Terry Denham Posted 23 February , 2005 Share Posted 23 February , 2005 The gentleman pictured below is the grandfather of a good friend of mine. This photo has just come to light and is annotated on the reverse "Grandfather and grandmother in the First World War". The surname is GOODERS (note the final 's') and there are only two men of this name listed in the MICs - one a West Riding Regt man and the other an RFA man. Can anyone identify anything about this uniform so that I can gather if he is either one of the MIC men. It is also possible that he never left the UK and so is not featured in the MIC listings. Is this an RFC uniform? Despite being my friend's grandfather, very little is known about him other than he lived in Belgravia, London post war. Thanks for any possible hints....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 23 February , 2005 Share Posted 23 February , 2005 Terry I am in no way an expert but the tunic looks like the style used by the RFC. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWRCo Posted 23 February , 2005 Share Posted 23 February , 2005 Hi, your man is an Ordinary Rank private of the RFC - Royal Flying Corps. There is no visible rank, so assume him to be probably AM2 (Air Mechanic 2nd class) at the time the photo was taken. Hope this helps a tiny bit! tim w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 23 February , 2005 Share Posted 23 February , 2005 Have you downloaded the MIC Terry? Perhaps they got RFA ass about? Tim D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 23 February , 2005 Share Posted 23 February , 2005 Can anyone identify anything about this uniform so that I can gather if he is either one of the MIC men. It is also possible that he never left the UK and so is not featured in the MIC listings. Is this an RFC uniform? Terry In most all cases (especially if he entered the RFC direct and served overseas after 31/12/15), there will not be a MIC for RFC personnel. Without a service number, you need to search through Air 78 to find his number. If he was 'deemed discharged' on 30/4/1920, his service papers will be in Air 79, as far as I know all survive! Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackblue Posted 23 February , 2005 Share Posted 23 February , 2005 Of course! Have seen the same thing occur ont he forum before Terry. Good thinking Fred. Rgds Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 23 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2005 Thanks to all for the help so far. I suspected that it was an RFC uniform and my search of the MICs was 'just in case'. At least, with an RFC man, there is a good chance of filling in the story. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaymen Posted 23 February , 2005 Share Posted 23 February , 2005 you need to search through Air 78 to find his number. If he was 'deemed discharged' on 30/4/1920, his service papers will be in Air 79, as far as I know all survive! Fred Could someone explain Air 78 and Air 79 - where are these - and are we saying that all RFC service papers are available Thanks Glyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 23 February , 2005 Share Posted 23 February , 2005 Could someone explain Air 78 and Air 79 - where are these - and are we saying that all RFC service papers are available Glyn Air is the National Archives department code for the Air Ministry (WO is their code for the war office). AIR 76 are the records of service for RAF officers; their RFC or RNAS service files usually survive with additional information. AIR 78 is microfilmed cards index of RAF and WRAF other ranks; they are listed in alphabetical order and is a list of full name and service number. Both the copying and the original are poor. AIR 79 contains the service records (in service record number order) of RAF, South African Air Corps and RAF Special Reservist personnel. As the RFC was an army unit, their records have the same chance of survival as any other army service papers, but I think the records now in Air 79 superseded the WO files for those who transferred. Just as all the RNAS (pre 1/4/1918) survive - along with almost all other Royal Navy service records - the RAF records survive because they were stored separately from the WO files. If RFC or RNAS other ranks transferred into the RAF, AIR 79 is where their RAF service is recorded. As they are RAF records they don’t always give full details of service before 1/4/18, but they do record all time overseas and, as far as I know with the exception I put in my previous post, all of these records survive. For example AIR 79/1 gives the records for RFC/RAF numbers 2-70 (the closest I’ve come is AIR 79/4). AIR 80 are the records of service for WRAF other ranks. There are no MICs for the RAF because the records themselves were used as the index to the medal rolls – which are not available or do not survive. For more details see Willaim Spencer Air Records For Family Historians. Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaymen Posted 24 February , 2005 Share Posted 24 February , 2005 PAPMPT Many Thanks for that info Glyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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