RAF dog tag

[malj1]

Dog tag made from an old penny dated 1900 ~ RAF number 348587

It shouldn't be too difficult to track down who had this number ...although fairly high considering the RAF wasn't formed until April 1918 so it could date to quite a bit after the first world war I imagine.

[eurocoin]

It is certainly an interesting piece but I fear it is in fact going to be very difficult to find information. The number is missing from the Royal Air Force Service Records 1912-1939 which means that either the information was lost or the person did not serve within that timeframe. Information from after 1939 is not yet publicly accessible. It can currently only be requested from the UK Government but if you are not a family member you can only obtain information if you can provide the full name, date of birth and service number of the person, which you can't.

The RAF was an amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service, which may explain the high number. The number itself doesn't provide any clues either.

[malj1]

I paid scant attention to the other side ! I now find its stamped 5 FT S

[malj1]

5 FT S on the obverse is:

No. 5 Flying Training School (5 FTS) is a former Royal Air Force flying training school that operated between 1920 and 1974

[brandm24]

I like these old dog tags, particularly the ones stamped on coins or tokens There's a lot of personal history surrounding them if one can find it.

I've found the real difficulty in identifying them often lies with the tag itself. There's not always enough information provided.  At other times the unavailability of records is the culprit. In the US military records having been carefully preserved for the most part and are generally fairly detailed, even going back to the Civil War. Accessing them is sometimes the problem though. For various reasons the more modern ones are often unavailable for review. The same is true for federal census records...none are available after 1940.

Despite the problems encountered in researching these tags, it can be a rewarding experience. I've looked into a number of these over the years with enough success to keep me interested.

Bruce

[Figleaf]

There's good news, though. The internet is slowly creeping into archives. The EU has a gargantuan programme to bring archives online. I have used its results many times to dig up background for WoT. Many important archives now have their structure online and short descriptions of the contents are multiplying quickly. For intimate detail, you still have to go to the archive, but at least you know the documents are there. People who can physically go to an archive, like <k> in London and Henk in Utrecht can still come up with important new information, but it is inevitable that archives will become ever more accessible with a computer.

Peter

[eurocoin]

Mainly bad news as it has turned out that there should have been a record of 348587 between the Airmen's Service Records 1912-1939. As there wasn't, this means that the information was either lost or mistakenly destroyed. It will be much more difficult, if not impossible, to still find out who the person behind the number was.

There is a tiny detail that I, with the help of a specialised acquiantance, now can add though: Further research to the number has shown that although no personal information like regiment, rank or function can be derived from it, we do know that the block of numbers 348587 is part of, was used exclusively for people who enlisted in 1921.

[malj1]

That's good to know that at least we have the date of enlistment, this is a start and more information may be found one day.

[eurocoin]

Again with the help of an expert it was found that the precise date on which this person enlisted in the RAF (more formal: attestation date) is 22 July 1921.
The search continues..

[malj1]

Good to have confirmation of the date.

I do have a token issues from a Flying School No9 on this page it would have been near Bristol, this is stamped 'to be surrendered on leaving' but obviously it wasn't, perhaps though he didn't survive and it was among his effects?