JacquiO Posted 4 February , 2007 Share Posted 4 February , 2007 Hi, I have the service record card of my grandfather who was a volunteer in the RNVR and then enlisted & served in the RNAS (then the RAF). It states that he served at the following bases / Ships?? President II 31/03/1917 to 01/04/1917 (One Day!!) Cresswell 02/04/1917 to 04/07/1917 Calshot 05/07/1917 to 19/07/1917 Cherberg 20/07/1917 to 31/12/1917 Daedalus 01/01/1918 to 31/03/1918 I have managed to find out about Calshot & Daedalus as being airship bases but does anyone have any information about the other bases / ships? Best regards, Jacqui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 5 February , 2007 Share Posted 5 February , 2007 Hi Jacqui, RAF Calshot RAF Creswell and a previous thread which may help with President II Hope they're of some use to you, cheers, Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 5 February , 2007 Share Posted 5 February , 2007 Are you sure that CRESSWELL is not CRANWELL? CRESSWELL was a WW2 RAF station but I cannot find any RNAS base of that name in WW1. Cranwell was a training station in WW1 and was also called HMS DAEDALUS (The name was later transferred to RNAS Lee-on-Solent.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquiO Posted 5 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2007 That's great, Thanks for the links Jon. I have had a closer look and you are absolutley right Horatio2 it is CRANWELL. The researcher that looked up the record for me at the NA stated Cresswell so who was I to argue!! Any suggestions for Cherberg, would there have been a base in France maybe? Thanks again for your replies. Jacqui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 5 February , 2007 Share Posted 5 February , 2007 I suppose CHERBERG could be CHERBOURG in France, which case it would have been an airship station providing patrols over the western Channel, but I am not familiar with that bit of the RNAS. Perhaps some other member could help with this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquiO Posted 5 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2007 Again just checked the spelling & it does appear to be spelt CHERBOURG. Jacqui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 5 February , 2007 Share Posted 5 February , 2007 President II this was where the admin was done (also on Daedalus), not necessarily where he served! Cranwell, Lincolnshire - training establishment Calshot, Hampshire - seaplane station/base Cherbourg, France - seaplane station Daedalus was the nominal depot ship for the RNAS to 1/4/18 (so it did not mean he was tied to one spot). Just to be confusing it was also the seaplane school at Lee-on-Solent, opened 1917. Did your researcher provide you with his RAF & RNVR records of service too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquiO Posted 5 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2007 Thanks for even more information! Unfortunately, I have not been able to find out any other information about his time in the RNVR or RAF. The person who carried out the research for me stated that because his RNVR was prefixed with a Y, this meant that he was never called up and therefore there was no separate record. Also the search of the RAF records drew a blank. He could not be found in the AIR 78/120 index so he did not check the AIR 79 record. I don't know if there is anything else I can do to find out more about his time during WWI, I don't even know which RAF squadron he served in. Family say that he was missing action twice, in the sea for 24 hours before being rescued. He did manage to survive the war though. Anyway, if anyone else can help here are his details: Sergeant William Henry Orton (known as Harry Orton). born 24/02/1885, (although his RNAS record states 1884) in Salford, Lancs RNVR number Y23344 RNAS number F28043 RAF number 228043 (was Leading Mechanic at time of amalgamation with RNAS) He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. All the best, Jacqui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 5 February , 2007 Share Posted 5 February , 2007 Jacqui, The RNVR Y Number was given to men enrolled under the deferred scheme for the RN and the RNAS. When called up, they signed active service engagements and were given active service numbers - in his case his RNAS F number. The RNVR Y number was a 'holding number' in the interim - he had no RNVR service as such.. 'Manicafan' on this forum may be able to help with more RNAS service details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquiO Posted 5 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2007 That's very interesting about his RNVR number. I've learned such a lot in just one day after my very first post on this site. Many thanks to all contributors. Jacqui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 5 February , 2007 Share Posted 5 February , 2007 (edited) His RAF record should be in AIR 79/2052, unless he served post war. That will give some more information, but only briefly, the units he served in the RAF will definately be there and it would have if he was admitted to hospital and also how long he served in France. It may give some clues to which units he served with in the RNAS. If you post another topic on Harry Orton RNAS you will probably grab 'Manicafan's attention. Edited 6 February , 2007 by per ardua per mare per terram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquiO Posted 6 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 6 February , 2007 Thanks Per Ardua, I will follow that up and post another topic as you suggest. Jacqui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 6 February , 2007 