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*[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/index.html Flightgobal Archive], the original pages of ''Flight Magazine'' from 1909-2005 which are fully searchable. Contains pages relating to “Service Aviation”. (retrieved 18 April 2014)
→Records
**[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/officer-royal-flying-corps/ Royal Flying Corps officers]
*:The service records of RFC airman who died or were discharged before the foundation of the RAF were kept with the British Army personnel records.
*: A number of the early RFC aircrew were transferred from the [[Royal Artillery]], in part because one of the new Corps’ initial and most important roles was observing artillery fire.<ref>
[https://www.facebook.com/RoyalArtilleryArchive/posts/2512155679110384 Post dated 1 July 2018. Royal Artillery Museum Archive on Facebook]</ref>
**[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-air-force-personnel/ Royal Air Force personnel]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160705183112/http://www.bl.uk:80/reshelp/findhelpregion/asia/india/indiaofficerecordsfamilyhistory/occupations/royalairforce/raf.html Royal Air Forcein India] British Library Help for Researchers, now an archived webpage.*British Library Guide [https://www.bl.uk/britishlibrary/~/media/subjects%20images/government%20publications/pdfs/service-list-army-navy.pdf?la=en "Service Lists for the Army, Navy and Air Force"]. For details of online Lists, see the following items.
*Online [http://archive.org/search.php?query=collection%3Anlsairforcelists&sort=-publicdate Air Force Lists] from the collection of the [http://archive.org/details/nationallibraryofscotland National Library of Scotland on Archive.org]
:The Lists were initially published on a monthly basis. Currently available (at April 2012) are
:*1945 January, April, July.
:The above, and additional editions, are also available (free) on the website of the of the NLS as [http://digital.nls.uk/93506069 ''Air Force List''s: 1919-1922 and 1938-1945], which may be read online or downloaded. Also there are transcriptions available, together with a '''Search''' facility. There are ''Monthly Air Force List''s 1919-1922 (missing January 1919, December 1920) and ''Air Force List''s monthly 1938-May 1940 (missing Oct. 1938, Jan. 1940), bimonthly June 1940- July 1944, and quarterly Oct. 1944-July 1945.
: Data from most of the editions (possibly probably all) from the NLS are also available to search on findmypast in a database "Royal Air Force Lists 1919-1945",<ref>[https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/royal-air-force-lists-1919-1945 Royal Air Force Lists 1919-1945] findmypast</ref> located in Armed Forces & Conflict/Regimental & Service Records. However, it does not seem possible the editions may only be browsed with difficulty, but appear to be classified similarly to browse the editionsNLS database.
*TheGenealogist, pay website, in its Diamond subscription,<refname=DIA>[https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/coverage/military-records/?type=diamond#includes TheGenealogist] Diamond Subscription.</ref> currently (2018/03) includes some monthly Air Force Lists, some of which are also held by the NLS, but additionally
**1918, April. Also available in the Gold subscription, and elsewhere as a CD or pay download.<ref>[https://genealogysupplies.com/product/Military-and-Naval-Records/Air-Force-List-1918-April/ Air Force List 1918 - April] genealogysupplies.com</ref>
**1933, October. Also available in the Gold subscription, and elsewhere as a CD or pay download.<ref>[https://genealogysupplies.com/product/Military-and-Naval-Records/Air-Force-List-1933-October/ Air Force List 1933 - October] genealogysupplies.com</ref>.
**British Royal Air Force, Gallantry Awards 1914-1919 (sub category: Medal rolls and honours}
**Royal Air Force Muster Roll 1918 (sub category: First World War). This database is also on Ancestry (category Military, released 2016/10).
**Airmen Died In The Great War, 1914-1919 (sub category: First World War). Transcripts. The source is data from a Naval & Military Press DVD "reprint"<ref>[https://www.naval-military-press.com/product/airmen-died-in-the-great-war-1914-1918-the-roll-of-honour-of-the-british-and-commonwealth-air-services-complete-on-one-fully-searchable-dvd-rom/ ''Airmen died in the Great War, 1914-1918 : the roll of honour of the British and Commonwealth air services of the First World War''] by Chris Hobson. Naval & Military Press DVD.</ref> of the book ''Airmen died in the Great War, 1914-1918 : the roll of honour of the British and Commonwealth air services of the First World War'' by Chris Hobson, published in 1995. This database is also available on fold3, the Ancestry owned pay website. Also includes Royal Naval Air Service records.**Royal Air Force, Operations Record Books 1939-1945 (sub category: Second World War), added c 2020/05/29. These are '''index''' records from The National Archives at Kew, for records from the AIR 27 series. Some records classed as No 1 Squadron RIAF (Royal Indian Air Force) and No 10 Squadron RIAF (Royal Indian Air Force) were noted. Also dates before and after the range quoted.**British Royal Air Force, Combat Reports 1939-1945 (sub category: Second World War), added c 2020/05/29. These are '''index''' records from The National Archives at Kew, for records from the AIR 50 series.
*Held on the pay website Ancestry, with images on the Ancestry owned pay website fold3, a database "UK, WWI Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923", which includes Royal Air Force personnel. For more details about these records, see the page [[British Army#WFA WW1 pension record cards|British Army - WFA WW1 pension record cards]].
