Information Sought Please

[Guest mruk]

I have an officer who served with the 10th West Yorkshire Regiment, and according to the London Gazette he was a Temp Lt. with the West Yorks in August 1915, although he is also listed as serving with the RAF on NA-MIC. Is there an officers list available, and can anyone tell me when he joined the RAF please? I would assume 1918, but there is no further information in the LG from 1915. His name is Lt. Philip Vallette.

Kind Regards,

Dave

[freddy1918]

Hi Dave,

There is a file for a Lt. P Vallette at the N.Archives WO 339/37490

I have to order up a bulk of files from that series when I go next week, I can fit that one onto it if you would like me to take a look for you.

Freddy

[Stebie9173]

Here's his transfer:

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

Steve.

[Paul Johnson]

Dave,

Looks as though Freddy has beat me to it and it's very kind of him to look it up for you when he is at the NA.

If this is his Officers file it will give you the exact date he transfered to the RFC/RAF. As you may be aware the RAF was not formed until 1st April 1918 but he could have served in the RFC (still part of the Army) prior to this.

Hope this helps.

Paul J.

[Guest mruk]

Many Thanks, Gentlemen.

Freddy, I would appreciate it enormously if you would do a look up for me please, and I'd be deeply indebted. Steve, a dab hand with the LG, thanks for the details on Vallette's transfer, this should tie the dates together nicely, and Paul J., thanks for clarifying the differences between the RFC and RAF. I'd a feeling it was 1918, but didn't think that he may have also served in the RFC, and that the Royal Flying Corps was still part of the Army. Does this also mean that a soldier or officer's rank would change once the RAF had come into being? It could help if I need to chase another officer through the LG.

Regards to All,

Dave

[freddy1918]

Dave,

I believe, and if I am wrong someone please let me know, that the only officers whose rank would have been affected were those from the RNAS who would have had to come around to using army type ranks?

[Guest mruk]

Thanks Freddy,

I was thinking that the RAF might have created a few new ranks which differed from the Army. I suppose it was just name only, with Flying Officer being the equvalent of Army Lieutenant, and Flight Lieutenant the same as Captain. I'm ex-Navy, and this is where the technicalities get confusing.

Cheers,

Dave

[Adrian Roberts]

.

I was thinking that the RAF might have created a few new ranks which differed from the Army. I suppose it was just name only, with Flying Officer being the equvalent of Army Lieutenant, and Flight Lieutenant the same as Captain.

They did, but not until 1920. Until then they used Army ranks, which meant a lot of career Naval Officers becoming Colonels, Majors etc on 1/4/18. To be fair, a lot of the RAF ranks that were eventually decided on and still exist today were originally RNAS ranks - Flight Lieutenant, Wing Commander, etc.

[Guest mruk]

Many Thanks, Adrian.

Things are becoming more clearer. Thanks for the explanation and input.

Kind Regards,

Dave

[per ardua per mare per terram]

His RAF record of service should be in AIR 76.

Soldiers and naval ratings often recieved new ranks on transfer to the RAF; they introduced several ranks and regraded people.

[Guest mruk]

Thankyou Per Ardua,

I'm making a note of the references should I need them for other men and officers who were attached or served from the West Yorks.

Kind Regards,

Dave