Egypt

[saramade]

I know my father was in Egypt in March 1940. I have a newspaper cutting from Egyptian Sunday ? (was cut off), this is a photo of RAF team who played against Abbassia Area in Services' Charity Soccer Tournament at the Prince Farouk Stadium.
Our family know he was slightly injured when in Egypt, but we know nothing else. He was an engineer in technical branch so didn't fly, and in Sept 1942 he was a Sergeant (it is on my birth certificate).
Can anyone help with more details?

Thank you
Sarah

[christanel]

Welcome to British-Genealogy Sarah :smile5:

You won't find any WW11 service records online as they are still held by the MOD. This sticky (http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php/81920-Finding-service-records-for-WW2-and-after?p=585757#post585757)
explains how and where to apply for your father's service record and what details and documents you will need to supply.
Christina

ps. I see this question has also been answered by Pam in the Introduce Yourself forum Here (http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php/82703-My-Father)

[saramade]

Thanks Christina and Pam for your replies. I should give a bit more information about my father. His name was Leonard Arthur Parkes and he joined the RAF well before WW11. I think he did his first training at Hawkinge in Kent but I don't know which year.

As my Father remarried back in 1963 I do not have a copy of his death certificate which is required by the MOD. However, I have several letters he wrote to my Mother including following D-Day when he arrived in Normandy on 7th June with 3205 Servicing Commando Unit (address on letters). I have found a reference to their unit, which made interesting reading. At that time he was a flying officer.

On my birth certificate it gives his service number as 566663, but I found a later reference when he was made Flight Lieutenant with a different number 51938, of course it's possible this is another person with exactly the same name. Any thoughts?
Sarah

[christanel]

Hi
You can apply for your father's death certificate at the GRO here (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp)
You will need to find the details on FreeBMD here (http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl) However if he died after 1983his death reg will not be on FreeBMD.
This page (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/most_customers_want_to_know.asp#OrderingCertificat es5) on the GRO site tells how to order certificates without the volume/page details etc.

THIS (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-subject/secondworldwar.htm)is the National Archives guidance page re service records from 1920 onwards.

Christina

[Pam Downes]

Sarah,
Alternatively, if your father died between 1984 and 2007 inclusive, then you can find his death registration on Ancestry and Findmypast.
If you don't have a subscription to either site, then you may be able to access it for free at your local library.

Pam

[saramade]

Thanks Christina, I thought there probably was a way to get a copy of a death certificate. My Father died 1984.
Sarah

[saramade]

Thanks Pam, thought there must be a way to get a copy of a death certificate. My father died 1984.
Sarah

[Brian S]

What was his Rank given as on your Birth Certificate.

When receiving a Commission any man would have been issued with a "Personal Number", which would be different from the original one given when enlisted.

[saramade]

Thanks for that info Brian, I didn't know that about the change Personal Numbers.

My Father's rank on my birth certificate in 1942 was Sergeant. He was Flying officer in 1944. My brother's birth certificate in 1946 gives Flight lieutenant, but he didn't tell me the Personal Number.