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I received a letter from the RAF Museum with my great grandfathers details from WW1. He didn't go on to serve in WW2 (he was too old by then as he was born in 1879). I'm trying to get hold of his service records, which the RAF Museum have said are available to search online at the National Archives site. I've looked for a good couple of hours now and am getting nowhere. I might be doing something wrong but I just keep coming back to the same page all the time - like an index of what records the NA have...

My g.grandfathers details are as follows:

Air Force No: 127628
Name: Tyrrell. A
RNAS or RAF Trade Classification: Cook
Remustered to Air Force Trade Classification: Cook
RNAS rating or RAF Rank or Appointment: A.Mech.3
New Rank in Air Force: Private 2
Date of Last Promotion: 29/12/17
Normal Rate Air Force Pay: 1.6
Terms of Enlistment: D.W

Someone said that his service number indicates he was a transfer from the army during 1918 but I don't know how to work this out and can't find any records for him anywhere! I found a medal index card for an Archie Tyrrell (his name was Archer and he often went by Archie) but it was for some regiment in South Wales and he was from Norfolk so... Haha, I'm just extra confused!

If anyone can offer any help at all I promise to stop bombarding you with so many questions on here ;)

did he have a middle name?

British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
about A G Tyrrell Name: A G Tyrrell
Regimental Number: 13749
Regiment Name: Norfolks
Number of images: 5

>>>>>edit not this one he's Albert George

another possible, whilst I take a look

British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920
about A Tyrrell Name: A Tyrrell
Document Year: 1917
Regimental Number: 28246
Regiment Name: 32nd Training Reserve
Number of images: 6

>>>>>>edit not this one, he's an Alfred

His middle name was Bates. I've really struggled to find anything, and having no knowledge of the RAF/RFC doesn't help!

Some RFC/RAF records are on Ancestry. If not they should be at the National Archives - not online though.

His death
Name: Archer B Tyrrell
Death Registration Month/Year: 1960
Age at death (estimated): 81
Registration district: Carlisle
Inferred County: Cumberland
Volume: 1a
Page: 19

I've not come up with anything for him on Ancestry... Ah, so you're not meant to be able to view the records online at the NA then?! I thought I was doing something wrong as the RAF museum told me I could search for them online! Will contact the NA then and see what they can do for me :)

Fiona

National Archives won't search for his records and supply them. You'd have to go there yourself or get someone to go for you.

Oh, you're joking... I thought you could pay them to do research for you if you couldn't get down there. I read someone somewhere saying it had cost a huge amount of money dealing with the NA to get an RAF service record copied and sent to them as a) they had to pay the fees for the research to be carried out and b) the records were larger than A3 size. Urgh, I'm miles away from Kew! Hmm, will have to have a think about this!

Thanks for the info

What records can I find at The National Archives at Kew?
Service records (1918-1922)Browse the Catalogue for RAF airmenairman - a person ranking lower than an officer's service records for men with service numbers from 1 to 329,000 from the First World War in AIR 79. If the airman went on to see service in the Second World War his service record will still be with the RAF. If you do not know his number, use the name indexes in AIR 78.
To access these records you will either need to visit us, commission research (£there will be a charge) or, where you can identify a specific record referencea unique set of letters and numbers identifying a document in The National Archives, order a copy (£there will be a charge).
What records can I find in other archives and organisations?
Service records after 1922Records of RAF airmenairman - a person ranking lower than an officer discharged after 1922 are still with the RAF. Look on the Veterans UK website to find out how to obtain service records.

more info here

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/airmanraf.htm?WT.lp=rg-3194

and

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=528&SearchInit=4&CATREF=air+78&j=1

A snippet from Archives, seems that RFC records were held in Army WO series............so perhaps he was not actually in the Army.......if I read your post correctly...

The service records of RFC airmen who either died or were discharged before the creation of the RAF in April 1918 are listed along with those of other soldiers in WO 363 and WO 364 (Service records of soldiers in the British army). If an individual remained in service after that date, his record was transferred to the RAF

.......now I am confused! lol

Thank you Tempest - I'll have to get a quote from them for doing the research... Who knows, it could work out cheaper to travel to the other end of the country and look for them myself yet!

Ann, I'm extra confused! I don't even know how long he remained in service for... He signed up for "duration of war", and I know he was in France at some point because a church had been bombed and he found some brass candlesticks in the ruins, which my brother now has on his fireplace.

"If you would like some information from The National Archives, we can carry out a search for you. Our charge is £15.32 per 15 minutes."

Blimey! :O

Fiona,

Basically looks like the RFC were lumped in the with the WO record series, then when the RFC became the RAF in 1918 they had their own records.....records after 1922 remain with the RAF.

Why dont you put a shout out on here........there are people that go to Kew quite regular.........not like you are searching for a John Jones! lol

Annx

Double Blimey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

add "anyone going to kew " to your heading/title someone going may be able to look for you

Gosh!

it sounds like I am undercharging! lol

Just thinking Fiona, when I sent to the RAF for my G/fathers record they charged me £25.00 for a search that was about 20 years ago!

When you think about it with the info you have name /dob/service number, it should be easy for them to locate, so perhaps not too expensive a search.

Would still put out an SOS though!

Thank you all! I've amended the title!

fingers crossed for you that someone can help