Joseph Faldon, RFC no 976

[bethwilkinson]

From reading Joseph Faldon's file at the National Archives I have learnt the following:

• He enlisted as 2AM on 29th November 1913 & embarked for France on 14.8.14, being attached to what looks like the 15th or 16th Squadron - it's hard to read the writing.
• He was appointed 1AM on 12.1.15 & was promoted to Corporal on 1.9.15, before returning to England on 14.9.15.
• He reverted to 1AM on 3.2.16, but was then promoted to Corporal once more on 1.4.16. He was then appointed Acting Sergeant on 28.4.17
• He re-embarked for France on 23.7.17, returning to England on 28.3.18 - records show he had been suffering from pleurisy, bronchitis & trench fever. Again it is unclear, but he seems at various points to have been attached to 101Sq, 9w(?), 102 Sq & 11th Sq.
• On 29.3.18 he was admitted to Bagthorpe Military Hospital.
• He joined the RAF as Corporal Mechanic, Acting Sergeant, on 1.4.18 & passed for sergeant (F/aero) in October 1918.
• He was re-classified Corporal Fitter General, Acting Sergeant, on 1.1.19 & retained this rank until his discharge on 28.11.21, under para 392, xxi.
• I suspect he was transferred to the reserves around March 1919, since his proficiency reports come to an end at this point.
• He was recalled from the reserves on 10.4.21 (when the proficiency reports start again) and served for another seven months or so.

I would be grateful for any advice on the following:

• Is it possible to work out whereabouts in France he was stationed on his two periods over there?
• I presume his job would have been to help maintain the aircraft - is this correct?
• Would conditions for members of the RFC have been as bad as they were for the soldiers?
• Why would he have reverted from Corporal to 1AM? And then gone back to being a Corporal two months later?
• And later, why was he always Acting Sergeant, rather than having the full rank?
• Finally, why would he have been recalled from the reserves in April 1921? Was there any crisis then?

Thanks for any help,

Beth

[tipperary]

Hi Beth i am posting a link below you may find it helpful.The RFC squadrons in france in 1914 first off were i think 2-3-4-5 and 6 you will see in the link 15 and 16 were formed early in 1915.He would more than likely in the early days been at St Omer.His rank changes seem to have occured on unit changes there may have been no vacant place for a corporal when he moved and he droped seneority till a vacancy exsisted.Likewise as acting sgt he could have been filling a gap while the full sgt was away or ill.There could have been a shortage of trained persons in his skill in 1921 hence his recall.john

http://www.crossandcockade.com/Operations1914-1916.asp

Just noticed you have a double post you might be able to delete the one not replied to or a mod might spot this and oblige

[Stebie9173]

The April 1921 mobilisation was probably as a result of widespread mobilisations in anticipation of major strikes. See:

 

Steve.

[Dolphin]

According to A Contemptible Little Flying Corps, 976, AMII J Faldon, went to France with No 5 Sqn RFC on 14 August 1914. For a detailed listing of the many aerodromes used by No 5 Sqn, see Wing Commander C G Jefford's RAF Squadrons.

I hope that this is useful.

Gareth

[bethwilkinson]

Dear Munster, Steve & Gareth,

Thank you all very much for your helpful replies & links, I'm looking forward to following them up. I wish I could delete the double posting - but I'm not sure how I managed to do it & I'm even less sure how to undo it!

Thanks again, Beth