Share Posted 6 February , 2007 I don't know if there is anything else I can do to find out more about his time during WWI, I don't even know which RAF squadron he served in. Family say that he was missing action twice, in the sea for 24 hours before being rescued. He did manage to survive the war though. The WWI air records are complex and badly organised, but there might be more information available. If the times where he was missing, for example, resulted in letter to the Admiralty and if they were not weeded then that could be found using the ADM 12 indexes of Admiralty correspondence. Best wishes Per Ardua Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 6 February , 2007 Share Posted 6 February , 2007 Why is it that some web sites respond faster than others? Anyhow, while waiting for the site I was working on the respond I’ve been able to get in to the National Archives site and run a few searches and thought that this might be useful: AIR 1/718/28/4 Flight Reports and patrols, R.N.A.S. Cherbourg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquiO Posted 6 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 6 February , 2007 Wow, that sounds interesting about R.N.A.S. Cherbourg. I think that I will have to take my holidays at the NA this year. One week to find out how to do the research and one week to carry it out! Living on the Isle of Man does not make research very easy but thanks to sites like this and the amazing generosity of contributors I've been able to find out lots of information that I never thought possible. All the best, Jacqui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 7 February , 2007 Share Posted 7 February , 2007 All I did to find that was to type Cherbourg in the National Archives catalogue, limited the dates to 1914-1918 and put AIR in the department box. To help prepare yourself before making the journey I'd recommend looking through the research guides on their website and there are some books about using the National Archives for the first time, which I'd recommend that you get from the library. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquiO Posted 7 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 7 February , 2007 Thanks for the tips, if I manage to make the trip (maybe next year- will have to convince the hubby what a wonderful holiday it will be!!) then I will follow your suggestions. Jacqui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 8 February , 2007 Share Posted 8 February , 2007 Evidently my man, J J Petre was RNAS based at Eastbourne, Eastchurch, Grain, Dunkirk and Dover. His RAC? certificate was 942 He flew Nieuport Scouts and was killed in a flying accident in France 13.4.1917 John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 9 February , 2007 Share Posted 9 February , 2007 Thanks for even more information! Unfortunately, I have not been able to find out any other information about his time in the RNVR or RAF. The person who carried out the research for me stated that because his RNVR was prefixed with a Y, this meant that he was never called up and therefore there was no separate record. Also the search of the RAF records drew a blank. He could not be found in the AIR 78/120 index so he did not check the AIR 79 record. I don't know if there is anything else I can do to find out more about his time during WWI, I don't even know which RAF squadron he served in. Family say that he was missing action twice, in the sea for 24 hours before being rescued. He did manage to survive the war though. Anyway, if anyone else can help here are his details: Sergeant William Henry Orton (known as Harry Orton). born 24/02/1885, (although his RNAS record states 1884) in Salford, Lancs RNVR number Y23344 RNAS number F28043 RAF number 228043 (was Leading Mechanic at time of amalgamation with RNAS) He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. All the best, Jacqui Hi Jacqui, With reference to Harry Orton. As he transferred to the RAF his enlistment papers were placed in the "tender care" of that organisation. They are now lost. But here are the few snippets I can provide. He enlisted in the RNAS on or about the 31st March 1917 as an engineer for the duration of the War. He was rated from Air Mechanic to Leading Mechanic on the 1st of November 1917. He became a Corporal in the RAF on its formation on 1st April 1918 with an RAF trade classification of Fitter (A.E.) He is mentioned in the RNAS Cranwell Station Magazine, "The Piloteer" of July 1917. It would appear that he was a French Horn player. That's all I have for now, but would be happy to add anything you feret out to add to my database. Regards Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquiO Posted 10 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 10 February , 2007 Hi Jacqui, With reference to Harry Orton. As he transferred to the RAF his enlistment papers were placed in the "tender care" of that organisation. They are now lost. But here are the few snippets I can provide. He enlisted in the RNAS on or about the 31st March 1917 as an engineer for the duration of the War. He was rated from Air Mechanic to Leading Mechanic on the 1st of November 1917. He became a Corporal in the RAF on its formation on 1st April 1918 with an RAF trade classification of Fitter (A.E.) He is mentioned in the RNAS Cranwell Station Magazine, "The Piloteer" of July 1917. It would appear that he was a French Horn player. That's all I have for now, but would be happy to add anything you feret out to add to my database. Regards Duncan Hi Duncan, Many thanks for your snippets, greatfully received! Best regards, Jacqui Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now