Herod

I was going to say when I joined at South Cerney in Dec' 65 IIRC I was given a 4232*** number followed by a suffix letter which disappeared on commissioning, but Barksdale Boy beat me to it in post No. 60.

Hi Brian, and Barksdale Boy. That gives us a rough date as to when it all started. I joined Dec '64, and there was never a letter.

Great grandfather who served in RFC was issued with 13*** in November 1915 which was carried forward into RAF service in April 1918.

Likewise for my Grandfather, RNAS Air Mechanic (F 22***) who appears to have retained that number on 1 Apr 18 on transfer to the RAF.

Slightly surprised by his uniform with peaked cap, as a basic Naval Rating ... he was only a newly-joined Air Mechanic 2nd Class when that photo was taken. But Google has helped explain that ... Class III was worn by RNAS ratings! https://www.uniform-reference.net/in..._1.html#class1

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....84ddbc3be.jpeg

search the London Gazette for that number. You might get a match. In a different question I found some NCO aircrew who changed numbers on commissioning. The number might pop up.

Brian the letter didnt disappear, it appeared at a guess around 65-66 with airmen having a prefix and officers a suffix. It was a checksum letter with computerisation. There is a detailed explanation and decode on Pprune some years back.

I remember some resistance to using the letter. When that crumbled we delighted in answering 'last three ' with '34a' 'no I mean last 3 numbers '

It was definitely 65 or 66. I was at Gaydon from Jan 65 to Mar 66 and acquired my prefix while I was there, probably around mid 65. I was summoned to General Office and given a slip of paper with my new prefix on it. My apprentice number of 6 digits (688xxx) was prefixed with R0 (zero) so all numbers were padded out to 8 digits. Later after commissioning the letter migrated to the end, but not the zero.

Somehow I seem to have been late to the game of the suffix letter. I was a regular from 61 to 78, then joined the VR(T) to fly with an AEF. It must have been sometime in the 90s when HQ AC started adding a D to my 7-digit number.

Joined in late '55 with a 352**** (ex - ATC) number which stayed with me until I left Jan. '80. This was some airman service and a lot of commissioned service. I never had a letter at any time, to my knowledge. (Must have missed out or been forgotten!!).

Bill

Bill - me too, ref the letter.

I was in Boy Entrants when we received our Prefix Letter. That would have covered Jan '64 to Jul '65. I think it was mid '64. I think it took a couple of years for everyone to receive their Letter.

Aaron.

Pardon my ignorance in these matters. My stepfather joined the VR pre war based at Scampton. Trained as a WOP/AG. eventually becoming a squadron signals leader before converting to pilot. I recall a PFF certificate on the wall so would this have resulted in renumber? He became a VRT (T) officer and I'm think he gained another No. My own VR(T) No began 208XXX issued in 1970. I'd like to trace his path, particularly time spent on 7 and 156

I can endorse Geriaviator's comment re knowing your fathers service number, growing up on numerous stations during the 50's and 60's I knew my fathers off by heart 9246xx and still do. It was particularly useful when caught wandering around somewhere you were not strictly allowed to go but could lead to trouble once you got home!

As far as I am aware, once issued with a service number, that stays with you for life. Ex ground airmen re-mustering to aircrew or officer or NCO aircrew to officer, took their numbers with them. The letter given before the number, on commissioning, moved to the back. It was mid 80's that I remember the letter being attached to the commissioned branches, even though it had existed but not used previously. Much to the consternation of at least one direct entry Ex V-force AEO sent to maritime, who insisted that that he never had a letter in his service number, and felt degraded by being referred to as an ex- NCO AEOp.

I am S812**** Joined 11 May 76 Swinderby.

My Grandfather was "Pte No 3197 Royal Fusiliers 23.2.15."
Promoted "Temp 2nd Lt" on 25.9.15.
He became a "Temp Lieut" on 13.11.16 with the RFC.
His RFC / RAF number was 03128.

lsh
:E

I suspect things may have changed in later years but, during WW2, men commissioned from the ranks were allocated a new personal number. I have found this to be so when investigating several individuals for members of the 10 Squadron Association.