And now?

 

So we now have some info about his time in England.

But still nothing from the archives about the time between his arrival and officially joining the RAF.

He arrived probably during the winter of 1942-1943.

He was interviewed and his choice was joining the RAF, even though he was far too young.

He might have lied about his age, as so many did during the time.

We have proof he went to Nova Scotia as part of the MOD trainigsprogram, and arrived in spring 1943.

Did he take part in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan?

He had a badge of wireless operator and I have seen photos of him in uniform using wireless equipment during WW2.
After the war he got a job without any problems, even though he had no Dutch diploma. He became a kind of wireless operator at the National Post, Telegraph and Telephone company.

Before or right after going to Nova Scotia he lived a while in High Wycombe. working at a military base, staying with a widow and her daughter, with whom he kept in contact for a long, long time.

So there is still a lot to find out.

Records - Additional Information

Finally, further information on the units he served with during his RAF career may be found within Operations Record Books (ORBs).

These are a type of narrative of events documenting activities of units and containing information on tasks undertaken by them, and may include duties undertaken by personnel.

ORBs are held, in accordance with the Public Records Act, at The National Archives (TNA), Kew, where they are on open access to the public.

However, please note his name may not be mentioned on many occasions in these documents, although they should provide a flavour of life at the unit in question.
Also, please be aware the quality of ORBs varies, with some containing more information than others.

Further details regarding TNA will be found on their website www.nationalarchives.gov.uk .
A catalogue of TNA holdings is also accessible through the website, and it can be used to search for document references relating to relevant units, under the departmental code “AIR” (Air Ministry).

TNA offers a paid research service, as well as being able to provide a list of independent private researchers, who may be able to undertake work for you, for an agreed fee.
Details are available by following the link on their website: “Records>paying for research”.

Records - Interpretation 5

 

PROMOTIONS, RECLASSIFICATIONS,

REVERSIONS.

Description (Ranks)

AC 2= Aircraftman 2 nd Class.

A C I = Aircraftman 1 st Class.

A C I - F M E – AC2 - F 2 E = in the rank of Aircraftman 1 st Class whilst serving as a Flight Mechanic

{Engines}, 

then (a usual process) reverted to the Rank of Aircraftman 2 nd Class upon qualifying in a

different Trade (Fitter Grade {Engines}).

Note: N. E. = Non-Effective, which would have been stamped anywhere on the record once the

individual had left the RAF.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS.

Exams., Courses, Engines, etc.

Description and Degree of Proficiency or Assessment.

Att Course F M E 19. 12 45. Obt 47% = Attended Flight Mechanic {Engines} Course. 

Obtained 47%.

Ex Remust Obtained 60% 

1-6-46 = Exam. Re-mustered from the Trade of Flight Mechanic {Engines} under training to Fitter Grade 2 {Engines}.

Ex Henlow 3/12/46 52% = Exam. No. 14 School of Technical Training, RAF Station Henlow,

Bedfordshire, No. 24 Group, Technical Training Command.

Note: ‘P. O. R’ = Personnel Occurrence Report. 

Entries such as ‘16/46’, ‘271/45’, ‘114/45’, ‘142/46’,

and ‘135/46’ are a document reference and the year.

Records - Interpretation 4

 

MUSTERING.

Description and Date of Effect.

ACH/F. M. {E} = Aircrafthand {general duties}, 

to be trained as a Flight Mechanic {Engines}.

F M E = Flight Mechanic {Engines}.

F. M. E UT/F. II E = Flight Mechanic {Engines} Under Training Fitter Grade 2 {Engines}.

AC2 F2E = Aircraftman 2 nd Class (Rank). Fitter Grade 2 {Engines} (Trade).

Rank.

A C 2 (2 entries) = Aircraftman 2 nd Class.

Character.

This column contains one or more of the following: ‘V G’ - Very Good, ‘Gd’ - Good, Fair,

‘Ind’ - Indifferent, Bad. Each one could be recorded one or more times, or there could be a

combination (for instance: ‘Gd’, ‘Gd’, or ‘Gd’, ‘VG’ etc).

Trade (job).

U/T F M E = Under Training Flight Mechanic {Engines}.

F. 2. E. = Fitter Grade 2 {Engines}.

Proficiency.

A = Skill in Trade.

B = Ability as a Supervisor.

C = Administrative Ability.

Apart from u /t (under training), any of the following could be recorded under A, B or C:

Ex - Exceptional, Supr - Superior, Sat - Satisfactory, Mod - Moderate, Inf - Inferior.

Records - Interpretation 3

 

Bottom page.

Unit From/Unit To

2 RC = No. 2 Recruits’ Centre, RAF Station Cardington, Bedfordshire.
At that time, No. 2 RC was one of several units within No. 22 Group, under Technical Training Command.

2 S of T. T. = No. 2 School of Technical Training, RAF Station Cosford, Shropshire,
No. 24 Group, Technical Training Command. Flight Mechanics and Flight Riggers undertook training courses at No. 2 S of TT at that time.

11 S of T T = No. 11 School of Technical Training, RAF Station Hereford
(a Station in No. 22 Group, Technical Training Command, at that time),

No. 24 Group, Technical Training Command.

24 M U = No. 24 Maintenance Unit (a Repair Depot), RAF Station Ternhill
(a Station in No. 21 Group, Flying Training Command at that time), Shropshire,
No. 43 Group, Maintenance Command.

14 S of T. T. = No. 14 School of Technical Training, RAF Station Henlow, Bedfordshire,
No. 24vGroup, Technical Training Command.

Netherlands [..?..] Dutch

Directorate {for Discharge} - no details.

Discharged (from the Royal Air Force) - no further details.

We do not know the meaning of entries – in this instance ‘HHH’, ‘1/6’,’2D2’, and ‘D2F’ (2 entries) in

the Reason column.

Records - Interpretation 2

 

Top page:

DISCHARGE.

Date 4.12.46.
Para. 652.22.
K R & 

ACI - “The King’s Regulations and Air Council Instructions for the Royal Air Force”,

Chapter 10;
Airmen-Entry, Advancement, Reduction, Drafting, Engagements,

Discharge and Transfer to the Reserve,
Section 8-Discharge and Transfer to the Reserve,

Paragraph 652: Discharge Headings, Cause of Discharge:
Clause {22}: Services no longer required.

.

.

Records - Interpretation 1

RAF Record of Service – 2795320 Aircraftman 2 nd Class Johannes Gerardus Geertsen

DPE = for the Duration of the Present Emergency (i. e. ‘the war’).

MISCELLANEOUS.

NATIONAL REGISTRATION

IDENTIFICATION LETTER & No. (blank) - this was always a combination of 4 letters (different on

each RAF Service Record), followed by either 1, 2 or 3 numbers and a single number after the

‘slash’ (for example: ‘ABCD 2/9’, ‘ABMN 12/7’, TYFG 123/5’ etc), although we do not hold any

further information on these entries.

CARD SENT TO

CENTRAL INDEX DEPARTMENT ON (no date entered) -

The National Registration Card was an Identity Card introduced during the Second World War under the National Registration Act 1939.

Everyone, including children, had to always carry one to show who they were and where they lived.

It no longer became necessary to carry an ID Card from 21 st February 1952, and the National

Registration Act 1939 was repealed on 22 nd May 1952.

Med[ical] cat[egory] grade (blanked out - usually ‘1’, ‘2’ or ‘3’. No further details).

pencil entries ‘A65/306’ and ‘A65/6’ - not known.