*TheGenealogist, pay website, released 6 February 2020, as part of Military Records, which are part of its Diamond subscription,<ref name=DIA/> the '''first batch''' of a database "Air Force Operations" with featured article [https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/raf-operations-books-build-a-picture-of-wwii-aircrew-ancestors-action-1231/ RAF Operations books build a picture of WWII aircrew ancestors' action]. These are records from The National Archives series [https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/r/C2082 AIR 27 Air Ministry and successors: Operations Record Books, Squadrons], which date mainly from the mid 1930s onwards, but further details of TheGenealogist coverage is not given. Note AIR 27/1-2893 have been digitised by TNA, and may be downloaded for a fee from TNA website.
*RAF Records Office for personnel enquiries can be contacted at:
*The Royal Air Force Museum, London, refer [[Royal Air Force#External links|External links]] below, holds some records including First World War Casualty Cards, which extend to 1928 and cover all theatres of operations. Casualty Cards records and Officers' Casualty Forms (the latter service records) have now been digitised, and are freely available.
*The website Royal Flying Corps, refer [[Royal Air Force#External links|External links]] below, includes a People Index, derived from a number of different sources.
*From Stephen Lewis' ''Soldiers Memorials''
**[http://www.angelfire.com/mp/memorials/rafpesh.htm Royal Air Force 1922 - 27: Memorial in St. John's Church, Peshawar]
**[http://www.angelfire.com/mp/memorials/rafmemsx.htm Royal Air Force Quetta Earthquake Memorial]
*Books by SD and DB Jarvis, originally published 1993, and available in reprint editions.
:''The Cross Of Sacrifice. Vol. 2: Officers Who Died in the Service of the Royal Navy, RNR, RNVR, RM, RNAS and RAF, 1914-1919''. Available at the British Library UIN: BLL01008822978 (Reprint edition.<ref>[https://www.naval-military-press.com/product/cross-of-sacrifice-vol-2-officers-who-died-in-the-service-of-the-royal-navy-rnr-rnvr-rm-rnas-and-raf-1914-1919/ ''Cross Of Sacrifice. Vol. 2: Officers Who Died in the Service of the Royal Navy, RNR, RNVR, RM, RNAS and RAF, 1914-1919''] Naval & Military Press</ref>)
: ''The Cross Of Sacrifice Vol 4: Non-commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Navy, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force 1914-1921. Including the Commonwealth Navies and Air Forces''. [https://books.google.com.au/books?id=x1K-BAAAQBAJ&pg=PP1 Sample pages], Google Books. Available at the British Library UIN: BLL01006747946 . (Reprint edition.<ref>[https://www.naval-military-press.com/product/cross-of-sacrifice-vol-4-non-commissioned-officers-and-men-of-the-royal-navy-royal-flying-corps-and-royal-air-force-1914-1919/ ''Cross Of Sacrifice Vol. 4: Non-commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Navy, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force 1914-1919''] (as catalogued) Book cover states 1921. Naval & Military Press</ref>)
:Additionally there is a 14 page addendum to Volume 4 which is not available separately in ''The Cross Of Sacrifice Vol. 5: The Officers, men and women of the Merchant Navy and Mercantile Fleet Auxiliary 1914–1919''. [https://books.google.com.au/books?id=2X2-BAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover Sample pages], Google Books. Available at the British Library UIN: BLL01007836149 . (Reprint edition.<ref>[https://www.naval-military-press.com/product/cross-of-sacrifice-vol-5-the-officers-men-and-women-of-the-merchant-navy-and-mercantile-fleet-auxiliary-1914-1919/ ''Cross Of Sacrifice Vol. 5: The Officers, men and women of the Merchant Navy and Mercantile Fleet Auxiliary 1914–1919''] Naval & Military Press</ref>)
:The three books are available at The National Archives Library [https://tna.koha-ptfs.co.uk/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=2271&shelfbrowse_itemnumber=3023 catalogue entry].
:Officers who died in Service of the Royal Flying Corps are identified in Volume 1, (Sample pages [https://books.google.com.au/books?id=6IK-BAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover ''The Cross of Sacrifice: Officers Who Died in the Service of British, Indian and East African Regiments and Corps, 1914-1919''] Google Books) or Volume 3 ''The Cross of Sacrifice: Officers Who Died in the Service of Commonwealth and Colonial Regiments and Corps'', and these volumes are also available at the British Library and in reprint editions.
*A book of reference is ''Royal Air Force Flying Training and Support Units since 1912'' by Ray Sturtivant with John Hamlin 2007. This is a revised expanded edition of ''Royal Air Force Flying Training and Support Units'' by Ray Sturtivant, John Hamlin and James J. Halley 1997, both published by the aviation society Air-Britain, and both available at the British Library UIN: BLL01013944781 (2007) and UIN: BLL01012371366 (1997) (More details.<ref>Carnaby. [https://web.archive.org/web/20200329113032/https://www.airfieldresearchgroup.org.uk/forum/research-media/3320-raf-flying-training-support-units-ray-sturtivant-john-hamlin-james-j-halley Royal Air Force Flying Training and Support Units (Since 1912) by Ray Sturtivant, John Hamlin and James J Halley] ''Airfields Research Group Forum'' 09 December 2010. Retrieved 29 March 2020.</ref>)
==Also see==
==Indian Central Flying School (Sitapur)==
An Indian Central Flying School was established at [[Sitapur]] in December, 1913, commanded by an officer of the 29th Punjab Regiment. <ref name =fly>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150712105006/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070805/spectrum/book1.htm "Flying high at 75"] by B. G. Verghese August 5, 2007 ''Spectrum: The Tribune'', now an archived webpage.</ref> Prior to establishment it was stated that "we propose... to confine the work in the first instance to experiments and not to include the tuition of beginners.
