Essex Regt to RFC

[roughdiamond]

Hi Folks

As above would his attestation papers etc be transferred to the RFC in their entirety or would there be a record of service left with the Army? I'm thinking of the case where he may have earned the 1915 Star before transfer.

Cheers Sam

[sotonmate]

Sam

If you are only talking RFC,viz War Office controlled, (and not later RAF) I thought that his records would still be in WO363 Army records. If he was RAF later I would be looking in AIR 79 or 78,assuming he was an OR (you mention attestation papers).

Sotonmate

[per ardua per mare per terram]

The RFC was just another army unit so it would have been like any other inter army transfer and the RFC records are a standard army search, including WO 364. Do you have his RFC/ RAF service number for his RAF records?

[roughdiamond]

The RFC was just another army unit so it would have been like any other inter army transfer and the RFC records are a standard army search, including WO 364. Do you have his RFC/ RAF service number for his RAF records?

No, it's a friend at work and she can't find the medals, She has a photo of her Grandad in Army Uniform with 7th Essex on the back and wearing an Essex cap badge, she also has a later photo of him in RFC/RAF tunic and forage cap, she believes he finished the war with them so he'd have finished RAF, I did look for a MIC for him but there's nothing with RFC on it.

I've told her if she goes to Kew, she'll have to look in AIR 78 to identify his number before she can look in AIR 79 for his service records.

Since I posted I've asked her if he was in Gallipoli or the Middle East as that's where the 7th Essex served throughout the War and she said "No France" so it looks like he either transferred to the RFC or another Army unit prior to embarkation of the Essex.

I found her Gt Uncle KIA with the Royal Irish Fusiliers and his Brother Killed in the loss of HMS Aboukir, but as usual the ones that survived are hardest to find.

Also sotonmate, he was an OR.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Unfortunately only a tiny fraction of the army MICs have RFC or RAF written on them and the RAF have yet to release theirs to the public. Some cards have a note that the British War & Victory Medals are to be issued by the Air Ministry, without giving further information.

I hope that you have warned her that AIR 78 is incomplete.