RAF service records

[grahamwilk]

Hello, has any one requested RAF service records from WW2 period lately? just wondered what sort of wait there is?

Thanks Graham.

[timbo58]

Hello Graham, I think the wait is likely to be around 6 months based on previous applications we know of recently.
I know the army tend to be much slower however and the navy about the same.

[Lesley Robertson]

I did it about 18 months ago. Well, started it. On the form it said "evidence of death", so as I didn't have a copy of Dad's death cert to hand, I sent a copy of his obituary (which included his RAF rank and service number). After a delay, I got a letter saying that they would only accept a death cert, so had to order a copy. The papers eventually came (I think, about 6-7 months after I started), but were missing a couple of pages (predictably the ones I wanted most, showing the bases we'd lived on when I was tiny). It took a while longer to get them!
Take home message - there's no flexibility in the system, make sure that you have all necessary papers. And stock up on patience.
It was worth doing though.

[joycelyn]

Hi, my mother sent for her brothers service record in July last year (2013) and received them today so a wait of nearly 9 months in all! Hope you don't have to wait as long.