Emmakhamilton Posted 7 February , 2008 Share Posted 7 February , 2008 Hello there The death certificate of my great, great uncle, Lieutenant Frederick Spottiswoode Ganter, RAF (no. 2532) states that he was reported KIA on 27th June 1918 whilst serving with 23 Squadron. The web entry for the CWGC states that he is buried in grave VIIIU.24 in Cabaret-Rouge at Souchez, but this entry states that he was serving with 73 Squadron when he died. I have obtained a copy of his officer service record from WO 339 at the National Archive but unfortunately there is no paperwork relating to his service after he was commissioned (could such paperwork have been transferred to the Air Ministry without his other ranks RFC service records?) I know that prior to his commission he served with RFC Squadrons 24, 19 and 39, and I intend to research these avenues further, but I would really like to know what squadron he was serving with at the time he died and to find out more about the circumstances surrounding his death – can anyone help? Cheers Emma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 7 February , 2008 Share Posted 7 February , 2008 Welcome to the forum Emma, The Royal Air Force were a new service and started all their records on 1 April 1918. His RAF service record is on microfilm at Kew in the series AIR 76, these are in alphabetical order. Did you see that he has 2 Medal Index Cards? Follow this link http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...mp;mediaarray=* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmakhamilton Posted 7 February , 2008 Author Share Posted 7 February , 2008 Thank you for the information and the welcome. As soon as the refurb at the National Archives is complete, I'll visit and go take a look at AIR76. I do have his MICs - F S Ganter and F F Ganter. His Statement of Service record with the RFC appears to refer to him as Fritz Frederick Ganter. As Ganter is a Gername name (his father was born in Germany), I assume that "Frtiz" was probably a nick name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Grundy Posted 7 February , 2008 Share Posted 7 February , 2008 Emma According to "The Sky Their Battlefield" by Trevor Henshaw, Lt. Ganter was serving with 73 Squadron, flying Sopwith Camels, when he was killed in action on 27th June 1918. He took off at 0845 to take part in an offensive patrol south west of Lille when he was shot down in combat with enemy aircraft. Hope this of some use. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 7 February , 2008 Share Posted 7 February , 2008 I presume the MICs show his 1914 or 1914/1915 Star or do they have his British War and Victory Medals too? There might also be a reference to him in the records below: AIR 1/694/21/20/73 History of 73 Squadron, R.A.F. 1918-1937 AIR 1/1226/204/5/2634 Combat reports: 73 Squadron. 1918 Feb. - Nov. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmakhamilton Posted 8 February , 2008 Author Share Posted 8 February , 2008 Thank you both very much. My queries answered and useful references for further research Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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