aldeburgh Posted 20 July , 2006 Share Posted 20 July , 2006 I posted this question in aid to help find out more information about my Grandfather. When i was a young child i ask many questions about with his experiences in the great war, but, as with many who served, he would not indulge me with any answers. All i know is that he was under age when joining and served as ground crew in the RFC (the only thing mention was that he held the fighter planes tails down as they were taking off)? I have photograph of him in his enlisting uniform. He is a private but i cannot make out enough detail in his cap badge The uniform does not look any different to any standard Tommy uniform. His name was William Henry Darvill of North London. I tried to tracked his name in the National archive without luck. So should I be looking for a William H Darvill in the RFC or would he as ground crew be in the service corps or any standard regiment? I look forward to any help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 20 July , 2006 Share Posted 20 July , 2006 It sounds as if he served in RFC. When the RFC was formed in 1912 it was formed out of the Royal Engineers Balloon and Air Battalions but this sounds as if it was before your Gfhr enlisted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 20 July , 2006 Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Medal card of Darvill, William H Corps: 8th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regiment No: 14740 Rank: Private... 1914-1920 WO 372/5 Medal card of Darvill, Wilfred H Corps: Rifle Brigade Regiment No: S/14902 Rank: Private The above two are W H Darvills. Perhaps if you could post a picture? Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldeburgh Posted 20 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Many thanks. My grandfather was born in 1900. So he must have joined in within 1916-18 period. Would the two regiments mention in the medical cards be linked with the RFC? Thank you again for your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 20 July , 2006 Share Posted 20 July , 2006 No they wouldn`t. But I couldn`t find any men of that name from the RFC and your post indicated that he might have appeared in an infantry uniform at some stage. The photos might help! Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldeburgh Posted 20 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Dear Phil, Ill scan and upload the picture tonight. I'll keep you posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian turner Posted 20 July , 2006 Share Posted 20 July , 2006 14740 Ox & Bucks was a 1918 casualty according to CWGC, and the other one mentioned by Phil B is a 'Wlifred', so not much luck on the MIC's? Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian turner Posted 20 July , 2006 Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Then there is also the possibility that he did not serve overseas and thus dos not apear on the MIC's? Especially due his age... Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldeburgh Posted 20 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Thanks Ian, Ill upload a close up scan of the cap badge and i'll run a contrast fillter over it to pull out some of the detail. that may help. I must say i'm very impressed and pleased with the response and interest to my quest. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themonsstar Posted 21 July , 2006 Share Posted 21 July , 2006 Hi moothall I was looking for some info on ground crews and came across this book "The Forgotten Ones " the story of the ground crews by Air Chief Marshall Sir Philip Joubert De La Ferte KCB, CMG, DSO. published by Hutchinson of London in 1961. I have not had time to read it yet. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 21 July , 2006 Share Posted 21 July , 2006 Hi moothall I was looking for some info on ground crews and came across this book "The Forgotten Ones " the story of the ground crews by Air Chief Marshall Sir Philip Joubert De La Ferte KCB, CMG, DSO. published by Hutchinson of London in 1961. I have not had time to read it yet. Cheers Joubert flew to France around 12 August 1914 with 3 Sqn and I think flew the Sqn's first recce, possibly the first flown in wartime by a British pilot. He is mentioned a few times by McCudden in Flying Fury, McCudden then being an NCO mechanic and occasional but eager flight Observer. I cant remember what happened to him but I think his time flying in "combat" was of quite a short duration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Roberts Posted 22 July , 2006 Share Posted 22 July , 2006 His rafweb.org entry is a bit vague. He commanded various observation squadrons in the UK, France and Italy. A DSO was gazetted on 1/1/17, so he must have done some combat flying. adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldeburgh Posted 22 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2006 Dear all, Here is a picture of William H Darvill. I hope there is enough detail for some identification. On the reverse it says William Henry Darvill, Royal Flying Corps, aged about 17 years I will upload his cap badge with hi definition. regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldeburgh Posted 22 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2006 Dear all, This is the best detail I can pull from the cap badge scan. Good Luck David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 22 July , 2006 Share Posted 22 July , 2006 Definately ground crew were part of RFC I was given some medals at Christmas by a family friend. They belonged to her father who enlisted when 17 and by October 1917 (date on his pay book) was Air Mechanic 1st class on 4 shillings a day. His Pay book definately states he is in RFC. Good luck with your search. