Trace family of pilot whose log books have just obtained

[zetec2]

I have just bought a set of log books (numbers 1,3 & 4) of Flg Off - Flt Lt 4147087 M.A Telford who started flying at Hullavington (2 FTS) in June 1954 on the Provost, his career goes on to June 1962 flying Chipmunks as tug pilot for the RAFGSA at Bicester, his log book shows 208 Sqd in the Gulf, Shawbury, Ternhill, Akrotiri, Leconfield etc etc, flying any thing from Provost, Chipmunk virtually all Mks of Meteor, Hunter and Vampire and Venom, Pembroke and Sycamore.

Would be interesting to find out if he is still alive - his family ?, how his log books ended up in a charity shop and what did he do in the missing log book 2.

Any ideas out there how I go about the search, any help greatly appreciated. zetec 2, Bicester.

[zetec2]

Further to the above I have found a copy of the London Gazette showing 4147087 Flg Off M.A Telford was promoted to Flt Lt on 28 July 1965, so maybe his career didn't stop with flying in June 1962 and that he remained in service, no more flying - desk job ? are there any more log books, the plot thickens. zetec2, Bicester.

[Pontius Navigator]

As for charity shops, the short route is house clearance after a death. To easy for family, especially with small modern housing to take an easy option and bin paperwork.

[Heathrow Harry]

Royal Air Force personnel - The National Archives (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-air-force-personnel/#8-lists-of-raf-servicemen)

is a place to start

looks like the AirForce List would give you his career progression

[Heathrow Harry]

If you Google him there is a Flt Lt M A Telford listed in

RAF Little Rissington: The Central Flying School 1946 - 76

By R. Deacon, A. Pollock, M. Thomas, R. Bagshaw

in 1972 - looks like he won a tropy........ he also has three entries in the index

M A Telford was gazetted as Pilot Officer to Flying Officer on 17th June 1956

he was Gazetted as Specialist Aircrew on 20th Jan 1974

http://www.naval8-208-association.com/Newsletter%202007-1.pdf Page 12 has Mr M A & Mrs G L Telford present at the Naval 8/208 Squadron Dinner

http://www.radfanhunters.co.uk/gallery208-6.htm at the first picture (but 2picture not found"!)

A gathering of Squadron pilots in the Officers' Mess bar at Eastleigh in 1959 (Pete McLeland)
From l to r are; Pete Biddiscombe, Alastair Macnab, Sam Key (fez), Mike Telford, George Ord, ???? Miers and Bebe Sharman.

he appears on this very forum in a picture at

http://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/414446-good-old-days-3.html

also in
http://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-414446.html
sharpend
15th Mar 2011, 12:20

Actually, Mike Telford was my QFI at Leeming in 1965! Told tales of crashing his aeroplane in Oman!

petermcleland
14th Mar 2011, 12:35

Here is a 208 Squadron photograph that I have not published before:-

http://www.petermcleland.com/slides/208SquadronAtSalisbury.jpg

Taken at Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) in 1959...
The pilots on the front row from left to right:-

Alastair Macnab, Terry Hill, Dinga Bell, Tim Cohu, Roy Morris, Dicky Brown, George Ord, Boss Ramirez, Sam Key, Mac McLeland, Pete Biddiscombe, Des Melaniphy, Mike Telford, Stu Grieve and the last is our Engineer Officer, Paddy Thompson.

208 Squadron Assoc looks like your best bet for news and contacts...... http://www.naval8-208-association.com/

He's not listed "In Memoriam" so sounds like he's still with us..............

[Vampiredave]

Flt Lt Mike Telford flew Chipmunks at Little Rissington, especially with this display team: 1970 Four Chipmunk T.10s of CFS, Little Rissington, "The Skylarks” Flt Lts W R T Hobson, M S J McKinley, T Anderson, M A Telford and G Cullen.
I corresponded with him for a while and he sent me two photographs of himself and colleagues

[zetec2]

Gents thank you for your replies, helped me to start the process of filling in the gaps, I will report back as I find more info, again thank you, zetec2, Bicester.

[Warmtoast]

zetec2
If you haven't already tried, BT Directory Enquiries online is worth a try. Try looking for a Telford in the town where you obtained the books.
FWIW there's one Telford listed in Bicester together with a telephone number and address - so a possible relative - assuming that the charity shop you bought it from is in Bicester?

WT

[sycamore]

zetec2, PM for you....

