Help requested for RFC/RAF unit - Chf Mech William Broome 29092

[Tuntun]

I’m trying to find out any information available on a relative of mine that served with the RFC and then the RAF during the first war.

His name is William Broome and he undertook a period of service (1909 to 1916) with the TF before being discharged when he subsequently joined the RFC. I have his full service documents up until April 1916 when he left the TF, but then unfortunately I run into problems.

The next piece of info I have been able to obtain about him is his RAF records from Kew, but disappointingly they do not give the detail I most want, which is the units he served with from his entry into the RFC in May 1916 to his transfer to the RAF reserve in March 1919.

The NA website gives the impression that RFC records were transferred to the RAF, but the records contained in AIR 79 date from April 1918 (at least in the case of my man).

Can anyone advise me whether:

His RFC records (May 1916 - March 1918) are likely to have survived elsewhere?

They (the RFC records) were kept by the army as part of the WO363/WO364 series (in which case they must have been destroyed in WW2)?

It is possible using his RAF number (which is 29092) to ascertain which unit he was serving with in 1918?

The medal roll (which I did not have time to look up during my last visit) would have unit information on, and whether this would relate to pre or post April 1918 units?

Thanks in anticipation!

Martin

[per ardua per mare per terram]

The RAF started their records from scratch from 1st April 1918 and for other ranks these often give very little information for service before that date. The unit that he was in on 1/4/18 may have been the same as he served with since he entered the RFC. The service number he was given is not a big clue; after training he might have gone to one of the units forming when he enlisted or to a pre existing one to replace a casualty. Not all the RAF medal rolls have been released to the public. Have you read any of these books

Air Force Records, William Spencer, The National Archives, 2008.

First World War Army Service Records, William Spencer, The National Archives, 2003.

Tracing Your Air Force Ancestors, Phil Tomaselli, Pen and Sword Books Limited, 2007.

[KevinBattle]

I can only caution that you may not find the unit(s) he served with.

Most ground crew casualties in CWGC are not shown with any specific Squadron, only where they were AIRcrew....

An example

Name: BROOME

Initials: W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Airman 2nd Class

Regiment/Service: Royal Flying Corps

Date of Death: 28/02/1917

Service No: 58445

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Screen Wall. N.E. 3640.

Cemetery: BURNLEY CEMETERY

[Tuntun]

Thanks for the reply, I've read the second book but it doesn't really help much; I probably need the first or third!

Just one question though, if the RFC records are not with the WO363/364 series because they were handed to the RAF for those personnel transferred, but not with the AIR 79 series either, then does that mean they may have been destroyed by the RAF?

Have other forum members gained access to RFC records belonging to RFC personnel transferred to the RAF, as opposed to RFC personnel completing their service before 1 April 1918?

Thanks

Martin