It is intended to begin with four officers, all of whom are in possession of pilot certificates. They will be provided with six aeroplanes for experimental purposes".<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/rthonmresmontagu00mont#page/216/mode/2up "The Indian Budget 1913"] page 216 ''The Rt. Hon. Mr. E. S. Montagu on Indian Affairs'', published 1917. Archive.org.</ref> The School was part of the Royal Flying Corps, Military Wing, part of the British Army, although details appear in the Navy Lists.<ref> [https://archive.org/stream/navylistaug1914grea#page/512/mode/2up Page 431f ''Monthly Navy List August 1914'']</ref>. The School was closed on mobilisation.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/navylistjan1915grea#page/725/mode/1up Page 431k ''The Navy List January 1915'']</ref>
==First World War==
The outbreak of World War I saw a small Indian Flying Corps assigned for defence of the Suez Canal against a Turkish attack.<ref name=fly/>
In January 1915, Captain P W L Broke-Smith, Assistant Director of the Indian Flying Corps, set to work to establish an airfield at Basra, in Mesopotamia.<ref>"Only A Sideshow? The RFC And RAF In Mesopotamia 1914-1918" by Guy Warner. Refer [[Royal Air Force#External links|External links]]</ref> A small group of pilots from the Indian Army operated in Mesopotamia, described both as the Indian Flying Corps,<ref>Old Man. [httphttps://1914-1918www.invisionzonegreatwarforum.comorg/forumstopic/index.php?showtopic=210583 -seeking-info-on-rnas-unit-in-mesopotamia-sept-1915june-1916/ Seeking Info On R.N.A.S. Unit In Mesopotamia, Sept. 1915;June 1916] ''Great War Forum'' thread 27 April 2014, quoting "The Indian Flying Corps and the Australian Half-Flight", by Dr. Brian P. Flanagan. ''Cross and Cockade Journal'' (Summer, 1976, vol 17 no 2) , the US journal, now renamed ''Over the Front'' . Retrieved 17 August 2019. </ref> or the Mesopotamia Flight, Royal Flying Corps<ref>Page 142, ''Cavalry Of The Clouds Aspects of the Air War in the Eastern Theatre,1914-1918'', by CH. Whitley 1997 . Refer [[Royal Air Force#External links|External links]]</ref>, to which was attached an Australian contingent, known as the Mesopotamia Half Flight, or Australian Half Flight.
==31 Squadron Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force==
==RAF Chaklala==
RAF Chaklala was located in part of [[Rawalpindi]]. During World War 2, from 1942 RAF Chaklala was the location of a Paratroopers Training School.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170922115225/http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_page.php?pg_id=139 Paratroopers Training School] , now an archived webpage. indianairforce.nic.in</ref>
*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/pakistan/chaklala.htm PAF Chaklala], previously RAF Chaklala. globalsecurity.org
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/99/a5550699.shtml Parachute training in India] by Ted Tegg BBC: WW2 People’s War
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131115235019/http://www.paradata.org.uk/article/40782/related/21956 An Account of a Parachute Hang Up during Parachute Training at Chaklala December 1944] paradata.org.uk, now an archived webpage.
==Second World War==
==External links==
*[http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=2114&id=201071 findmypast]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170107073443/http://www.raf.mod.uk/links/contacts.cfm Royal Air Force: Contacts]This page is now archived, as at 07 January 2017, but has a section about obtaining Service, and other records.
*[http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk Royal Air Force Museum] London, NW9.
**[https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/default/library-collection.aspx Library collection] which contains a "substantial collection of periodicals produced by RAF stations and units, which provide a fascinating insight into service life" and Archives collection, including
**[http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/default/archive-collection/first-world-war-casualty-cards.aspx First World War Casualty cards] (which extend to 1928, and cover all theatres of operation). Some records, including Casualty Cards, are now available online for free at a companion website [http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/page/26565-home Royal Air Force Museum Story Vault]. The Search facility is accessed through the 'Archive' tab. Currently (August 2014) the Search results appear erratic, and it may be preferable to search on surname only.
:Records available from the RAF Museum which provide useful information include Casualty Forms (which are different records from the Casualty Cards) and also Medical Cards (Form 6495).<ref> quemerford. [httphttps://1914-1918www.invisionzonegreatwarforum.com/forums/index.php?org/topic/248960-raf-service-record-can-you-help-decipher/&?do=findComment&comment=2510144 RAF service record: can you help decipher?] ''Great War Forum'' 1 April 2017. Retrieved 26 May 201717 August 2019.</ref>:'''Update 2018/03''': Online [https://www.casualtyforms.org Officer’s Casualty Forms]. Consists of records relating to the service of Royal Air Force Officers with the Expeditionary Force. Searchable. A companion website of the Royal Air Force Museum. Tips for searching,<ref>Ross_McNeill et al. [http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?22584-RFC-RAF-Casualty-Forms RFC/RAF Casualty Forms] ''Royal Air Force Commands Forum'' 29th January 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2018.</ref> including advice that some digital records actually have two digital images. The '''Update 2019/12''': There is now a button for the second page where it exists.<ref>pierssc. [https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/277589-officers-casualty-forms/?do=findComment&comment=2833231 Officer's Casualty Forms] ''Great War Forum'' 25 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.</ref> (Previous advice was that the second digital image may be located by increasing the number in the record URL by 1, which is was not then currently (2018/03/22) otherwise stated. Also applies to records with more pages, keep increasing the number in the record URL by 1, until you come to a different record). *[http://www.airhistory.org.uk/rfc/home.html Royal Flying Corps] airhistory.org.uk. Includes [http://www.airhistory.org.uk/rfc/abbreviations.html Abbreviations] useful for interpreting service records. Includes Also includes a People Indexwhich is a database and index of aircrew and officer names.
