Contacts
How to obtain Royal Air Force Service Records, Medals and Information
A. ROYAL AIR FORCE SERVICE RECORDS
Personnel Records
Royal Air Force personnel records are held at RAF Innsworth. If service number and details are known, please quote it in correspondence.
Innsworth will only divulge information to the person to whom it refers or, if he or she has died, to his or her immediate next of kin. Anyone else must obtain written permission from the person about whom they are enquiring, or from his or her next of kin, before any information will be given to them.
Innsworth make a charge of £30.00 for any information they provide. The only people exempt from charges are the person to whom the records refer or their widow or widower.
The address is:
PMA IM1b(RAF)
Room 5
Building 248A
RAF Personnel Management Agency
RAF Innsworth
Gloucester GL3 1EZ
For records of decorations and citations:
Minstry of Defence Medal Office
Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency
Building 250
RAF Innsworth
Gloucester GL3 1HWThe MOD Medal Office Enquiry Line is: Tel: 01452 712612 ext 8149
For medal claims:
AFPAA (JPAC)
MOD Medal Office
Building 250
RAF Innsworth
Gloucester GL3 1HW
Records for the precursors of the RAF (the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service) are held at The National Archives, as are RAF records for service during the First World War. Casualty enquiries information about casualties is deemed to be personal and only enquiries in writing from or on behalf of next of kin can normally be considered. Casualty enquiries are dealt with by:
PMA(Casework) Casualty(RAF)
Building 182
RAF Personnel Management Agency
RAF Innsworth
Gloucester
GL3 1EZ
and:
Air Historical Branch(RAF)
Building 266
RAF Bentley Priory
Stanmore
Middlesex
HA7 3HH
Air Historical Branch(RAF) also maintain historical records relating to individual aircraft.
B. OFFICIAL RECORDS RELATING TO THE ROYAL AIR FORCE
These are kept at The National Archives, whose address is:
The National Archives,
Ruskin Avenue,
Kew,
Richmond,
Surrey TW9 4DU.Telephone: 020-8876 3444.
Fax: 020-8878 8905.
Website: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
TNA has published "RAF Records in the National Archives" (TNA Readers' Guide No 8) (137 pages, 1994, £8.95, ISBN 1-873162-14-6) This is a detailed and useful guide.
They also produce information sheets on various subjects, e.g. "Operational Records of the Royal Air Force" "Navy, Royal Air Force and Merchant Navy Pension Records". These information sheets are free but can only be collected from TNA itself; they do not send them by post to enquirers.
The National Archives does not undertake research for enquirers but is open to the public at the following times:
- Monday 9.00-17.00
- Tuesday 10.00-19.00
- Wednesday 9.00-17.00
- Thursday 9.00-19.00
- Friday 9.00-17.00
- Saturday 9.30-17.00
Admission is by Reader's Ticket. Readers have to register in person breaing adequate proof of identity, such as a passport or UK driving licence or UK bank/credit card. If in doubt the applicant should call in advance of their visit on 020 8392 5200.
The National Archives may be able to provide a list of private research agents who are willing to undertake research at TNA for a negotiated fee.
Intending visitors are advised to check:
a. The opening times prior to a visit as sections are occasionally closed for stocktaking.
b. That documents are available for consultation as they are sometimes withdrawn for official use.
C. ROYAL AIR FORCE - Other Sources of Information
Royal Air Force Museum
Grahame Park Way
Hendon
London NW9 5LLTelephone: 020-8205 2266 ex 273
Website: http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/
The Royal Air Force Museum has First World War casualty records, and also holds limited records of individual aircraft.
Imperial War Museum,
Lambeth Road,
London SE1 6HZTelephone: 020-7416 5000
Fax: 020-8416 5374
Website: http://www.iwm.org.ukCommonwealth War Graves Commission
2 Marlow Road
Maidenhead
Berks SL6 7DXTelephone: 01628 634221
Website: http://www.cwgc.org/
Last Updated: 17 Nov 05