Looking for Pointers - Sgt C.T. Nield, 16 MU

[4timbo]

I seem to be turning up a blank on my father's service (Sgt C.T. "Terry" Nield, 16 MU). I think he retired in 1975 or '76 after my mothers death. He died in 1977 so I cannot ask him or for that matter the rest of the family (they don't know either).

I've been trawling the net to see if I can find anything.
26 yrs in the RAF, ending with spells at 16 MU RAF Stafford and I can find nothing. It's like he didn't exist.

Any one who can help me with tips or info about his time in the service or for that matter the buffaloes would be doing me a great service.

Thanks in advance

Tim

[Peter Goodey]

Did you try the National Archives?

OK you wouldn't have found his service record but you would have found this which says "Records of RAF airmen who served after 1939, and of men whose service numbers were above 562875 are still with the RAF. Look on the GOV.UK website to find out how to obtain service records.
It can be useful to know his service number. If you do not know his number, browse through the name indexes in AIR 78 to find it."

This is the link for ordering service records

[4timbo]

Thanks Peter,

What is obvious to you may not be to the uninitiated and believe me as far as the military goes, I'm a base-brat but still uninitiated.

I tried the National Archives (been using them quite a lot) but did not take much notice of that bit of info because I'm looking for stuff from 1952 to 1975ish However, you may have guessed, I don't have his service number - I was only thirteen when he died and things were a bit squiffy for a time - so I'm doing this from a knowledge base of nothing.

I did not know about AIR 78 but I will see what I can find.

Thanks again.

Tim

[Lesley Robertson]

There's a message at the top of this RAF forum which, when click on the link, will take you to another about where/how to get "modern" records.
Doing the direct link trick is complicated with the iPad.

With all the anniversaries, they're a bit swamped, so it may be slow, but it's worth it.