*Mesopotamia
**[http://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/bitstream/10092/2085/1/Thesis_fulltext.pdf ''Cavalry Of The Clouds: Aspects of the Air War in the Eastern Theatre,1914-1918''] by C H Whitley 1997. A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in History in the University of Canterbury. A pdf download, which depending on your browser, you may need to locate in your downloads folder.
**Some photographs of the RAF in Mesopotamia in the early 1920s may be found in [https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/sets/72157629974581728 The Edwin Newman Collection] from SDASM Archives San Diego Air & Space Museum on flickr.com. Also contains photos from Egypt, Palestine etc, and later periods. Includes [https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/7304659134/in/album-72157629974581728 Armoured Car] which elsewhere<ref> [https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/pre-ww2-british-rolls-royce-armoured-531971633 Pre WW2 British No.1 Rolls Royce Armoured Car Company RAF Iraq 1920 Photo] Worthpoint</ref> is described as Iraq 1920: Number 1 Armoured Car Company RAF, No.4 Section, No.33, His Majesty's Armoured Car (HMAC) "TIGRIS". Also [https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/7304646530/in/album-72157629974581728/ Ready for action [Many armoured cars<nowiki>]</nowiki>] and [https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/7304645982/in/album-72157629974581728/ HMAC Victory, RAF 11].
*[http://www.rafweb.org/Menu.htm Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation]. The Site Map & Main Menu includes details, including units based there, of various RAF Stations worldwide, listed alphabetically. Not all RAF Stations in India are included, but of those available for India, the following is a selection: [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-A.htm#Agra Agra] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-A.htm#Ambala Ambala] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-A.htm#Asansol Asanol] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-B.htm#Baigachi Baigachi] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-B.htm#Bhopal Bhopal] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-C.htm#Chaklala Chaklala, Rawalpindi] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-D.htm#Delhi Delhi] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-D.htm#Dum%20Dum Dum Dum, Calcutta] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-K.htm#Kohat Kohat] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-K.htm#Kolar Kolar] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-K.htm#Karachi Karachi (including Drigh Road)] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-L.htm#Lahore Lahore] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-M.htm#Mauripur Mauripur, in the vicinity of Karachi] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-P.htm#Peshawar Peshawar] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-P.htm#Poona Poona] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-R.htm#Ranchi Ranchi] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-R.htm#Risalpur Risalpur] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-S.htm#St%20Thomas%20Mount St Thomas Mount] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-S.htm#Secunderabad Secunderabad] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-T.htm#Trichinopoly Trichinopoly] [http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-V.htm#Vizagapatam Vizagapatam] (retrieved 27 June 2014)
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/90553739@N06 reddin68's photostream on flickr.com] taken by a member of the 31 Squadron in the NWFP during and after WW1
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/andy_a3/sets/72157626122441646/ Photo Set: 31 Squadron RAF taken by Andy Andrews in 1923/24 in the North West Frontier], including some taken at Dardoni Flickr.com
*[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6209685/RAF-pilots-1930s-reconnaissance-snaps-emerge-sale.html "Exploring the North West Frontier from 21,000ft: RAF pilot's fascinating 1930s reconnaissance snaps of the Himalayas and Indus Valley emerge for sale more than 80 years on"] by Amie Gordon 26 September 2018. dailymail.co.uk. With photographs, including [[Risalpur]].
*First page only of [https://www.crossandcockade.com/uploads/IndianWings.pdf "Indian Wings: RFC & RAF in India 1915-1919"] by Mike O'Connor & Ray Vann ''Cross & Cockade International Journal'' Volume 48, Number 4 Winter 2017.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170626161214/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/31squadron.cfm 31 Squadron RAF] raf.mod.uk, now an archived webpage. This first operational military unit in Indian skies was in action along the North West Frontier from 1916, assisting the army in dealing with tribal unrest. Its BE2c biplanes were employed on artillery observation, reconnaissance and ground attack.*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170914173321/https://www.raf.mod.uk/history/114squadron.cfm 114 Squadron RAF] raf.mod.uk, now an archived webpage. Formed at Lahore, India, in September 1917, from a nucleus provided by No. 31 Squadron*5 Squadron**[https://web.archive.org/web/20160305155432/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1957/1957%20-%201554.html "No. 5 Squadron: A History of the “Fighting Fifth”: Part 2"] by John Yoxall ''Flight Magazine'' 25 October 1957, article commences page 642, Indian history pages 643-646, now archived, however only pages 642-643 appear to be accessible in the archived version. Details the Regiment in India from when it was reformed in Quetta February 1, 1920. It subsequently remained on the North West Frontier of India, and Burma during WW2. The history continues [https://web.archive.org/web/20160305155949/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1957/1957%20-%201657.html "Part 3"], 8 November 1957, page pages 745-746, now archived. The regiment remained in India until July 1947 when the aircraft were handed over to the India Air Force, and was officially disbanded August 1, 1947. flightglobal.com. *:Note: If the text in the archived links does not appear, use the arrow icons towards the top of the archived page to click backwards and forward, and the text should then be visible, for the limited archived pages available. ''Flight'' magazine is available at the British Library UIN: BLL01012093219 1909-1961.**[https://web.archive.org/web/20170202191430/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/5squadron.cfm 5 Squadron] raf.mod.uk, now an archived webpage.**[http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/5_wwII.html No. 5 Squadron (retrieved 18 April 2014RAF): Second World War] historyofwar.org
*20 Squadron arrived in India May 1919.
