Nature of Source
Officer records published in the official Air Force List which was first published in April 1918. The entries include all officers who joined the new service from the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Details of the officer’s units and locations were provided in some detail up to 1939.
The Royal Flying Corps was established in 1912 coming under the control of the War Office. The RFC included the Military Wing and Naval Wing, the latter becoming the Royal Naval Air Service in July 1914 under the control of the Admiralty. The Royal Air Force was founded on 1 April 1918 following the amalgamation of the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps coming under control of the newly created Air Ministry. The RFC and RNAS and the RAF are and were organised into squadrons (roughly equivalent of an army regiment), wings and groups, although confusingly for RNAS research a number of different squadrons and wings were assigned the same number.
During WWI, the RFC was deployed over the battlefields performing aerial reconnaissance trips and bombing missions whilst the RNAS was also deployed for home defence against enemy attack and overseas.
Also consult the Retired Lists, first published in 1949, which provide information on an officer’s birthdate, details of commissions and his retirement and other biographical information. The Lists were produced monthly up to WWII and thereafter quarterly and are now produced annually.
Service records for all deceased service personnel who served after 1920 remain with the Ministry of Defence with each military service maintaining its own record office. See the MOD detailed guide ‘Requests for personal data and service records: How to apply for access to personal data held by the Ministry of Defence’. You can apply for Royal Air Force (RAF) records online if you’re the person’s immediate next of kin, the person died more than 25 years ago or the person died less than 25 years ago but you only want basic information about them.
Where Found
The National Archives
Royal Air Force Museum Archive & Library (The collection comprises several hundred thousand objects ranging in size from aircraft to lapel badges. The Museum’s library and archives collections include items such as First World War Casualty Cards, fine art, medals and uniforms, film and sound, memoirs, historical studies, ephemera, technical manuals, magazines and periodicals, RAF Historical Society Journals Personal papers, aircrew logbooks, casualty cards and aircraft records. The website has a number of online exhibitions and information leaflets to help researching RAF personnel and RAF units and stations)
County Record Offices (Find the details of a local UK archive from a searchable list of over 2,500 archives hosted by The National Archives. Use the ‘Find an archive’ box to search for an archive)
Society of Genealogists
British Library
Local and specialist reference libraries
Period Covered
1918 – Onwards
Genealogical Value
- Name, regiment, rank and date of promotion.
- Decorations and war service.
- Birth and death date
- Retirement date.
- Details of commission.
Further References
- Bevan, Amanda. Tracing Your Ancestors in the National Archives: The National Archives, 2006
- Chorley, W.R. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War Vols. 1-9: various publishers and dates
- Fowler, Simon. A Guide to Military History on the Internet: Pen & Sword, 2007
- Fowler, Simon. Tracing Your First World War Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen & Sword, 2013
- Franks, Norman L. R. RAF Fighter Command Losses of the Second World War vol 1. Operational Losses Aircraft and Crews 1939-1941: Ian Allan Publishing, 2008
- Franks, Norman L. R. Royal Air Force Fighter Command Losses of the Second World War: vol. 2. Operational Losses: Aircraft and Crews 1942-1943: Midland Publishing, 1998
- Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918-1988: Air Britain Historians, 1989
- Hobart, Malcolm. Badges And Uniforms of The RAF: Pen and Sword Books, 2013
- Hobson, Chris. Airmen Died in the Great War, 1914-18: The Roll of Honour of the British and Commonwealth Air Services of the First World War: Hayward, 1995
- Ingham, Mary. Tracing Your Service Women Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen and Sword Books 2012
- McInnes, I & Webb, J. V. A Contemptible Little Flying Corps: Naval and Military Press, 2001 (Includes brief biographies of all non-commissioned airmen who joined the RFC between 1922 and 1914)
- Philpott, Ian, The Birth of the Royal Air Force: Pen and Sword Books 2014
- Spencer, William. Air Force Records: A Guide for Family Historians: The National Archives, 2008
- Spencer, William. Family History in the Wars: The National Archives, 2007
- Spencer, William. Air Force Records: The National Archives, 2008
- Storey, Neil. Military Photographs and How to Date Them: Countryside Books, 2009
- Tomaselli, Phil. Tracing Your Air Force Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen & Sword Books, 2014
- Tomaselli, Phil. Air Force Lives: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen and Sword Books, 2013
- Tracing Your Family History: Royal Air Force: Imperial War Museum, 2006
- Usher, George. Dictionary of British Military History: A&C Black Publishers, 2006
Websites
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/?research-category=military-and-maritime (TNA Research Guide Military and Maritime)
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-subject (TNA guide: Looking for records of a Royal Air Force squadron)
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/raf-officers-ww1.htm (Royal Air Force Officers’ Service Records 1918-1919: Introduction to the records taken from the TNA series AIR 76)
www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/squadrons (Royal Air Force Squadrons. Active squadrons are the full and part-time units of personnel and equipment that carry out the RAF’s mission)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Royal_Air_Force_aircraft_squadrons (From Wikipedia: List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons)
