|
1923-5: Tank
Corps documents |
| 1923 Mar 12 Army Form B.203
Application for the special enlistment of a recruit. |
|
| 1923 [Mar 12] Attestation
of SHAW Thomas Edward. Two copies. Signature torn away on both. |
Gives correct place of
birth, but gives the date as 15 Aug 1894 (the correct date was 15 Aug
1888). Gives parents' nationalities as; Father Irish, Mother Scotch.
Trade: Clerk. No previous military service. |
| 1923 Mar 12-15 Description
of Thomas Edward SHAW on enlistment (2 copies) |
The medical examination was
carried out on 12 Mar 1923 at the Central London Recruiting Office,
Whitehall. The certificate of the approving office is dated 15 Mar
1923, at Bovington. Description details include: Height 5ft 5½ ins,
Weight 130 lbs. Scars both buttocks. |
| [1923 Mar] Army form
B.64a |
This is a printed request
for a character reference in relation to a candidate for enlistment. It
has been overwritten: "Not required by order of CRO" [Central
Recruiting Office] |
| 1925 Mar 30 Army Form B.103
Service and Casualty Form (Part 1) |
Records basic details of
Lawrence's Tank Corps service. |
| 1923-5 Army Form B.2066
Employment Sheet. |
Entry for:
1923 Nov 30: "Duty now employed in Q Masters stores. Very clean
intelligent hardworking and conscientious. A very reliable man.
1924 Aug 8: "Q.M. stores. A highly intelligent man. Very reliable
and works well."
1925 Aug 14. "Storeman. As above." |
| 1923 Mar 12 - 1925 Apr 27.
Army Form B.178 Medical History sheet. |
Details as on the
description at enlistment. The note "Scars both buttocks" is
listed under the heading "Marks indicating congenital peculiarities
or previous disease". [In other words, these did not look like
recent scars] There is also a dental examination chart,
made at an examination at Bovington on 28 Mar 1923. Lawrence received
TAB inoculations on 27 Mar 1923 and 5 Apr 1925. |
| 1923-5 Army Form B 121.
[Squadron, Battery and] Company Conduct Sheet [fragment] |
Records one instance of bad
conduct only: [On 17 Nov 1923] "Having an untidy bed-cot on Coy
officer's inspection' for which Lawrence was punished on 19 Nov by 2
days confined to barracks. Also records award of 1st Good Conduct Badge
(see below) |
| 1923-5 Army Form B. 121.
Squadron, Battery and Company Conduct Sheet |
As above, but gives the
date of his Good Conduct Badge as 12 Mar 1925. |
| [1923-5] Army Form B 120,
Regimental conduct sheet. |
No entries are recorded.
Overstamped 'New conduct sheet opened on transfer to R.A.F.' |
| [1923] Military History
Sheet (2 copies) |
Records that Lawrence
gained a 3rd Class in the Army School and other certificates of
education on 3 May 1923. |
| [1923] Statement of the
services of No 7875698 T.E. Shaw (2 copies) Contd. below. |
Records that Lawrence
joined at London on 12 Mar 1923 and was posted to Bovington on 14 Mar
1923 |
| 1924-5 Army Form B.200.
Statement of the services of No 7875698 SHAW Thomas Edward (contd. from
above) |
On 12 Mar 1924 Lawrence was
certified an efficient soldier and granted increments of pay.
On 19 Aug 1925 Lawrence was voluntarily and permanently transferred to
the RAF. |
|
1935: Transfer
to the RAF |
| [1927 Aug 20] Draft for
Casualty Form 739 (Airmen) |
Records Lawrence's transfer
from the Army with effect from 19 Aug 1925 on the authority of an Air
Ministry Letter dated 18 Aug 1925. Engagement 7 years regular, 5 years
reserve effective from 12 March 1923. |
| 1925 Aug 20 RAF Form [?] 2
copies. In both cases a substantial part, including Lawrence's
signature, has been torn away . |
[Attestation and approvals
concerning transfer to the Royal Air Force] |
| [1925 Aug 20] RAF Form 62.
Medical Examination of Recruits, Interrogatory Form. Filled out in
Lawrence's hand. Bottom, including his signature, torn away. |
Lawrence records that he
suffered from dysentery in 1913, and lists injuries as:
Broken fibula 1906
Broken ribs 1916-19 |
| 1925 Aug 20 RAF Form 167.
Results of Unit, Group or Central Trade Testing Board Examination and
Trade Test Card. |
Lawrence recommended for
reclassification as AC/2 |
| 1925 Aug 21 RAF Form 35
Entry [medical] Examination (non-flying) record card |
Lawrence's weight is
recorded as 128 pounds. Distinctive body marks described as: "Four
superficial scars left side. Three superficial scars lower part of
back" |
| 1925-35 RAF Form 4B
(Airman) Medical History Envelope |
This form, together with
Forms 280, 120 and 121, went with Lawrence from stations to station. It
records that there was a medical examination on 16 Oct 1926, and a
dental examination on 15 Apr 1929; also lists vaccinations. |
| [undated] Particulars of
Absent voter |
A card recording the
electoral registration officer to be informed of an airman's
location at the time of an election [in order to arrange a postal vote].
