Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve records? - Operations Record Books

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by Mavis Williams, Mar 5, 2018.

  1. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Hello Experts, I am trying to tell the stories of the men and boys from the Royal Air Force and although I have found Forums on the War at Sea and on the Battlegrounds in WW2, I cannot find where to look to find out what certain Squadrons were doing on certain days etc. etc. Any help, to help me find help, would be gratefully appreciated!!!! Kind regards, Mavis Williams
     
  2. HERITAGE PLUS

    HERITAGE PLUS Active Member

  3. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Thank you Dave, will do now. Much appreciated Mavis
     
  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  5. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Thank you Owen, This is brilliant, I have downloaded 640 Sqn, but now I need how to read it, so it will be another leaning curve!! But thank you so much, I did not know about these Record books. Regards, Mavis
     
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  6. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Owen, they proved to be brilliant, ordered 7 records, so had to spend a little cash, but worth it. I actually ordered one record twice!!! There are approx 9 men who were in the RAF Volunteer reserve, so they are invaluable, thank you so much. Can you answer another query, John Desmond Dodd,
    Service Number 527613, Died 14/05/1941, Aged 25, 57 Sqdn. Royal Air Force, the Son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Patrick Dodd; husband of Eileen Dodd, of Connah's Quay was buried in Connah's Quay, but I believe he died in or around RAF Feltwell, but the death is registered in Ely, which is on the border of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Would that be feasible, if this is the right death of course:-
    FREE BMD
    Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page
    Deaths Jun 1941 (>99%)
    Dodd John D 26 Ely 3b 1224

    As I cannot find him mentioned in the RAF Records (His was the one I bought the same record twice!) I am assuming that he may have died of either injuries from earlier that 14th May or he died of a disease. Any light that you can shine on him would be gratefully received. Kind regards and more thanks for the help this forum has given me. Mavis
     
  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Name: Corp John Desmond Dodd
    Death Date: 14 May 1941
    Cemetery: Connah's Quay Cemetery
    Burial or Cremation Place: Connah's Quay, Flintshire, Wales
    Has Bio?: Y
    URL: https://www.findagrave.com/mem...

    His rank would suggest he was in the RAF Regiment rather than flying crew, maybe thats why hes not in the records?

    TD

    England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
    Name: John D Dodd
    Death Age: 26
    Birth Date: abt 1915
    Registration Date: Jun 1941
    Registration district: Ely
    Inferred County: Cambridgeshire
    Volume: 3b
    Page: 1224

    Does his year of birth tally with what you know???
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2018
  8. RAFCommands

    RAFCommands Senior Member

    Dodd is listed as DOAS - died on active service and not KOAS - killed on active service.

    The use of KOAS was normally enemy action - DOAS was usually a death from accident/illness/natural causes.

    Registration at Ely is usually related to a death at the large RAF Hospital located there. A copy of the death certificate from the GRO will confirm cause. He may have been transferred from SSQ to Ely a few days or weeks before death.

    Rather than Regiment Dodd would be RAFVR employed on ground duties eg aircraft servicing or a support function.

    Ross
     
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  9. RAFCommands

    RAFCommands Senior Member

    Dodds service number is part of a pre war block issued to civilian entry.

    The number was RAF rather than RAFVR but his rank and enlistment to RAFVR suggests a pre war serviceman with relevant training who was recalled to service on outbreak of war as RAFVR hostilities only, listed under his previous RAF number for admin purposes and promoted to Cpl rank to give supervision responsibility /authority in his trade.

    Edit - just looked him up on CWGC and he is shown as RAF rather than RAFVR on the commemoration so ignore the bits about RAFVR hostilities only. He either was serving at outbreak of war or recalled to RAF on reserve commitment. You ca apply to the RAF Disclosures at Cranwell for a copy of his service record. This will give chapter and verse on his postings and trade.

