Catalogue description Royal Air Force: Other ranks service records

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Details of AIR 85
Reference: AIR 85
Title: Royal Air Force: Other ranks service records
Description:

This series consists of service records for other ranks of the Royal Air Force (RAF) who served during the Second World and after, and who were discharged before the end of 1963.

The record primarily consists of the F543 form, which originally acted as the wrapper for the service file. This form usually contains a range of personal details and service information about an individual including their name, date of birth, place of birth, next of kin and other personal information, units in which they served, conduct, qualifications gained, and discharge details.

Note: Occasionally, a service record has not survived in this series if an individual was commissioned as an officer from the ranks. In such cases, these records will be transferred at a later date.
Date: 1939-1963
Arrangement:

Some pieces appear to have been organised according to service number, however for large parts of this series there is no discernible order to the pieces.
Related material:

RAF Airmens service records prior to the Second World War can be found in AIR 79

Records of service for RAF officers discharged before 1920 are in AIR 76

For a name index to airmen's and airwomen's service records, including service records in this series, see AIR 78
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

War Office, 1857-1964
Physical description: file(s)
Access conditions: Open unless otherwise stated
Immediate source of acquisition:

From 2024 Ministry of Defence
Accruals: This series is accruing.
Administrative / biographical background:

This collection of records primarily includes individuals who served in the various units of the Royal Air Force, during and after the Second World War.

It includes both men and women who enlisted for service, as well as those born or residing both in and outside the United Kingdom at their time of enlistment.

The series contains those who were discharged before the end of National Service in 1963. The records were also used for pension purposes after 1945.

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