**[https://web.archive.org/web/20161205174231/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/20squadron.cfm 20 Squadron] raf.mod.uk, now an archived webpage.
**[http://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/research/squadrons/20/ No. 20 Squadron] Royal Air Force Museum
**[https://www.spink.com/lot-description.aspx?id=13003000017 Captain E.A.C. 'Babs' Britton] was with 20 Squadron when it moved to India, the bases including [[Risalpur]] and [[Parachinar]]. Duties involved bombing attacks against tribesmen, and answering emergency calls for troops and positions under attack. spink.com
**[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00774v6 Extracts from BBC program 'Wings over Waziristan' - Group Captain Robert Lister interviewed]. If you are outside of the UK you can access the content on BBC iplayer via a VPN, some of which are free and can be downloaded.<ref> kopite. [http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/waziristan-in-1937.70244/#post-754384 Waziristan in 1937] ''WW2Talk Forum'' 28 June 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2017.</ref> TV program 5 April 2010. Includes 1935 cinefilm footage showing ‘tribal operations from the air’ and an interview with Group Captain Lister, 20 Squadron, recorded in 1980.<ref>[https://airminded.org/2010/04/20/wings-over-waziristan/comment-page-1/ Wings over Waziristan] airminded.org</ref>
**[http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/20_wwII.html No. 20 Squadron (RAF): Second World War] by J Rickard (28 May 2008). historyofwar.org
*[httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20170812063013/https://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/27squadron.cfm 27 Squadron, RAF] was in India and Burma most of the period 1920 to 1946. raf.mod.uk, now an archived webpage.
*[http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205022233 Photograph 1928: T E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) as Aircraftman T E Shaw on the aerodrome at Miranshah Fort in Waziristan during his service in the Royal Air Force] Imperial War Museums.
*[http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205090524 Photograph: Pack mule at Miranshah Fort, laden with a wireless transmitter set from 20 Squadron RAF (interwar period)] Imperial War Museums
*[http://www.airpowerstudies.co.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/apr14no3.pdf "“Good God, Sir, Are You Hurt?” The Realities and Perils of Operating over India’s Troublesome North-West Frontier"] by Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Roe ''Air Power Review Volume 14 Number 3 Autumn/Winter 2011'' Centre for Air Power Studies, Royal Air Force, pages 61-82 (computer file pages 72-93)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140508060510/http://www.bcmh.org.uk/archive/conferences/2012AirGroundConingham.pdf "Air/Ground Cooperation between the RAF and the Indian Army in Waziristan 1936-1937"] by Simon Coningham, British Commission for Military History, Summer Conference 2012–Indian Armies, now archived.
*''Royal Air Force Historical Society Journal 48'' 2010. [http://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rafmuseum.org.uk%2Fdocuments%2FResearch%2FRAF-Historical-Society-Journals/Journal_48_Seminar_the_ME_Mespot_Iraq_NW_Frontier_4_FTS.pdf html version], [http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/Research/RAF-Historical-Society-Journals/Journal_48_Seminar_the_ME_Mespot_Iraq_NW_Frontier_4_FTS.pdf pdf] rafmuseum.org.uk. [https://web.archive.org/web/20170228083017/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/F1840A3A_5056_A318_A802860440CD93A9.pdf raf.mod.uk version], now archived. Includes
**"Substitution or Subordination? The Employment of Air Power over Afghanistan and The North-West Frontier, 1910-1939" by Clive Richards pages 63-87.
**"Only A Sideshow? The RFC And RAF In Mesopotamia 1914-1918" by Guy Warner pages 9-19 and "The RAF Armoured Car Companies In Iraq (Mostly) 1921-1947" by Dr Christopher Morris pages 20-38.
*[http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/7681 ''Inter-war, inter-service friction on the North-West frontier of India and its impact on the development and application of RAF doctrine''] by Andrew John Charles Walters 2018. University of Birmingham. Ph.D. Thesis. Air power’s potential was never fully exploited.
*[http://www.au.af.mil/au/afri/aspj/airchronicles/apj/apj00/win00/corum.htm#corum "The Myth of Air Control: Reassessing the History"] by Dr. James S. Corum ''Aerospace Power Journal'' - Winter 2000. A historical look at air-control operations in the British Empire during the first half of the twentieth century. au.af.mil
*[http://www.xisquadronassociation.co.uk/history/history.html XI(F) Squadron Association]. No XI Squadron, RAF] saw service on India’s Northwest frontier, from 1929, and in Burma from September 1943.
