trying to find great great uncle

[Joanne Royle]

Hi all, I haven't been on for a bit. I hope everyone is well. I'm hoping someone can help me find my great great uncle and what happened to him. I think he died I was looking on Imperial war museum site and under died soldiers and it looks like he's there. frank Platt he was called. He was born in staffordshire but on there it said he lived oldham. he is on 1901 census as living there born 1883 so he was old enough for first world war. In my picture he is wearing flying corp uniform. I'm hoping picture is of my great uncle frank, there is no writing on the back. it must be from my family cause I have another uncle who I have picture of that was with this one he's my great great uncle on grandma's side frank is off my grandad's side. if anyone can shed any light on this it would be great as I have hit a very hard wall Joanne x

[Procat]

Hi Joanne,

A check of the CWGC (http://www.cwgc.org/) site does not show a death for a F Platt, WWI, in the RFC.

What information did you find on the Imperial War Museum site?

[Geoffers]

Are you absolutely certain of the uniform? Do you know his rank?

Could he have been in the RNAS? See this record - Frank Arthur PLATT bn 10 Jul 1884, Walsall (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7055063&queryType=1&resultcount=3)

Have a read of this TNA research guide - RAF, FRC and RNAS in WW1 (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/rdleaflet.asp?sLeafletURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enatio nalarchives%2Egov%2Euk%2Fcatalogue%2Fleaflets%2Fri 2049%2Ehtm&lBack=-1)

There are several Frank PLATTs who died in WW1 but I cannot locate one who served in the RFC.

Who were his parents?

On what part of the IWM site did you find the reference?

[Joanne Royle]

Hi he is definitely wearing flying corp uniform. he was just called frank platt. His parents were enoch and eliza . I went on the imperial museum homepage and it has a section you can check if members of your family were killed first world war i typed in frank platt and that's how I came up with a frank platt initials F but it said birthplace oldham, so maybe it's not him then cause he was born staffordshire. I haven't a clue who the photo is but he looks just like my great grandmother, he is definitely my relation I'm sure and not just a photo of someone sent from another family who's son went to war.I have followed every male possibility in my family and have not found out who he is. if only my family had put on the back who he was.Joanne x

[Geoffers]

The CWGC shows a Frank PLATT from Oldham who died in 1918, but he was a private in 2nd bn Loyal North Lancs Regt.

I suspect that the entry you have located does not refer to your relative.

Do you know when Enoch PLATT died? Did he leave a will in which he mentions his surviving children?

I would suggest looking at TNA's research guide (link given above) and seeing if you can identify files at TNA which may hold details of your chap.

In particular look at Paragraph 3, RFC Service before 1918.

"If he was in service on 1 April 1918, his service record went to the RAF: see below."

Seeing below records the following...........

"RAF service records from 1 Apr 1918
Records of the first 329,000 men who served in the RFC before 1 April 1918, and in the RAF (formerly RFC and RNAS) from 1 April 1918 are in AIR 79 (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/DisplayCatDetailsGoto.asp?catref=AIR+79&accessmethod=6) . They are in service number order. If you do not know the service number, look at the index in AIR 78 (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/DisplayCatDetailsGoto.asp?catref=AIR+78&accessmethod=6) ."

So - IF your chap is in this group, you need to try and locate the file at TNA which hold his service number.

Searching TNA's catalogue shows that it should be held in:

Name Range: Pickford, A D - Polland, W T (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=4904962&CATLN=6&accessmethod=5)

If you cannot get to TNA, you can request an estimate for copying the page with Frank PLATT's entry. With his service number you can then search TNA's catalogue in AIR79 (you may need help to search by his number, please ask when you know it).