Research my grandfather, Pilot RFC

[michaeluk007]

Can anyone advise me how I research my grandfather, he served in the RFC as a Pilot, no rank or number, just name FRANK HENRY HIRONS, possibly 37 or 38 Squadron, thats all i know

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

If he remained in the RFC ,his Medal Index Cards will be online @ the National Archive,His service papers may well survive,his Commissions should be searchable on the London Gazette online search,any Decorations would be Gazetted also{MC/DFC/Etc}I would look through Grandfathers War in the "Long Long Trail" @ the head of this Forum

[Flyvulcan]

Try the Public Records Office at Kew. They have pretty well every RFC pilots service record on microfiche. If your grandfather served in the RFC, you will eventually find his service record there. It would only take a few hours to find out. The service record includes his date of joining, his address and occupation at time of joining, his next of kin details, a record of his postings, a record of the aircraft he flew etc. You can make copies (photocopies) of everything while you are there.

Hope this helps

[per ardua per mare per terram]

There are 2 sets of records to look for. RFC officer pilots records will be in the War Office records (either WO 339 or WO 374) most of those have now been catalogued at Kew - there is a file for HIRONS H in WO 339/112313, but none for F or FH. If he continued to serve after 1 April 1918 he will have a separate RAF record in AIR 76, also at kew. There were also some other rank pilots, they will be in WO 363 or 364 (before) and AIR 79 (after).

[Borden Battery]

Here are some associated Great War websites associated with the Royal Flying Corps and other formations.

Regards

Borden Battery

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Great War Air Force Websites - Part 13

Note: CEF Study Group member websites denoted with asterisk "*"

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The Story of World War 1 Aviation

The history of World War One aviation is a rich and varied story. It was marked by a period of very rapid technological development. This site is quite comprehensive.

http://www.wwiaviation.com/toc.shtml

First World War Honours & Awards to Canadians in the British Flying Services

This database was prepared by H.A. Halliday and is drawn primarily from a card file now held by the Directorate of History and Heritage, Canadian Forces Headquarters. It includes some awards for services in Russia following the First World War.

http://www.airforce.ca/index2.php3?page=wwi

The Red Fighter Pilot by Manfred Von Richthofen

This on-line edition of Manfred von Richthofen's 1917 book Der Rote Kampfflieger is based on the English language version originally translated by J. Ellis Barker and published in 1918 under the name The Red Battle Flyer.

http://www.richthofen.com/

Canadian Air Aces and Heroes

The small website has some detailed and distilled information on Canadian Air Aces from the Great War to the Korean War. There are also a large number of additional website links to other air war sites.

http://www.constable.ca/

overthefront.com - The Official website of the League of World War I Aviation Historians

The League of World War I Aviation Historians is a non-profit organization whose goals include the accumulation, preservation, and publication of factual data concerning aerial activity of World War I. The website is based on their printed journal and has the start of a discussion forum.

http://www.overthefront.com/main/index.html

Royal Flying Corps - Patrick Wilson's Personal Site May 2005

This site contains a number of personal photographs taken by the late father of Patrick Wilson while an officer with 100 Squadron. In addition, the site contains the scanned "The Annuals of 100 Squadron" and a detailed interview with the last surviving member of the squadron just before he passed away.

http://www.patrickwilson.com/RFC.html

66 Squadron - Royal Flying Corps - John Grech Personal Site June 2005

This website is a detailed, long-term work in progress with a great deal of reference-quality information on the men, biographies and photographs, aircraft makes and serial numbers, medals and memorials of 66 Squadron. Several Canadians served with 66 Squadron including William Barker, VC. Highly recommended as one of the premier Great War websites.

http://www.66squadron.co.uk/

Captain Albert Ball - VC, DSO, MC June 2005

This elegant website contains a detailed summary of Captain Albert Ball of the Royal Flying Corps. There is a detailed listing of aircraft flown, aircraft shot down, flight history, memorabilia, extensive photographs of Captain Ball and recollections from others.

http://www.albertball.homestead.com/

*Jasta Boelcke - German Squadron of the Great War June 2005

This is a very detailed and very high quality website is features and detail beyond what an abstract can outline. The pages of Jasta Boelcke are devoted to Hauptmann (Captain) Oswald Boelcke and his famous Jasta 2. It was Boelcke who realized that the German Air Forces had to get organized in squadrons (Jagdstaffeln) if they wanted to fight effectively against the enemy. Also it was Boelcke who wrote down his tactics and experiences in a document called "The Dicta Boelcke" - a set of guidelines being still followed today by the pilots of modern jetfighter squadrons. On this site you will find historical accurate information about Oswald Boelcke and his Jasta as well as stories about other German Aces and pictures of aircraft on display at various museums. Highly recommended as one of the premier Great War websites.

http://jastaboelcke.de/

Cross & Cockade International June 2005

Cross & Cockade International (CCI) is the First World War Aviation Historical Society with around 1,500 members in 25 countries all over the world. It publishes a quarterly, 72-page journal with an article index back to 1970. There is a detailed research databases on a wide range of items including aircraft and engine serial numbers. There is also a discussion group.

http://www.crossandcockade.com/main.htm

The Aerodrome Jan 2006 [updated]

This website is very extensive in its documentation of the air war including cross-indexing of aircraft, aces, serial numbers of aircraft and pilot victories. Emphasis is visual and with visual statistics. The discussion forum includes about 3100 members, over 195,000 postings with discussion threads tending to be on specific aircraft and airmen rather than historic discussion. Therefore, an excellent site for researching specific topics on Great War aerial combat.

[Recommendation by Brett Payne / emma gee]

http://www.theaerodrome.com/

Air Force Association of Canada - Air Force Honours & Awards Nov 2005

This section of the larger website contains a very extensive listing of honours and awards for Canadians serving with British Flying Services during the Great War as assembled by Mr. Hugh Halliday. Many of the individual member listings include the award citations. Very good site for specific information on specific personnel.

[Note: The link sometimes takes you directly to the site - and sometimes - one must manually follow the titles on the website.]

[Recommendation by Steven Dieter]

http://www.airforce.ca/index2.php3?page=honours

Raymond Collishaw - World War I Fighter Ace Nov 2005

A simple website with a short overview history of a Canadian fighter pilot. Collishaw flew "Black Maria" a Sopwith Triplane from "Black Flight" of 10 Naval RNAS. He remained with the RAF after the Great War, was active in the Second World War with the RAF and finally retired again to Canada.

http://www.constable.ca/colishaw.htm

William George Barker - World War I Fighter Ace Nov 2005

A simple website summarizing the military life of this oft forgotten Canadian pilot who was one of the most decorated men of the Great War. A recommended book by W. Ralph is "BARKER VC" by Vanwell Publishers.

http://www.constable.ca/barker.htm

Donald Roderick MacLaren - World War I Fighter Ace Nov 2005

Donald MacLaren, the third most successful Canadian ace of the war after Bishop and Collishaw, had 54 kills - 43 coming in just over four months. He was the master of the Sopwith Camel aircraft.

http://www.constable.ca/maclaren.html

Alfred Clayburn Atkey - World War I Fighter Ace Dec 2005

Alfred Clayburn Atkey was the highest scoring two-seater pilot of World War I. In May of 1918, Captain Atkey and Lieutenant Gass, as a team shot down 29 enemy aircraft in less than one month. In an epic dogfight known as "Two Against Twenty," Atkey and Gass, together with John Gurdon and his observer, John Thornton, encountered 20 German scouts during the evening of May 7, 1918. In the battle that followed, Atkey and Gass shot down five enemy aircraft.

http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/atkey.html