    Ross
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2018
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  10. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Thank you TD, yes I think he was born 1915/6, I have since found this marriage:-
    DODD John Desmond MATTHEWS Eileen Alice 1939 Holywell, Civil Marriage North Wales Flintshire (Mold) HOL/60/119, sadly it was a Civil Ceremony, so I cannot look up the Parish Registers, but will try and find out more. Many thanks.
    Thanks also to Ross for all this information, a great help, forgive my ignorance, but what was SSQ? I am on a learning curve with WW2. I have researched many WW1 men and boys, so this is new t me. I cannot afford to buy the death Certificate as I am researching, all being well about 200 men and boys for our local War memorials. However I will try the RAF Disclosures at Cranwell. Thank you so much everyone. Kindest regards, Mavis
     
  11. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    No 57 Squadron was based at Feltwell from November 1940 having four types of Wellington in nearly two years,converting to Lancasters from September 1942 at Scampton.

    Corporal Dodd detailed as a member of No 57 Squadron would have held a technical or administrative trade on the squadron as groundcrew.

    Ely was one of the RAF regional hospitals,still open in the 1950s but closed down subsequently after a defence review.

    Corporal Dodd's wife as the NOK would have the right to chose the burial site for a death in the UK....hence Connahs Quay

    Corporal Dodd is listed in the records as RAF,indicating that he was a regular as distinct to those who joined the service from 3 September 1939 who were deemed to be RAFVR.

    There might be some information to be gained from the joint No 57 Squadron/No 630 Squadron Association regarding the death of Corporal Dodd.....the ORB might include details of such deaths.

    Home – 57 & 630 Squadrons_Association
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2018
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  12. RAFCommands

    RAFCommands Senior Member

    SSQ - station sick quarters

    both GRO and RAF Disclosures are gov departments who carry out primary duties foc.

    Historical enquiry from the public is not primary duty and so both will only supply info in exchange for admin fee to cover costs involved in information retrevial.

    GRO will be cheaper source than RAF Disclosures.

    Ross
     
  13. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Thank you both for your expertise. Very grateful to you both and to everyone who answered. A wonderful Forum. Thanks for your patience! Kind regards, Mavis
     
  14. Cymbal

    Cymbal Member

    Mavis Williams, I am looking into 2 men who were in the Volnteer Reserve of the RAF. Would be happy to learn more about what you've done on this subject in the past.
     
  15. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Hi Cymbal, I will try my best if I can help you at all. What details have you? Regards, Mavis
     
  16. Cymbal

    Cymbal Member

    I am looking into:
    775031 LAC Salke Lipiner who was killed in Sicily in 1943
    774383 LAC Karel Friedl who was killed in Egypt in 1942
    I have not yet seen their service records but I've done an extensive literary check and have some records from other archives outside the UK.
     
  17. RAFCommands

    RAFCommands Senior Member

    Have you got the Operations Record Book for the circumstances of their deaths yet?

    Both men died in air attacks on the aerodromes where their respective squadrons were located (145 and 14 Sqn).

    The ORBs for both units are on free download to registered users at The National Archives at the moment.

    Ross
     
  18. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    Hi Cymbal,
    Do your know the date of death for each? I would need the month at least.
    Mavis
     
  19. Cymbal

    Cymbal Member

    Mavis Williams, Lipiner died on August 11, 1943 and Friedl died on June 25, 1942.
    RAFCommands - Yes, I've seen both ORBs. Friedl is even mentioned specifically by name when he was killed. On Lipiner's service I have very little so far.

    Friedl was mentioned in various Czech/Slovakian books. There are a lot of contradictions with his place of death being changed from one source to the other, not even decisive on whether it was Egypt or Libya.
    The ORB says he was in LG 116, which (according to the coordinates found here) would have been well within Egypt, so I am very confused by the varios sources referencing Libya. The ORB also clearly states he was buried later that day, but there's no grave listing for him. CWGC only refers to the plaque of commeomration in El Alamein. He is likely to be in one of the unmarked graves, but it seems strange to me as they recorded him being given a proper funeral.
     
  20. Mavis Williams

    Mavis Williams Well-Known Member

    It's OK Cymbal, I have found the Operational Records for 14 Squadron and LAC Karel Friedl who was killed in Egypt in 1942. Message me privately and I will send it to you. Although he is remembered on the Alamein Memorial, this report states he was buried. Regards, Mavis
     

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