*Online [http://digital.wolfsonian.org/WOLF017525/00001 Photograph album of views from Iraq, India and Egypt 1932 – 1935] The images relating to India are pages [http://digital.wolfsonian.org/WOLF017525/00001/22j 20]- [http://digital.wolfsonian.org/WOLF017525/00001/40j 38]. Also one page, 31, [http://digital.wolfsonian.org/WOLF017527/00001/33j On the North West Frontier 1934] from another album. The photographs are thought to have been taken by T Fuller, who, while he was in India, was with 27 Squadron RAF, based at [[Kohat]]. Wolfsonian-FIU, (Miami Florida). To enlarge the images, click on "Page Turner".
*[http://blogs.bl.uk/untoldlives/2017/03/flying-over-the-himalayas-raf-flight-to-gilgit-in-november-1934.html "Flying over the Himalayas: RAF Flight to Gilgit in November 1934"] 07 March 2017 British Library Untold lives blog. The relevant file, IOR/L/PS/12/1993, with photographs at the end, is available online on the [http://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100000000555.0x000213 Qatar Digital Library]
**[http://isp.ans.com.au/~rampais/genelogy/ggphotos/military/convoy2.htm Convoy Miranshah-Bannu road NWF] "It was at this gorge that the convoy of 450 personnel were held up for 4 days by deadly accurate sniper fire coming from a cave high up on the cliff face. Finally the C.O. flying dangerously close to the cliff face was able to lob a bomb into the cave and kill the sniper…"
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1243&dat=19381130&id=eCpPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zh8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=4898,1064455 "Carrier Pigeons in British Army"] ''The Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon'' - December 8, 1938, page 8 (Google coded Nov 30, 1938). The South Waziristan Scouts and an RAF flight from Miranshah, after a carrier pigeon message is received. Google Newspapers.
*[http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/rafhistoricalsocietyjournals.cfm ''Bracknell Paper No 6: A Symposium on the Far East War'' [WW2<nowiki>]</nowiki>] 24 March 1995. Royal Air Force Historical Society at raf.mod.uk. Scroll down for pdf download. [https://cms.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/F160EEBE_5056_A318_A80D03C599041DCD.pdf Direct download] Also available Available through the [http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/default/raf-historical-society-journals.aspx Royal Air Force Museum website] (scroll down)
*[http://www.socialisthistorysociety.co.uk/duncancontents.htm ''Mutiny In The RAF- the Air Force Strikes of 1946''] by David Duncan. Originally published 1998. socialisthistorysociety.co.uk. The first chapter is titled "Mutiny in Karachi" .
*[http://www.152hyderabad.co.uk/index.htm 152(Hyderabad) F Squadron 1939-1967] Served in India from 19th December 1943 as part of Calcutta’s defence and later moved to the front. Disbanded at R.A.F. [[Risalpur]] in 1947
*Medal Roll for India General Service Medal with clasps 1919-1935: RAF personnel. Surnames A-Brymer only. Includes the Squadrons present. [http://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.naval-military-press.com%2Fpdf%2F1843420155.pdf html version] [http://www.naval-military-press.com/pdf/1843420155.pdf pdf version] naval-military-press.com. Retrieved 9 August 2014
*[http://www.crossandcockade.com Cross & Cockade International (CCI)] Journal of the First World War Aviation Historical Society. Cross & Cockade GB was formed in, and published from, 1970 as the British arm of ''Cross & Cockade'' in the USA, which was formed in 1960. The name changed to ''Cross & Cockade International'' when the US society ceased in 1986. In 1986 ''Cross & Cockade'' [USA] amalgamated with/became associated with [https://www.overthefront.com Over the Front], Journal of the League of WWI Aviation Historians, which holds the archives of ''Cross & Cockade'' [USA] 1960-1985. The British ''Journals'' are available at the British Library and Imperial War Museums. The IWM catalogue lists the USA ''Journals'' holdings as ''C&C'' Vol 1 1960- Vol 23 1982 (LBY E.J. 5156 but also see LBY E. 45573), ''OTF'' Vol 1 1986- Vol 11 1996 (LBY E.J. 64).
:[https://www.crossandcockade.com/blog.asp?display=200 ''CCI Journal'' Index]. ''CCI Journal''s include a series of articles "Gazetteer of Flying Sites in the UK and Ireland 1912–1920", [https://www.crossandcockade.com/uploads/Vol1to49GazetteerofFlyingSitesIndex.pdf catalogue details for the ''Gazetteer'' articles], together with Index.:CCI website includes a Forum.:[http://wwwtoto.lib.dticunca.miledu/dticfindingaids/aulimpmss/citationssargent_roland/gsacross_and_cockade.html ''C&C'' [USA<nowiki>]</nowiki> Index: Volumes 1-26 1960-1985] missing 5 quarterly issues. [http:/2015_216872/216570toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/mss/sargent_roland/over_the_front.html catalogue details''Over the Front'' Index: Volumes 1-16 1986-2001]toto.lib.unca.edu. University of North Carolina at Asheville holds the volumes listed.
*[http://www.angelfire.com/mp/memorials/rafpesh.htm Royal Air Force 1922 - 27: Memorial in St. John's Church, Peshawar] and [http://www.angelfire.com/mp/memorials/rafmemsx.htm Royal Air Force Quetta Earthquake Memorial] 1935, both from [http://www.angelfire.com/mp/memorials/memindz1.htm Soldiers Memorials] by Stephen Lewis.
