16 Kite Balloon Squadron/Section (and a medical query)

[generalist]

Hi all,

I'm looking at a service record for an RAF driver who was transferred from Roehampton (which I believe was the depot for observation balloon units) to "No 16 KBS" on 3 June 1918. He arrived 8 June, suggesting either there was a couple of days leave in the middle (he'd been on home service for about a year at this point) or that 16 KBS was serving in France.

I am fairly sure that "KBS" is Kite Balloon Squadron or Section - I'm not sure of the terminology. I can't find much of a list of where particular balloon units were based, but I'm assuming most of them were in France. He would serve with them until January 1919 (I think) suggesting it remained in existence throughout the period.

Any idea on where this unit might have been?

The second question:

He left the unit on 26 January, transferred to a fairly illegible unit. A medical examination on 25 February is recorded simply as "BI" and he was transferred to the reserve on the following day. He was later deemed discharged on 30 April 1920; am I right in assuming that this means he effectively left military service in February 1919 and returned home, and was the deemed discharged is essentially administrative?

I also have no idea what "BI" might be. "Brain injury" and "bronchial infection" seem plausible, and the latter would be appropriate given the waves of 'flu at the time. It seems to have effectively precipitated his discharge, but might it have been linked to his departure from the unit a month earlier?

Suggestions appreciated!

Thanks,

Andrew.

[generalist]

In partial answer to my own question:

 

16 KBS were in the Caudry/Cambrai area at the Armistice. So he definitely made it to France...

Andrew.

[David_Underdown]

I'd have BI is actaully B1, which was one of the braod medical classifications (A1-3, B1-3, C1-3) etc. B1 men were fit for overseas service, but not in the frontline.

The record normally says which class of reserve the man was posted to on demobilisation, the reason for "deemed discharged" is basically that whole reserve classes were abolished en masse once the peace treaties were formally signed, and it was obvious there would be no return to war. In the army the msot common one you see is Class Z, I think the RAF had Class G which fulfilled a similar purpose. While men were in those reserve classes, if the formal peace negotiations had broken down, they could have been recalled. Once those reserve classes were abolished, the men were released from any remaining obligations to serve.

[mickdavis]

16 Kite Balloon Section was 6 Company, 2 Balloon Wing in 2 Brigade and worked with XV Corps.

[generalist]

16 Kite Balloon Section was 6 Company, 2 Balloon Wing in 2 Brigade and worked with XV Corps.

Thanks! Do you know if they were with XV Corps throughout the period?

Andrew.

[generalist]

I'd have BI is actaully B1, which was one of the braod medical classifications (A1-3, B1-3, C1-3) etc. B1 men were fit for overseas service, but not in the frontline.

The record normally says which class of reserve the man was posted to on demobilisation, the reason for "deemed discharged" is basically that whole reserve classes were abolished en masse once the peace treaties were formally signed, and it was obvious there would be no return to war. In the army the msot common one you see is Class Z, I think the RAF had Class G which fulfilled a similar purpose. While men were in those reserve classes, if the formal peace negotiations had broken down, they could have been recalled. Once those reserve classes were abolished, the men were released from any remaining obligations to serve.

Thanks David - that makes perfect sense. The note about reserves did have a scrawled "G" next to it - so rated B1 and transferred to Class G in 1919, then all of Class G was discharged at the end of April 1920. There's a note on the various classes at http://www.rafweb.org/Reserve_2.htm

(He applied for a pension in August 1918 and was rejected, so the B1 estimate sounds about right!)

Andrew.