Looking for 'Bill'

[ChrisGlover]

Hi everyone; I'm new to the group and I have a question. It may be a long shot, but I am trying to trace what happened to an airman from WW1. He was engaged to my grandmother. Her name was Caroline Norker and was born and bred in Liverpool. I believe the airman was also from Liverpool. He was shot down and lost both his legs. After that, he wrote to my grandmother and told her to forget him and she never heard from him again. She often mentioned him though. Unfortunately, all I know is his name was Bill, which isn't much to go on. Anyone have any ideas where I could look for him?

[Bertieone]

Hi Chris and welcome,

no easy task, I would think newspapers and wounded lists would need looking at, try to find a report in a Liverpool paper to narrow him down. Perhaps help here,
http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/what ... -archives/

[MaryA]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

It certainly won't be an easy task, especially if you aren't sure whether he was originally from Liverpool or not. If Katie sees this post she may check her database of wounded military personnel which covers WWI, perhaps being an airman there won't be so many, a soldier would have been an impossible task.

[MaryA]

I have also requested on the Facebook Group that you keep each post updated with any discoveries, so that research isn't duplicated.

[ChrisGlover]

Thank you; will do

[Katie]

Looking through my wounded list for service men with William in their forename with Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force.

Royal Air Force
Air-Mechanic
William Henry
111232
Blackmore
Wavertree
Wounded

22nd-Aug-1918
Royal Air Force
Serjeant-Mechanic
Thomas William
2150
Davies
Walton, Liverpool
Wounded

14th-Oct-1918
Royal Air Force
1st Private William Henry
25767
Roberts
Litherland
Wounded

Royal Air Force/Royal Flying Corps records are available on FMP.

[dickiesam]

Some background on the wounded men that Katie listed... No pilots among them unfortunately.

William Henry Blackmore; #111232; in RAC as Labourer, rank Air-Mech 3; transferred to RAF as Pte 2; enlisted 28/11/17.

Thomas William Davies; # 2150; in RAC as Fitter [Turner], rank Cpl; Transferred to RAF as Cpl Mech; enlisted 9/11/14.

William Henry Roberts; #25767; in RAC as KBS [BP] labourer; rank Air Mech 2; Transferred to RAF as Pte 1; enlisted 3/04/16.
Note: Kite Balloon Section (Balloon Party). He would have been men who did the heavy stuff like manhandling the ropes on the balloons.

I believe pilots would have been Sergeants and the commissioned ranks while air-gunners and 'bombers' would have been Corporals and above NCOs.

[Katie]

I myself think without a surname, to identify someone called Bill who was with the RFC/RAF will be impossible sorry.

[ChrisGlover]

Royal Air Force/Royal Flying Corps records are available on FMP.

FMP? Find my past?

[Katie]

Yes Findmypast