Hello everyone, I'm new here, I'm trying to find out more about my Grandfather, a rear gunner on Halifaxes & Lancasters, then after the war on Lincolns. He passed away a few years ago, his name was Edward William Hobbs and left the RAF as a Warrant Officer, all I can remember is he was based for some time at Waddington, Scampton and I think East Kirkby & Strubby. I know this may not help much & have searched elsewhere on the internet but haven't been able to find out much. If anyone has any pointers as to where would be the best place to search it would be a big help. Thanks!
I'm doing similar work on my grandfather, if you have his personell number you can get in touch with the RAF records who take about 5 weeks to send you a copy of his records. Once you have this depening on how much info is on there you maybe able to track his movements etc.
Thanks CLB, I will try & get his service number, this may be the the key to getting his service records if my grandmother knows - sadly she is a bit senile now. Good luck in your search.
Stephen, There's a E.W. Hobbs listed in the London Gazette for 1943 with the rank of Flight Sergeant, which is the one below Warrant Officer, this might be your grandfather before promotion to WO. Service number 563773.
Thanks Alan, I am hopefully going to be able to get his service no. tonight. My Mum has found one of his old training books, it doesn't have his number but does however have 2297 Sqn noted inside. I assume this would have been one of his initial training units. Does this mean anything to anyone?
Stephen, Can you possibly send me a scan of the page with 2297sqdn on it and anything else in the book if possible that may help to identify where he was. The reason i ask is that there was no RAF squadron listed with that number, and it could be something else. Alan, alpol.wells@btinternet.com
Hi Alan, I am based overseas, most of his service items are scattered among the rest of my family so getting info is slow. I will try & get a scan off my mum, but it appears he may have been at Kirton-in-Lindsey at the time. From what I can gather this seems to have been a Fighter Command station? He may have been based there for a period after the war, I see that the airfield was used by training units for a period in the late 40s'-early 50s' & he remained in the RAF until the 60s'. One my uncles has his logbooks, so I am hoping he will lend them to me for a while.
Hi, well seems I have my grandads service no. E W Hobbs 1585038. Looking forward to getting his records from http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/raf.html.