Alfred Coombs - 2nd Lieuteneant RFC

[Sam]

Gentlemen,

I am looking for additional information on my grandfather Alfred Coombs. He enlisted with the Canadian 52nd Bn and served with the 5th Infantry Bn, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division before being transferred to the RFC. He has been gone since I was a boy but I know he lost his hand while serving in WW1. I was told by my father that he flew one of the early De Havilland airplanes. I have obtained his CEF service records. They explain how he came to serve with the RFC and can be viewed here in theF1 BEF RAF Service Records folder:

http://www.mediafire.com/cefsg

I have searched for his MICs and was unsuccessful. I later learned that the RAF MICs have yet to be released to the public. I believe that he may have served with the 2nd Squadron. Can anyone tell me anying about the chain of command in the RAF. Did their orders come from those who were in control of ground forces? I have also learned that he attended at Brasenose College at Oxford in the Military School of Aeronautics. His service records are held in Kew in the 'Air 76' files but are only availale on microfilm. Can anyone explain to me how they can be obtained. I think they are held in groups of names. (ie Connors - Cooper). How do you extract only the name that you want? Can anyone tell me more about the 2nd Squadron? Are their War Diaries that are available? Any additional info would be appreciated

Respectfully

Sam