RAF Prisoner of War

[Minnow]

I would really appreciate some guidance. After many years I have finally tracked down a great uncle (through marriage) who died in WW2. My father always thought his name was Roy Byron, and I have finally found him as Robert Walter Willson Aircraftman 1st Class 1360596 RAF buried in Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia.
I would dearly love to know more about Robert, his war career and how he ended up as a POW. Any ideas as to where I should start? and what does Aircraftman 1st Class mean? Any assistance would be appreciated.
Regards
Mary

[Neil Wilson]

Robert Walter Willson Aircraftman 1st Class 1360596 RAF buried in Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia.
I would dearly love to know more about Robert, his war career and how he ended up as a POW. Any ideas as to where I should start? and what does Aircraftman 1st Class mean? Any assistance would be appreciated.
Regards
Mary
Mary
All the RAF records are held at
PMA (CS) 2a (2)b (RAF), Building 248, HQ RAF Personnel & Training Command, RAF Innsworth, Gloucester, GL3 1EZ
taken from http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/sources.html

POW ? have you confirmed this? he could have been a ground casualty or died from some type of illness.

Aircraftman 1st class = this is one of the lowest ranks in the RAF at that time, I believe that there was only second class below it.
Nowadays aircraftman is the rank given to trainee's until they have passed their basic trade training which can last months.
Regards
Neil
ex RAF

[Minnow]

Thanks for this info Neil. I know that he was captured at some point in the Far East. My father believes he was in a POW camp in Java and that he was given 'special treatment' once the Japanese knew he was a professional pianist and that he survived for some time in the camp. Now that I finally have his real name I know he's buried in Ambon.
I guess I could end up finding a completely different story to that, that my father grew up with....

[Peter Goodey]

Have you seen the National Archives research guide?


http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=303