Ronald Dallas Brett OBE - RAF career

[fauteuil volant]

I'm trying to piece together the career of Ronald Dallas Brett, the author of 'History of British Aviation 1908 - 1914'. I won't trouble you regarding his civilian career but someone might be able to help me with his RAF career.

My researches so far indicate that he joined the fledgling RAF on 8 July 1918. His service number may have been 180249. I do not know for how long, after this, he served in the RAF or what rank(s) he achieved whilst doing so. However it appears that he had left the RAF by 1928 for he was then the Hon. Secretary of the Cinque Ports Flying Club, Lympne, and practising as a solicitor in Hythe.

I presume that after active service with the RAF, he joined the RAFVR as he was called up, near to the start of WW2, and allocated to the Administrative & Special Duties Branch of the RAF. I can trace him being appointed Pilot Officer on 17 May 1940 and Flying Officer on 15 December 1940 but I haven't traced any subsequent promotions. Nor do I know when he left the RAF.

I wonder if anyone can contribute some flesh to clothe the bare bones of his RAF career as outlined above. If you can, I offer my thanks in advance and anticipation.

FV

[ATR43]

Try posting your question here: RAFCommands Forums (http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/forum.php)

[longer ron]

As ATR posted - RAF Commands is a great place for personnel questions.

You can sometimes get good results from airhistory.org.uk - but they do not say much about this officer.

http://www.airhistory.org.uk/rfc/files/names_combined_B.txt

Brett R Ronald Mil Record AIR 76/53/164 9722
Brett RD R D Mil Record AIR 76/53/165 9723

[fauteuil volant]

Thank you, both. I'm loath to join another forum but .....

[Pontius Navigator]

Search the London Gazette, you will find references to his work as a solicitor before and after the war and his mention in the Gazette during the war.

[fauteuil volant]

I've done that, PN, but I've not found a lot there. However if you've succeeded where I've failed, the hyperlinks will be much appreciated!

[l.garey]

FV: I've just added some details via the old Key forum. Have a look there.

Laurence

[l.garey]

Just in case it gets lost:

I had a quick look at https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/ and see: 180249 RAF 1918, 79293 Flt Lt 1942, temporary Sqn Ldr 1944.

A bit more from Ancestry: born 6.8.1900 Egham, father Alexander Dallas Brett, solicitor (!), mother Ethel Mary. 23 Station Rd, Egham. Baptised 3.9.1900, Egham, St Johns.

There is more about his family, if you want it. Also copies of his Aviator's certificate (and photograph), number 8319 dated 1.7.1928 at Cinque Ports FC on DH60X.

He too was a solicitor, like his Dad.

If you want any of this let me know.

Laurence

[fauteuil volant]

I've responded to you in the other place, Laurence.

[DonClark]

I browse & post here but rarely, Sir. The Rules eg forbid my posting of the URLs as you request, and once modified, further delayed my reply.
For this sort of personnel case, you'd find the RAF Commands Forum a congenial place, with real expertise.

Air Force Lists (from the Internet Archive)
Readily searchable
AFL July 1945 finds Brett listed as S/Ldr A&SD, wef 1 Jan 1944.
1919 AFLs : He does not appear post-war as far as I can see: the only close match in all issues being
Brett R de R MC (Lt, Aeroplane and Seaplane Offr Br, 1 Apr 18) (in May 1918 AFL)

The London Gazette
Search on Brett 79293 finds 5 RAF entries from 1940 to 1954 (relinquish of commission)

Search on "Ronald Dallas Brett" (inl quotes)
yields 2 pages of entries from 1927 to 1962 as solicitor, and for OBE.
including one 2 Nov 45 indicating shortly prior return to private practice.

[Pontius Navigator]

FV, Don has done what I found.

I note you said he was Admin branch. Two other Admin/Special duties I looked at both got MBE. Interesting that your man got an OBE which was more usually granted to wg cdrs. I wonder if he was an acting wg cdr.

[DonClark]

Definitely gazetted Admin & Special Duties Branch, but honour not RAF service related, PN:
"SUPPLEMENT to The London Gazette 9 June 1955 3269
...
To be Ordinary Officers of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order:
...
Ronald Dallas BRETT, Esq., Principal, Ministry of Housing and Local Government."
Postscript
WW I: 1918 LG online search on Ronald Dallas Brett or RD Brett in any order draws no result. Query: WW I airman?

No further information or resource good luck with searching farewell

[longer ron]

The airhistory website that I posted a link to in post #3 is usually excellent for WW1 RFC/RAF personnel,but in this case it just refers to an AIR76 File,so I do not know if that file might be available from TNA.

http://www.airhistory.org.uk/rfc/files/names_combined_B.txt


Brett RD ..... Mil Record AIR 76/53/165 9723

[DonClark]

After a little more thought...

WWI Airman?
At UK National archives, AIR 78 is the card index of RAF airmen and airwomen from 1918 and access to the digitised roll is always free.
A careful check finds no trace of an RD Brett or Ronald Dallas Brett in AIR 78/21.
Conclusion: not airman.

WWI Officer
The AIR 76 ref is to Officer's Service Records. These are digitised and presently available online at UK National archives, temporarily, as free access.
The only provisos are: 1) you must first register with a valid email, and 2) sensible limits on no of items: 10 per basket, 50 items per month.

Discovery Search on AIR 76/53/165 goes straight to the record.
The image shows a little more detail than LRs linked summary, above, although in this case, the form is scarcely legible .It records only R D Brett (not full names).
With what appears to be a Service no 180249, which if correct indicates RAF entry as an RAF Cadet May to Oct 1918.
Matches the Appts column, which records Cadet Pilot.
The Movements column appears to show:
Entry on 14 Jul 1918, Demob on 10 Dec 1918.

The intervening entries are too dim for my eyes to pick out dates or units, and much of the form is blank.
Whether he qualified as a Pilot I cannot say.
WW I personnel records are a little out of my ground: Officer service nos I thought came much later, but perhaps the Cadet entrants were different.
The Internet Archive Air Force Lists are only for 1919, and my own CD copy is for May 1918, too early.
Malcolm Barrass of Air of Authority may have access to later 1918 issues: he replies readily to enquiry and is also very active at the RAF Commands forum.

So much for "No further information or resource". As The Rules insist that I must not include links or images either, that's about all I can say, FV.
However, good luck with searching.
Farewell

[fauteuil volant]

With apologies for my tardy reply, thank you for your copious input, Don. I'll pursue all these leads as soon as more pressing agricultural obligations permit! Thank you also, Pontius and Ron, for your contributions.

[longer ron]

Don Clark - just a few more posts and you should be able to do links etc (10 posts total ??)

[fauteuil volant]

..... or, Don, you could send me a PM with the hyperlinks (would that work?) and I could post them.

[l.garey]

As I said above I had replied to the Key thread and I mentioned Rifleman RD Brett S4311. I assumed that he was nothing to do with Roland Dallas, so did not repeat it in this Pprune thread. Just to add to the story of this name in WWI.

Laurence