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 22 July , 2006 Share Posted 22 July , 2006 It looks very like a RFC badge to me, but I`ll defer to the RFC experts! Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 22 July , 2006 Share Posted 22 July , 2006 He is definitely not in the medal index cards under the RFC. The nearest is a Francis Darvell. It strongly hints at service in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 23 July , 2006 Share Posted 23 July , 2006 Moothall There are 3 Darvill's in the National Roll Section VII. 2 are from Camberwell and one from Chiswick. Quite an unusual name are they relatives? Darvill G. AB Royal Navy Darvill G.F. Pte 21st Middlesex Rgt. Darvill H. Pte 1st and 2nd London Rgt. R.F. If of interest I can post service details. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldeburgh Posted 24 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 24 July , 2006 Many thanks to all of you researching my grandad. I've been ringing around the Family to ask if there was any mention of him being in France or Belgium at any time, no results as yet. We dont know of any medals so maybe service at home does look a distinct possibility. Though his reluctance to talk about the war seems out of place, for some one who served on the east or south coast. As the Darvills as a family name is quite small. i am putting together a family Tree and i am sure any of the other darvils are probably great uncles or cousins once removed, so medal cards or information or any other details would be greatly received. thank you again. My email address is info@herring-bone-design.co.uk David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 1 August , 2006 Share Posted 1 August , 2006 The way to find the service record for someone who eventually served in the RAF is to find his service number using AIR 78 at Kew, the cross reference that with AIR 79. If he was in the RFC only then it’s the standard army researchers route. RFC/RAF ground crew transferred into those units (the RNAS were a bit more open, navy and Royal Marines served with them without initially transferring) and had done since 1912 - see I. McInnes and J.V. Webb ‘Contemptible Little Flying Corps.’ James McCudden transferred into the RFC from the Royal Engineers. Btw there was not a rigid demarcation between ground and air crew in WW1, and McCudden was not the only man to move between the 2. The RFC was an army unit and as such men were issued with general service dress and khaki drill. I’m no uniform expert, but this uniform looks similar to some shown in the Osprey ‘British Air Forces 1914-1918’ books by Andrew and Peter Cormack. Post a topic in uniforms and see if anyone can give you a better identification. The online MICs are an ARMY record, the RAF (who issued the pairs) MICs have not been released yet. There are online MICs for RFC winners of decorations, those who qualified for the 1914 and 1914/15 Stars and some, by no means all those who transferred in from Army units after serving overseas. That’s some tens of thousands, as the WW1 era RAF numbers went up to over 400,000 in my estimation there are over 300,000 who served overseas who don’t have army MICs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aldeburgh Posted 2 August , 2006 Author Share Posted 2 August , 2006 Thank you very much about the further info about where to find listings of those who served in the RFC. I got in touch with my cousin who passed on information from my uncle about W H Darvill. The details are sketchy but more info has come to light. It was said that my Grandfather ran away from home at 15 to join up (the result of which, he was disowned by the familly and never really returned back home to london after the war) a real boy soldier. The Somme was mentioned, and he talked of one soldier who while advancing next to my gradfather had his head blown off and still kept on running. I was told he did mention his time in the trenches as he was left with a skin condition on his legs which he claimed was from his wet putees. I looked at the cap badge again and think could it possibly be a suffolk regimental badge or a royal engineers (royal garrison) badge? Both these regiments having a WH Darvill in thier ranks. Or was he just transfered to the RFC in 1917 as this is when the photo was taken. I thought this picture was a joining up picture though there was nothing to say it was on the reverse. I will post the picture on the uniform page as i wonder if the stick he is holding signifies any kind of rank? Thank you all again for your help. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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