigned the rank of Sgt.

LAC is Leading Aircraftman - strictly a classification rather than rank - AC2/AC1/LAC being classifications, Cpl/Sgt/Flight Sgt/ Warrant Officer being NCO ranks.

Progression in classification was automatic provided time and trade training board test result were satisfied. Progression in rank was selective on displayed trade and supervision skills.

Ross

 

Brilliant, Ross. Thanks

 

One last thing, if anyone can help, although it doesn't related directly to his service record.
In 1939, before he left school, he passed the "war certificate A exam". I'd like to know what this was if anyone knows...

 

"half wing badge"
I must take issue with Ross, whose expertise is deep and rightly well-regarded: in saying "half wing badge" he is mistaken.

Aircrew flying badges and wings
The term "half wing", for non-pilot aircrew flying badges, although commonly seen, is mistaken, notwithstanding TNA AIR10/172, "Air Force Memorandum No 2/Air Ministry Monthly Order 162 dated 1 May 1918 . A pilot's flying badge had two wings, informally referred to as his wings plural. The observer's flying badge had a single wing. Wings or Wing correctly reflects the actual badge design. However commonly used, the term "half wing" does not, and indeed makes no sense.

For full chapter and verse on the origins and development of flying badges, especially the single-winged badges, see Jefford in RAF HS Journal 52, THE LAW, AND LORE, OF RAF FLYING BADGES from page 103 on at
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/Research/RAF-Historical-Society-Journals/Journal-52.pdf.