www.historyofwar.org/subject_RAF_units.html (Military History Encyclopedia on the Web: RAF Squadrons, Second World War)
www.iwm.org.uk/research/tracing-your-family-history/tracing-your-army-history (Imperial War Museum Research Guide: Tracing Your Family History. Guides to help you start your research into your Royal Air Force family history explaining what records you will need and where to find them. Subject areas include: Service records; Casualty information; Medal records; Unit and operational histories)
www.rfc-rnas-raf-register.org.uk (David J Barnes Military & Aviation Research 1914 -1919: R.F.C., R.N.A.S.,R.A.F. Register 1914-1919. Central source of service and biographical information of all those who served in the British and Commonwealth Aerial Forces during the First World War)
www.forces-war-records.co.uk/free-tutorials (Forces War Records Research Guides: These guides will help you understand how you can find as much out about your ancestors past as possible and include: ‘Getting Started Guide: Your complete guide to researching your military ancestor’ and ‘Understanding your ancestor’s military record’)
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/veterans-uk (Veterans UK. The organisation provides free support for veterans and their families, including a helpline, Veterans Welfare Service and injury/bereavement compensation scheme payments)
www.ukmfh.org.uk (UK Military Family History Online: Links to web sites with online data and information to aid in military family history research)
www.militaryarchiveresearch.com (Military Archive Research, by Dr Stuart C Blank)
www.raf.mod.uk/what-we-do/our-history (Royal Air Force. Our History)
www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/research-enquiries (Royal Air Force Museum Information Leaflets including Researching First World War personnel, Researching Royal Air Force unit records and Researching Royal Air Force stations)
www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/research-enquiries/history-of-aviation-timeline (Royal Air Force Museum: History of Aviation Timeline)
www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/online-exhibitions/lest-we-forget (Royal Air Force Museum Online Exhibition: Lest We Forget)
www.genuki.org.uk/big/MilitaryRecords (GENUKI Guide: UK and Ireland: Military Records)
www.genuki.org.uk/big/BritMilRecs (GENUKI: British Military Records by Jay Hall)
www.waafassociation.org.uk (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force Association. In dedication to all past and serving airwomen of the RAF who served at home and abroad, we pledge our friendship; and to those who lost their lives, remembrance)
www.associations.rafinfo.org.uk/acronyms.htm (Royal Air Force Acronyms and Abbreviations)
www.raf-ff.org.uk (RAF Families Federation: Service personnel: Abbreviations & Acronyms)
www.rafaberporth.org.uk/page25.html (Royal Air Force Aberporth. RAF Slang and Acronyms)
https://war.web.ox.ac.uk/great-war-archive (Oxford University: The Great War Archive: WWI digital photographs, audio, film, documents, and stories submitted by the general public. The initiative was run by Oxford University between the 3rd March and the 30th June 2008. Users can share First World War objects on the The Great War Archive Flickr Group)
www.europeana.eu/portal/en/collections/world-war-I (Europeana 1914-1918. Explore the untold stories and official histories of World War I in items from across Europe including postcards, letters, diaries, images and other memorabilia)
Online Databases
www.thegenealogist.co.uk (Air Force Lists for 1918, 1939 and 1933)
https://digital.nls.uk/97343435 (National Library of Scotland Digital Gallery: British Military Lists: Transcriptions and images of Army Lists, Navy Lists and Air Force Lists covering WWI and WWII)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Royal Air Force Lists 1919-1945. Search the Lists from 1919-1922 and 1938-1945 containing the names of warrant officers and commissioned personnel. Air Force Lists provide the officer’s rank and branch and record any awards or honours. The lists include the women’s branches of the military including the WRENs, WAAF and Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service)
www.forces-war-records.co.uk (Military Genealogy Forces War Records: Military records of over two million British Armed Forces personnel cross matched with over 4000 Regiments including Rolls of Honour, Crimean and Boer War Databases, Medal Rolls and Casualties Lists. The site also has a facility to access information on specific units or bases including regiments, ships, airfields)
RAF Museum Storyvault
The site is a digital archive dedicated to preserving and sharing the history and stories of the Royal Air Force. The site hosts a searchable digital archive consisting of:
- Muster Roll, 1918. The Muster Roll lists NCOs and men who were serving in the ranks who were transferred to the RAF when it was formed on 1 April 1918. Officers are not included.
- Casualty Cards. The Royal Flying Corps and from April 1918 the Royal Air Force kept detailed records of men who were killed, wounded or reported missing. The collection of casualty cards starts around 1915 and runs into the 1920s. They deal primarily with officers, although there are some cards for Non-Commissioned Officers and Men.
- Air Force List. Search the names of officers of the Army and Navy. List corrected to 1st February 1918.
- Roll of Honour 1911-1918.
www.familyrelatives.com (Royal Air Force List – 1920, 1922, 1929, 1949, 1954)
TNA Online Collections (Royal Air Force Officers’ Service Records 1918-1919 extracted from TNA series AIR 76. TNA Online Collections is produced by The National Archives and contains online access to indexes, transcriptions and digital images of some of the TNA’s most important holdings. Searches are free but a fee is levied for each downloaded item. However downloads are free if used at TNA or the Society of Genealogists)
www.ancestry.co.uk (Royal Aero Club Aviators’ Certificates, 1910-1950)
CD Roms
Air of Authority (Monthly Air Force Lists on CD-ROM)
