25251 Thomas John Forsyth - Royal Flying Corps

[Shiny]

Hi All,

 

I'm researching a relative who was in the Royal Flying Corps, 25251 Thomas John Forsyth. I have found his RAF service record but I know from that he was in the RFC before that, he joined in 1916, should there be a service record for that as well (if it survives)?

 

I'm also looking for a bit of help decyphering his record. 

 

His postings are all very similar dates apart from one, can anyone tell me where he served in France during the war so I can look for a war diary? I'm told he was involved with balloons in same way.

 

Also, I'm struggling to read the middle entry on his promotions. I can see enlisted and transferred to RAF but what is the other entry?

 

Any help or further information about him would be really appreciated.

 

Michael

 

 

[michaeldr]

46 minutes ago, Shiny said:

I can see enlisted and transferred to RAF but what is the other entry?

 

The word looks like Appointed

[Shiny]

Thanks a lot, I can see that now you have said it, is there something else after that?

 

Michael 

 

 

[michaeldr]

4 minutes ago, Shiny said:

is there something else after that?

 

Yes, and whatever it is, it's the same as that on the line above

Sorry I cannot be of more help here

[DavidOwen]

Might it say Appointed 1 / AM ? (Previous line seems to be Enlisted 2 / AM) so it is his promotion to that rank?

[pierssc]

On the second sheet, I think it says "Enlisted 2/AM [Second Air Mechanic]; Appointed 1/AM [1st Air Mechanic]; transferred RAF AM 1 

[topgun1918]

Appointed 2/AM (2nd Class Air Mechanic) 20 March 1916

Appointed 1/AM (1st Class Air Mechanic) 1 August 1917

Transferred RAF (can't make out the next bit, but looks like April) 1 April 1918

 

Graeme

 

The third line might be Transferred RAF A/M 1 (Air Mechanic, 1st Class)

 

Edited 26 May , 2019 by topgun1918

[helpjpl]

25251 T J Forsyth:

http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/forsyth-t.j

 

JP

[Shiny]

Thanks a lot for the help everyone. Don't know RAF ranks etc so would never have worked that out.

 

Thanks a lot for the link JP, again not something I have seen before so it's great help.

 

Michael 

[nieuport11]

The postings are:

Embarked 25.5.16 with No.13 Kite Balloon Section

This was when 13KBS first went to France (by sea from Southampton to Le Havre, in company with 14KBS. Transport and accompanying personnel sailed from Avonmouth to Rouen)

CO was Capt JP Shelley and other officers were 2Lts R Cookson, WS Huxley, W Brass, CF Linton and EL Pegge

Then No.17 Balloon Company (which controlled 13KBS and 18KBS, and which was part of 5 Balloon Wing, based Arqueves in 1917)

56Sq for a few days, then at La Targette

To the Reinforcement Park

On to No. 3 Brigade, then at Rumilly or Masnieres

[Shiny]

Wow! Thank you so much for that, I would not have got that on my own, I've never even heard of a kite balloon unit.

 

Do you know if diaries exist for them?

 

Thank you again, 

 

Michael 

[nieuport11]

Yes, there are quite a lot of documents for the balloon units in the AIR 1 series at the TNA

Some are organized by section, some by company and some wing

So you need to search 13 Kite balloon section, 17 kite balloon company and 5 kite balloon wing, and also search omitting the word 'kite'

So for example the Daily Routine orders for 5 B.Wing in Oct/Dec 1917 are in AIR 1/1051/204/5/1530, Jan-June 1918 are in AIR 1/1053/204/5/1536

A search for 'AIR 1 Balloon' gives a large number of results but you can download these and browse them on your computer

 

The history of 13KBS is in AIR 1/163/15/130/1

 

A TNA search suggests 13KBS moved from Egypt to Malta in August 1916 (AIR 1/658) but I'm not sure if this is correct

Edited 26 May , 2019 by nieuport11
spelling

[Shiny]

That's great, thank you so much for your help, I'll start looking.

 

Michael