'4 K.B.S' on RAF service record?

[M_O'Neill]

Hello all,

 

I'm new to RAF research and this is probably a simple question, but what does '4 K.B.S.' stand for on an RAF service record?

 

It appears as the first 'unit to which' in the movements section of the record of a relative of mine, dated 1-4-18, so presumably this is where he was when the amalgamation happened.

 

In case it's relevant, his name was Michael McChrystal, and his subsequent postings were Torquay in May 1919, Sub-Station Berry Head on the 14th November 1918, and what looks to read 'Drop Central' Heaton Park in March 1919. I may have transcribed that last one incorrectly, but I presume it's to do with his demobilisation.

 

Thanks in advance! 🙂

[ForeignGong]

Hi

Not 100% sure but I think it is Kite Balloon Section.

[hmsk212]

Hi

 

Yes it is Kite Balloon Section

 

" Drop Central"  is  Dispersal Centre.

 

Have you checked his RNAS Records as number  F41771 ?

 

Steve

[M_O'Neill]

Hey all, thanks for the replies!

 

I have been able to see his RNAS record on Ancestry. He was first at President II from 19th November 1917 to 20th November 1917 (presumably administrative when he signed up). 

 

I can't read the next entry very clearly, but it looks something like 'Roehampton' with something in brackets above it. Something ending in '_alalee'. This was from 21st November 1917 to 11th February 1918.

 

The last entry in the movements column says 'Daedalus' and I think something like '(SW Group)' though I'm not sure on my interpretation on the second word. That's from 12th February 1918 to 31st February 1918. There's a discharge entry that says something like R.V.F. I assume it's something to do with moving to the RAF.

 

Him being involved with Kite Balloons would make sense, as I know they were experimenting with using balloons as submarine spotters at that stage in the war.

Edited 2 August , 2019 by M_O'Neill

[hmsk212]

Hi

 

The place in brackets could possibly be Crystal Palace

 

Steve

[M_O'Neill]

Aha, now that you say it, I can see it!

 

So I think I now have a rough outline of his war service. He joins up in 1917, attatched by default to President II which was an RNAS accounting base, based for a time in Crystal Palace. He gets transferred to an RNAS training site at Roehampton in late 1917 and then on to Daedalus which was a name for RNAS Lee-on-Solent.

 

Hereabouts I think he gets transferred out of 4 K.B.S. as I believe they were in France by July 1918 whereas he goes to Torquay by May and serves as part of the submarine-spotting balloon section attached (literally in this case!) to Berry Head. I read that this unit was struck down very badly by the Spanish Flu in October 1918 and almost caused a local epidemic in nearby Brixham. He then gets discharged at Heaton Park in 1919.

 

I wonder what kind of work he would have done in the unit? I believe it was usually the better trained officers up in the balloons, with other ranks acting as ground crew/support?

[hmsk212]

Roehampton was an RNAS Balloon Training Depot / School