[Sam Dodger]

From the 2004 RAF Retired list : M A Telford AFC. Born 20/1/36, commissioned 9/6/54 Retired 3/10/78

[zetec2]

Again thank you for the replies and info re Mike Telford, whilst trawling through 208 Sqn data came across this photo - does it wring any bells with anybody out there, who, where , why relevant to 208 ?. again thanks in anticipation, PH, Bicester.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/zetec2/th_tumblr_olj4nwaXhU1u87v54o1_1280_zpsfvtp8mhq.jpg (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/zetec2/media/tumblr_olj4nwaXhU1u87v54o1_1280_zpsfvtp8mhq.jpg.html)

[StopStart]

Where are they now? Pprune thread from 2014 (http://www.pprune.org/where-they-now/531701-flt-lt-mike-telford-crash-oman-1960-s.html)

[Vampiredave]

The image depicts Wg Cdr Don Cameron, CO of 442 Squadron, RCAF, in front of squadron Vampire for the last flight of Canadian Vampire, 6 Dec 1956 (DND) What it is doing in the 208 Squadron page, I have no idea?

[zetec2]

Again thanks for the replies, picture is coming together, PH, Bicester.

[NutLoose]

Such a shame for the family to dispose of them like this, one only hopes they kept hold of his medals.

[MPN11]

Yes, indeed! I've been wondering what his AFC was awarded for.

[zetec2]

Thanks to PPRuNe readers I have just about got a complete picture of Mike Telford, plus family info, will decide hoew to progress over next couple of weeks and pass on the info through this forum, again thank you to all for your help b rgds, PH, Bicester.

[Heathrow Harry]

I was rather astounded to discover that there is no published record listing all gallantry awards and the citations - you have to work your way through the London Gazette and that normally doesn't publish citations

[Wander00]

Mention of Pete Biddiscombe above - my flight commander in Cadet Wing at the Towers early 60s

[Vampiredave]

Well "Dinga Bell, Tim Cohu, George Ord, Boss Ramirez (possibly?), Sam Key, Mac McLeland and Pete Biddiscombe" are still around and should be able to help further?

[Tankertrashnav]

I was rather astounded to discover that there is no published record listing all gallantry awards and the citations - you have to work your way through the London Gazette and that normally doesn't publish citations

It would be a rather thick tome HH. To start with, there were over 20,000 awards of the DFC in WW2 alone, and over 4,000 of the AFC. Taking the post war period, there were over 1900 awards of the AFC from 1946-69, so you can imagine the size of the book. Taking into account the work involved in compiling such a book (or books, as it would run to several volumes) and the cost of printing, the cover price would be prohibitive considering the limited market for such a work.

Such a shame for the family to dispose of them like this, one only hopes they kept hold of his medals.

Over the years I have bought and sold hundreds of medals, but very rarely have I managed to buy accompanying logbooks. I remember buying a nice AFC group to a WW2 Mosquito squadron commander from the chap's widow. She didn't mind parting with the medals, but would not sell the logbooks as she felt they were far more personal than the medals, having been filled out by her late husband. She was kind enough to lend me them for a while but I certainly didn't try and persuade her to sell them.

[sharpend]

I flew with Mike!

[Heathrow Harry]

TTNV - I was thinking (hoping!) that it would be on the web .....

maybe a useful project to fund when I win the Eurolottery.........................

[Tankertrashnav]

Ah, that's my old brain equating "publishing" with something on paper!

I believe a lot of the info from the London Gazette is already online, but in the past I have found it very difficult to search the archives. In recent years I have left this to a chum who seems to know the system better than I do and is willing to help out occasionally. There are also professional researchers who do this sort of work at the National Archive (formerly known as the Public Records Office). Some of them are very reasonable - others not so!

[Heathrow Harry]

Given that there are people who post pictures & catalogue electricity pylons I'd hoped someone had done the research for me ........................

I have a readers ticket myself ...... but you need a couple of trips ot figure out the best way to use the place

the online issues of the Gazette aren't always easy to search for either

[teeteringhead]

the online issues of the Gazette aren't always easy to search for either Someone with Air Force Lists before heretired should be able to provide you with his service number - that makes the search of the Gazette easier.

A full set of AFLs would also give the (rough - they were up to 18 months late) date of the AFC which would make the search easier. I've got some old Lists somewhere (loft? shed?? garage???) so might be able to help given a bit of time.....

[Edited to add:]

Oops - just seen the OP has his number - I'm on the case!

[Edited again!]

A quick search of the Gazette gives no details but the date (NYHL 1978). Some awards do - I found details of Jock Stirrup's AFC a while ago - but I'm guessing that this was an "end of bl%%dy good tour" award. The striking thing is that he was one of TEN RAF AFCs in that list!! (No details on any - Richie Profit's was in the same list.)

[Innominate]

Birthday and New Year Honours Lists almost never give citations - you need to find the recommendation. This file looks hopeful:
DEFE 71/312 Honours and awards: New Year's Honours List 1978; flying awards