Casualty Forms

[AlfaMale]

Hello there,

came across this forum this morning and joined up straight away and have been eagerly awaiting the chance to post ever since ...

First post is a question I'm afraid ... my great-great-uncle served in no.43 squadron RFC as an observer from April 1917 to October 1917 when they changed over to Camels. I have his records from the PRO and there are a number of "casualty forms" included: what are they? They don't appear to be for wounds as they also seem to list postings etc.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

[beaverpass]

Hello, and welcome to the forum!

The term "casualty" on those forms and other correspondence did not refer to wounds, injuries, death, etc. in the modern sense of the word.

"Casualty" entries on the service record were of an administratrive nature and would record one's absence from the unit while on a course of instruction, temporary attachment to another unit, imprisonment, etc. It appears that if one were not available for duty at the moment and not on the current nominal roll, one was a "casualty".

Cheers, Ken

[AlfaMale]

Ken, thanks very much for the reply - it had been driving me mad!

Especially as my Grandfather (who was the only I knew one who knew my great-great-uncle) told me that he had been wounded in action. I could find no record of this and the "casualty" forms were further confusing me!

Thanks again for the help.

Andrew

[centurion]

Just a note of further info.

In the 19th Centuary a Casualty was often a term applied to some one who had no permenant assignment (ie they were casual, on the list of casuals etc). At one time a casualty ward was not a place for people who had had accidents but one where tramps, itinerants and over homeless people were treated.

Words change - for example to amuse once meant to fool or mislead ("We are not amused" actually meant "you aint fooling me").

[john-g]

If you want to check and see if he had a RFC/RAF Casualty record contact the Royal Air Force Museum and ask them to check the Casualty Cards they hold, you might be surprised with what they might be able to come up with.

[AlfaMale]

Thanks john_q, I'll try that. I'm currently also waiting on a quote from Key to copy combat reports from the period

[john-g]

Thanks john_q, I'll try that. I'm currently also waiting on a quote from Key to copy combat reports from the period

Key?

[AlfaMale]

Kew

[eyes]

Just a note of further info.

In the 19th Centuary a Casualty was often a term applied to some one who had no permenant assignment (ie they were casual, on the list of casuals etc). At one time a casualty ward was not a place for people who had had accidents but one where tramps, itinerants and over homeless people were treated.

Words change - for example to amuse once meant to fool or mislead ("We are not amused" actually meant "you aint fooling me").

Excellent. I did not know this. Thank you.

Colin