Episode 10 Researching Your Bomber Command Ancestor

Never Mind The Dambusters

We answer the question we get asked most frequently - "How do I go about researching someone who served with RAF Bomber Command?"
In this episode, we discuss how to research ancestors or family members who served with RAF Bomber Command during World War II. We provide a guide to tackling this topic and share own own experiences. We'll cover topics such as obtaining service records, using the London Gazette, exploring Squadron records, contacting Squadron Associations and utilizing genealogy websites.
Patience, persistence, and thinking outside the box when conducting research is key!
We'll explain how to access and research the service records of RAF personnel, and provide guidance on finding digitized records at the National Archives, paying for digitization services, and visiting the archives in person. We'll also be highlighting the importance of Squadron Diaries and Operational Record Books in understanding an ancestor's military service, using Commonwealth War Graves Records and the International Bomber Command Centre Losses Database, finding information on casualties, and the challenges of researching ground crew.
Finally, we answer questions from listeners about tracking complete service records and finding photographs of training units..
To make things easier for you, here's a list of links to all the resources we talk about in this episode. You can also read an article based on this episode on Jane's website, https://www.justcuriousjane.com/
Obtain UK service records
Obtain RCAF service records

Obtain RAAF service records
Obtain RNZAF service records
London Gazette
The National Archives (including Casualty files )
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
International Bomber Command Centre Losses Database

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