Rfc- raf 1918-?

[malifox]

I am making a belated effort to trace the career of my father James Herbert (Herb) Cairns: a cadet in the RFC from April? 1917 to 1919?. He was at Camp Borden #3 Flight IN December of 1917, Deseronto in 1918, Waddington,Ontario in 1918 (September?) and in Harlaxton, Lincoln shire,England in 1918 until ?. He was a commisioned pilot and became a member of the Aero Club of Canada in March of 1918 and a member of the Royal Club for Qfficers beyond the Seas RAF (1918?). I am hoping to fill in the gaps !
Thank you!
malifox

[Chock]

Might want to check with the Royal Aero Club in the UK to see if they have any records you could check, which may throw a bit more light on stuff. They are still very much in existence as the sporting aviation representative of the Federation Aeronautique International in the UK.

Believe it or not, they do still issue the 'Tickets' you read about when WW1 pilots got their licences - mine was number 100,875 when I got it in 1997, which I worked out puts me 96,980 after when Edward Mannock got his ticket, which was 81 years prior to me getting mine!

Contact the Royal Aero Club here via email: secretary@royalaeroclub.org

Al

[john_g]

malifox

There is only one Cairnes listed in the Royal Aero Club Aviators (UK)Certificate List dated up to 1926, this is Tom Algar Elliott Cairnes number 1811 dated 2 October 1915.

I would be interested to see what you can find out about "Royal Club for Officers beyond the Seas RAF (1918?" I have never heard of that organization.

His RAF Officers record, providing he did not serve after 1920 will be in The National Archive, Kew, London class AIR76 film 72.


Happy hunting


john_g


66 Squadron

[malifox]

Thank you,John
The informationI have is from a membership card issued to 2nd Lieut.
J.H. CAIRNS (141018) at The Royal Automobile Club. The card was signed by a Lieut. General, Commanding London District, the signature in ink is difficult to read (???? Slow???)
Thanks again,
Malifox(John Cairns) Per Ardua Ad Astra

[john_g]

malifox

I have checked my RAeC Aviators list as noted before and there is no one of that name listed. The number you give is far to high for the WW1 period they got up to the 7000 - 8000 range. I suggest you go on to Ancestry.com and check thier RAeC records as they have a full run, mine go as far as 6 August 1926.

john_g


66 Squadron

[john_g]

malifox

Was he the James Hurbert Cairnes who was born in April 1891 and had an address in Vancouver?

john_g

66 Squadron

[malifox]

Yes . He worked for the Canadian Bakeries (4X) in Vancouver.

[john_g]

Hi,
It's taken a while to find any information about him and what I have found is quite brief. I have found his RAF AIR76 record at the National Archives, unfortunately it is not a very good copy and difficult to read.

It gives an address at 2104 5th Avenue West, Vancouver. His father at same address. Date not readable but it notes SAF 7/9/18 Beamsville Recruits Depot. From HQ Canada to Home Establishment (That would be when he arrived in the UK?) 27/009/18 by the 27/10/18 he was with 48 TDS at RAF Waddington.
He was gazetted 2/Lt (A) on 01/10/18 with effect from 05/09/18, which was probably when he passed his CFS A certificate, and should have been promoted to Flying Officer on the same date.
By 15/07/19 he was awaiting repatriation at a camp, which unfortunately the name is not clear.

It gives his civil occupation 1912-13 as a clerk and 1914-17 a commercial traveller in Vancouver.

I am afraid that is all I could find.

From this we can say that he got his wings but did not finish advanced training and never served with a front line squadron.

That’s all we have.


john_g


66 Squadron

Visit my new profiles page.

[malifox]

Thank you, John,
I did reply earlier to thank you for that new information.
I became interested in finding more informaton about my father after finding a book,DANCING IN THE SKY: a history of the RFC in Canada, just recently published.
I accessed yor site. Congratulations!
Sincerely and thanks again!
John Cairns ( malifox)