R S Teele RAF

[thedawnpatrol]

Came across this ID Bracelet to an RAF observer, any information on this chap would be very interesting if anyone can help

thank you

[charlie962]

Do you not think it is R Steele ?

Below that is 

W/t Observer

[johnboy]

The RAF was founded April 1918

 

Edited 17 November , 2022 by johnboy

[johnboy]

Therevseems to be some hallmarks showm a look up of them shouldgive year of manufacture 

[Andrew Upton]

48 minutes ago, johnboy said:

There seems to be some hallmarks shown a look up of them should give year of manufacture 

They are the Gothic script letters for EPNS - "Electro Plated Nickel Silver" - so will be of no help dating the piece unfortunately:

 

Edited 17 November , 2022 by Andrew Upton

[Andrew Upton]

1 hour ago, charlie962 said:

,,,W/t Observer...

Not 100% certain it applies here, but in the period the abbreviation "W.T" was used to show a man was qualified in "Wireless Telegraphy".

Edited 17 November , 2022 by Andrew Upton

[thedawnpatrol]

6 hours ago, johnboy said:

The RAF was founded April 1918

 

yes, 1st of April, 1918, i think most on here would know that............but i believe this to be of that time, not later, i may be wrong of course.

[pierssc]

Airhistory has no record of a Teele in the WW1 era.  It tends to focus on officers so might not pick him up if he was an other rank.

It does have a Reginald John Steele though.  Born 1893, enlisted in RFC in 1914 as Air Mechanic 1st Class, no 4522, by 1918 was a Flight Sergeant, promoted Observer Officer 2nd Lt in Gazette of 10.12.1918.  Has an officers file AIR 76/481/197 downloadable for free from NA (not terribly interesting) and an earlier one AIR 79/59/4522 available through findmypast (I don't have a sub but could be worth looking at).  Medal roll shows entitled to 1914/15 Star 20.12.15.

Could be him

[sadbrewer]

10 hours ago, pierssc said:

Airhistory has no record of a Teele in the WW1 era.  It tends to focus on officers so might not pick him up if he was an other rank.

It does have a Reginald John Steele though.  Born 1893, enlisted in RFC in 1914 as Air Mechanic 1st Class, no 4522, by 1918 was a Flight Sergeant, promoted Observer Officer 2nd Lt in Gazette of 10.12.1918.  Has an officers file AIR 76/481/197 downloadable for free from NA (not terribly interesting) and an earlier one AIR 79/59/4522 available through findmypast (I don't have a sub but could be worth looking at).  Medal roll shows entitled to 1914/15 Star 20.12.15.

Could be him

I agree...neither FMP or Freebmd shows any R S Teele's at all.

Edited 17 November , 2022 by sadbrewer

[pierssc]

Yes, I have to say that I'm not 100% convinced by either name!   In favour of "Steele", there is no full stop after the "S" whereas there is a very definite one after the "R".  Against "Steele", it is unusual that if he had a second initial, it wasn't put in - also that the spacing between the "S" and the "T" of "Teele" is so odd, the S seems totally disconnected.  It isn't as if it was done by an amateur engraver either: the lettering's quite good and the albatross or eagle or whatever it is isn't bad.

I think that if anyone with access to his non-officer service could find anything to connect R.J. Steele with Wireless it might make help with the identification.  His AIR 76 file refers to various training units which I haven't worked out yet, but none seem particularly to do with Wireless.  It also isn't clear whether he was training or being trained.