=== Individuals===
*[https://www.cwgc.org/history-and-archives/cwgc-archive/efiles/welinkar Lieutenant Shri Krishna Chanda Welinkar] Indian, pilot 23 Squadron RAF died in action in France 27 June 1918 buried Hangard Communal Cemetery Extension, after originally being buried as a German officer. cwgc.org
*[http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/archivaldocs/prg/PRG266_7_1-150_Gilbert_letters_transcript.pdf Letters written by Thomas Gilbert] to his parents and other family members, chiefly from India. State Library of South Australia. [http://www.catalog.slsa.sa.gov.au:80/record=b2187028~S1 Catalogue link].
:Page 49 30.12.16 Notified he is to be posted to Egypt for training in flying; Page 53 28.1.17 He commences training at Aboukir, Abbasia, Heliopolis; Page 67 23.6.17 Advised he is to be posted to England; Page 75 9 Sept 1917. He receives notice he will be posted to India; Page 82 27.11.17 114th Squadron. R.F.C. [[Lahore]]; Page 92 18.3.18 Transferred to [[Sibi]], Baluchistan The war against the Marris; Page 96 23.4.18 Harnai; Page 97, 6.5.18; The squadron prepare to leave for [[Quetta]]; Page 112 10.11.18 The squadron moves to Lahore.
* John G Walser MC was in India from 1922 to the end of 1925 with the Royal Air Force, including a posting to No. 31 Squadron which was stationed at Dardoni, in Waziristan. He wrote letters to his family detailing his experiences<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131115235904/http://www.davidwalser.com/my-father/ My Father: John G Walser] Scroll down for his account of this period. Family website, now archived, (retrieved on 18 April 2014)</ref>
*Listen to the [https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80008691 1975 Interview with John William Easton], British NCO who served with 1 Wing, RAF at Miranshah Fort, 1928-1930 including contact with T E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). Imperial War Museums
*[https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/blog/come-fly-with-me-raf-india/ "Come fly with me: Early days of the RAF in India"] by Pat Ellingham March 22, 2019. bristolmuseums.org.uk. Information about the films made by Leonard de Ville Chisman late 1920s/1930s including on the North West Frontier. These films are in the Bristol Museums British Empire and Commonwealth Film collection/ Chisman (ref. 2006/005), (not currently available online). “The sequence documenting Quetta both before and after the great earthquake of 1935 are of particular interest.“ For a description of one of the films see [http://www.colonialfilm.org.uk/node/4128 colonialfilm.org.uk].
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131116020854/http://www.rafcaa.org.uk/e29Memoirs.html Memoirs: Malcolm Macdougall]. He was posted in January 1938 to 20 A.C. Squadron, Northwest Frontier, where he spent two years at [[Peshawar]] and one year at [[Kohat]], with occasional detachments to Miramshah (Miranshah?). In 1941 he was posted to 27 Squadron [[Risalpur]] which later went to Singapore and Malaysia, then Ceylon. Website of [https://web.archive.org/web/20130916105607/http://www.rafcaa.org.uk:80/index.html RAF Cranwell Apprentices Association], [https://web.archive.org/web/20130820001224/http://www.rafcaa.org.uk/e29.html 29th Entry], all archived webpages.
*Listen to the [https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80000869 1977 interview with Wilfred Randall Page] British aircraftman and photographer served with RAF in GB 1933-1935; served with Photographic Section, 28 Sqdn, RAF at Ambala and in Waziristan, India, 1935-1939 Imperial War Museums
===Historical books online===
*[https://archive.org/details/BritishARMYMEMORANDUMOnNAVALANDMILITARYAVIATION1912/mode/2up [British<nowiki>]</nowiki> ''Army. Memorandum On Naval And Military Aviation''] Presented to both Houses of Parliament HMSO 1912 Archive.org.
*For First World War online books, also see [[First World War#In the Air|First World War - In the Air]], and the various Fronts mention at the top of [[First World War#Historical books online 2|First World War - Historical books online]].
*[https://archive.org/details/Flight_International_Magazine?sort=titleSorter ''Flight International Magazine''] Collection at Archive.org, which is Searchable as a Collection. ''Flight International'' (or ''Flight'') is a global aerospace weekly publication produced in the UK. Founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport". It is the world's oldest continuously published aviation news magazine. Contains pages relating to “Service Aviation”. Online volumes from 1909 to 1935. Missing January-June 1933.
:An Archive of online volumes to 2005 was previously available on the [https://www.flightglobal.com/flight-international/flight-magazine-archive FlightGlobal] website until the introduction of a new website format c 11 December 2019. It is stated that it will return, but is not available currently (26 March 2020). This journal is available at the British Library UIN: BLL01012093219 1909-1961 and UIN: BLL01009542778 from 1962, and also at the Royal Air Force Museum.
*[https://archive.org/stream/warinairbeingsto06rale#page/268/mode/2up "War Operations In India"] page 268, ''War in the Air: being the story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force, Volume VI'' by H A Jones 1937 Archive.org. Part of the series ''History of the Great War based on Official Documents''
*[https://archive.org/stream/australianflying00cutluoft#page/2/mode/2up Page 3] ''The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War, 1914-1918'' by F M Cutlack 1933 (first published 1923) ''The Official History of Australia in the War: Volume VIII'' Archive.org. The two Indian Army airmen, and mechanics from India, sent to Mesopotamia, and their poor aircraft.
