A L Coombs - RFC

[Sam]

Gentlemen,

I have finally found my grandfather's Medal Index Card and I will include a copy of it as an attachment.. His rank is listed as I.A.M. Can anyone tell me what this means? His reg # is listed as 8663. He received the 1915 star and the roll is identified as RFC/1A page 71. I have attempted to obtain his service records at Kew by looking in the 'AIR 76' file and have not been successful. Can anyone tell me if I am looking in the right area? I have been told that his records may still be held by the 'Ministry of Defence'. I have found two entries for him in the London Gazette. The first entry is contained in (LG 30249/p.8782) and his name is listed under the heading 'The undermentioned cadets to be temp 2nd Lts - 2 August 1917'. The second entry is contained in (LG 31522/p.10760) and his name is listed under the heading 'The undermentioned Lts relinquish their commns on account of ill-health and are permitted to retain their rank - 13 August 1919. He first enlisted in Canada with the 52nd Battalion and was transferred to the RFC on 25 February 1917. He then attended Brasenose College at Oxford to study Military Aeronautics. Can anyone offer me anything additional on this man or how I might be most successful in obtaining his service records? Does the information that I have provided seem to jive with the medal index card?

Thank you

[per ardua per mare per terram]

This card is for an Air Mechanic First Class and thr roll might identify the squadron/ unit he served with in 1915. His RAF other ranks' service record should in the UK National Archives AIR 79/112; his RFC record (as an officer) is a standard army search. AIR 76 is the class for officers' records and are in alphabetical order, his might be in AIR 76/101 - if they have been transferred. As he left in 1919 his records should be both be there.

If your grandfather first enlisted in Canada there will be records for him in the Canadian Archives.This card does not match your other information. This man was already in the RFC in 1915 so is unlikely to have transferred in on 25 February 1917. Only a tiny percentage of RFC or RAF personnel's MICs are available; the RAF MICs have yet to be released to the public.

[Sam]

I did not have the right Medal Index Card for my grandfather. This is definitely his Casualty Card because he had three fingers amputated from his left hand. A brief timeline for his service goes like this:

Enlisted in December of 1914 with the 52nd Bn Canadian Infantry

Served in the trenches of Belgium and France - Mar 1916 to Feb 1917

Granted leave to England - Feb 1917

Transferred to Royal Flying Corps - 25 Feb 1917

Began studies at Brasenose - 29 June 1917

Receives commission as 2nd Lieut RFC - 1 Aug 1917

Injures left hand - 1 December 1917

3 fingers amputated - 6 June 1918

Can anyone help me with the unit reference (37 FS 24 W )? I am thinking FS is flight school since the accident occurred at 'home' and the DeHavilland DH6 was used for training.

If he received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant in August of 1917 and was injured in December 1917 is it likely that he was still in training and never served in battle? Were Medal Index Cards issued to airmen who served in battle? Can anyone tell me anything more about the DH6?

I received this document along with another that describes his injuries and treatment in the 2nd Northern General Hospital in Leeds but it was too large to include as an attachment

[Sam]

This is the additional information for Alfred Coombs RFC.