A double U-turn

 

Our focus had been on England.

But it didn't deliver any more information, just because we didn't have the right entrance.

Some people offered their help.
One never returned the message he wanted me to send to get him going.

I assumed others tried too.

Recently I sat down with a historian.

He said those young Dutch boys were indeed going to Canada for training.
According to him there was even a "Dutch school" (if he remembered well).

So he said me to contact the National Archives of The Netherlands again.

Even gave me the email.

I got a relatively fast reaction.

"Look on the site."
https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/zoekhulpen/engelandvaarders-1940-1945

Of course I have been trying to find my father on that site.
When it was first online, and several times later.
But his name didn't pop up at all.

So I contacted Miss or Mrs. FS again.

This time she pointed out that on that same page, a few lines lower it says:

There are people, born after 1924, who are not in the searchsystem for privacy reasons.

Ofcourse I have read that before. 
But which privacy is served?

I had sent her, in the first request, a copy of the declaration of death, dated 23 september 1989.

Now I told her that his parents have died, of course.
His brothers and sister don't live anymore.
Nor does my own sister.

So what is going on?

Asked her to explain the privacy part if she still doesn't want to look things up.

Waiting for an answer.

But the U-turned seemed not to be far enough...

One can go into local archives to find out who lived at the house-address during the war.
It was noted by the Germans when a person didn't live there anymore.
So we can get an idea of when he disappeared...

I've sent the local archives a mail to look that up.

Waiting for an answer.

We chatted a bit about common experiences in life and which one I shared with my father.
So I said I worked at the same national organisation: The PTT. (The national post telephone and telegraph company.) But at different jobs and different places.

Turned out that when returning from England, those young men were wanted for their technical skills an knowledge.
But before they got the job they went through a very thorough examination of their past.

So there are files about that.
In most cases they had also to answer questions about how they got in England.
And of course about their schooling.

Their archives are not subject to the enormously strict privacy rules.

So......


That's a u-turn back to his parental house, and right opposite to his job after he returned.

.

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.

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