*''History of No.30 Squadron RAF. Egypt and Mesopotamia 1914 to 1919'' [catalogued] by Major J.Everidge, R.A.F. is available as a reprint<ref>[https://www.naval-military-press.com/product/history-of-no-30-squadron-raf-egypt-and-mesopotamia-1914-to-1919/ ''History of No.30 Squadron RAF. Egypt and Mesopotamia 1914 to 1919''] Naval & Military Press.</ref> of an original Air Ministry Historical Branch typed document, probably first published as a reprint c 2004, which in turn is available as an online book on the [https://www.fold3.com/browse/310/hTGb85NZ8RjXJU2phiOmLuyYn Ancestry owned pay website fold3.com] located in International/Military Books/Egypt.
*[https://archive.org/details/PermanentOrganizationOfTheRoyalAirForce1919/mode/2up ''Permanent Organization of the Royal Air Force . Note by the Secretary of State for Air on a Scheme Outlined by the Chief of the Air Staff'' [H M Trenchard<nowiki>]</nowiki>] Presented to Parliament. HMSO 1919 Archive.org
*[http://access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ark:/81055/vdc_100022541314.0x000002 ''Pigeon Service Manual (Royal Air Force)''] Air Ministry publication HMSO 1919. British Library Digital Collection.
*[http://search.slv.vic.gov.au/MAIN:Everything:SLV_VOYAGER207076 ''Trumpet calls. Royal Air Force. 1919''] State Library of Victoria.
*[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34520/supplement/3819 "Report on Operations in Waziristan, 16th September 1937 to 15th December 1937 (Final Phase)"] ''London Gazette Supplement'' 14 June 1938
*[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34655/supplement/5667 "Report on Operations in Waziristan, 16th December, 1937 to the 31st December, 1938"] ''London Gazette Supplement'' 18 August 1939
*[http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/503328 ''Per Ardua The Rise Of British Air Power 1911-1939''] by Hilary Aidan St. George Saunders 1944. Pdf download, Digital Library of India. [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.503328 Archive.org mirror version], originally from Digital Library of India.*[https://archive.org/details/royalairforceenc0000phil ''The Royal Air Force : an encyclopedia of the inter-war years. Volume I The Trenchard Years 1918-1929''] by Wing Commander Ian M Philpott 2005. Archive.org Books to Borrow/ Lending Library.
*[http://www.kurdipedia.org/?lng=8&q=20160312094902130597 ''The RAF Small Wars and Insurgencies in the Middle East 1919- 1939''] by Air Historical Branch, Dr Sebastian Ritchie 2011. Download from Kurdipedia.org.
*[https://archive.org/details/fringeofclouds0036livi/page/n5 ''Fringe of the Clouds''] by Air Marshal Sir Philip Livingston 1962 Archive.org Lending Library. Includes [https://archive.org/details/fringeofclouds0036livi/page/96 "Chapter 5 India with the Royal Air Force 1920-1922"] page 97. The author was a medical officer with the RAF, based at [[Ambala]].
*[https://archive.org/details/timeforcourage00terr/page/n7 ''A Time for Courage : the Royal Air Force in the European War, 1939-1945''] by John Terraine 1985. Later published as [https://archive.org/details/rightoflineroyal0000terr/page/n3 ''The Right of the Line : the Royal Air Force in the European War, 1939-1945''] by John Terraine 1988. Both Archive.org Books to Borrow/ Lending Library.
*[https://archive.org/details/royalairobservationcorps19351955book/page/n1/mode/2up ''Royal Air Observation Post. Auster Era 1936-1956. Evolution and Campaigns''] by Major Aamir Mushtaq Cheema 2012. Archive.org. AOP Air Observation Post, a light unarmed aircraft flown exclusively by Royal Artillery Officers. Air OP Squadron, a Royal Air Force Unit consisting of Squadron Headquarters and three Flights A, B and C attached to the Royal Artillery of a Corps. Includes a chapter on WW2 Burma.
====Fiction====
*[https://archive.org/details/threecheersforme0000jack/page/n5 ''Three Cheers for Me: The Journals of Bartholomew Bandy Volume One''] by Donald Jack. Revised edition 1973, original version 1962. :[https://archive.org/details/itsmeagain00jack ''It’s Me Again: The Journals of Bartholomew Bandy Volume Three''] by Donald Jack 1975. Both Archive.org Lending Library.: Volumes One and Three in the series ''The Bandy Papers'', or ''The Journals of Bartholomew Bandy''. A series of novels chronicling the exploits of a World War I fighter ace Bartholomew Wolfe Bandy. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bandy_Papers The Bandy Papers] Wikipedia. “The books are noted for their humour and word play, as well as technical and historic accuracy.” [https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/donald-jack-3/its-me-again-the-journals-of-bartholomew-bandy-/ Review of Volume Three], the final volume set in the WW1 period, Volume Two being ''That's Me in the Middle''.*For younger readers.**[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.241464 ''Biggles Pioneer Air Fighter''] by Captain W E Johns 1954. Archive.org, Digital Library of India Collection. Set in WW1. Contains thirteen short stories, eleven of which were originally published in ''The Camels Are Coming'' (1932) and two of which were originally published in ''Biggles Of The Camel Squadron'' (1934), originally written for older adolescents. Note however Wikipedia states "The early First World War books were reprinted in the 1950s, when the Biggles books had acquired a younger readership, and were bowdlerised".**[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.16163 ''Biggles Sees It Through''] by Captain W E Johns 1941 Archive.org, Digital Library of India Collection. Set in WW2.
== References ==