No constituency or polling district has been entered. Instead, the form
is overwritten "Not desirous", implying that Lawrence did not
wish to vote. |
| RAF Form 200 Statement of
the services of No 338171 SHAW Thomas Edward |
This carries summary
information about Lawrence's Tank Corps enlistment and service extracted
from Tank Corps records transferred to the RAF. |
|
1925-35:
general service documents 1925-35 |
| 1926-34 RAF form 678.
Periods of leave in excess of 48 hours. |
Dates given (with the
number of days in brackets) are:
1926 31 Jul 26 to 27 Aug. Annual (28)
1926 4 Nov to 1 Dec. Overseas (28)
1929 Feb 3 to Mar 10. Overseas (38)
1929 20 Sep to 14 Nov. Annual (28) plus Extension of service (28). Total
56 days.
1930 May 5-11. Annual (7)
1930 Sep 13 to Oct 2. Annual (21)
1931 Jul 25 to Aug 21. Annual (28)
1932 Aug 29 to Sep 4. Annual (7)
1932 Sep 18 to Oct 8. Annual (21)
[no record of leave during 1933]
1934 Jan 20 to Feb 2. Annual (14)
1934 Mar 4 to 14. Annual (14)
1934 Aug 27 to Sep 9. Annual (14) |
| 1925-33 RAF Form 125
Miscellaneous Record Sheet |
When Lawrence left each RAF
station where he had served, he was assessed for character, trade
proficiency, recommendation for promotion or reclassification and
suitability for promotion or reclassification. Lawrence's Commanding
Officers invariably recommended him for promotion. The final sheet reads
'Specially recommended' [which would have been valuable had Lawrence
survived up to the outbreak of World War II] |
| 1925-35 RAF Form 120
Service Conduct Sheet. |
This summary sheet would
record any punishments for bad conduct in relation to service work. The
entries for each successive station read 'Certified no entry' [i.e. a
'clean sheet'.] |
| 1925-35 RAF Form 121
General Conduct Sheet. |
This summary sheet would
record any punishments for bad conduct generally. The entries for each
successive station read 'Certified no entry' [i.e. a 'clean sheet'.] |
| 1928 Nov 11 RAF (India)
Form 82. Application by an airman to extend his service [Lawrence's
signature torn away] |
The form carries approvals
by various officers. Under Remarks: "An exceptional aircraft hand
who has done excellent work performing clerical duties at Miranshah." |
|
1935: Leaving
the RAF |
| 1935 Mar 11 RAF Form 310 |
Brief statement of trade
qualifications, character, and general conduct, signed by his final CO:
"A.C.1 Shaw has completed 12 years service in the Royal Air Force
and has proved throughout to be an exceptional airman." |
| 1935 Mar 11. RAF Form 280 |
Certificate of the service
and discharge of SHAW, Thomas Edward, Service No. 338171. |
| 1935 March. RAF Form
856 |
Statement on discharge of
an airman's qualifications and employment. The assessment reads:
"He is an exceptional airman in every respect and his character and
general conduct have at all times been "Very Good." |
| 1935 March 11. RAF Form
2067 [office copy, not signed by Lawrence] |
Character Certificate of No
338171 SHAW, Thomas Edward. "He proved himself to be very reliable,
hardworking and conscientious, and his character was "Very
Good". |
|
Minutes
and correspondence |
| 1928-34 Minutes |
The early minutes deal with
Lawrence's repatriation from India, and information about any local
leave in India, required to answer a Parliamentary question. |
| 1925 Sep 1 [memo] |
Stating that Lawrence was
entitled to count his Tank Corps service towards his RAF pension and
good conduct badges. |
| 1925 Sep 3 "T"
Depot Squadron, R.A.F. Depot, Casualty Form (Airmen) |
Includes Lawrence's
transfer from the Royal Tank Corps to the RAF. |
| 1928 Dec 3 Air Ministry to
J.W. Cordingley |
If Lawrence applies to
extend his service, this is to be approved. No action is to be taken to
transfer him from India without Air Ministry approval. However, if he
should apply to be moved to another Command, this should be approved and
the Air Ministry informed. |
| 1929 Jan 7 Air Ministry to
J.W. Cordingley |
Previous letter holds good;
"in addition no action whatsoever is to betaken in regard to moving
A.C.2 Shaw without prior reference to the Air Ministry." |
| 1931 Oct 16 Request (at the
behest of Group Captain Sydney Smith) to post Lawrence from Mount Batten
to Manston as early as practicable. |
Manuscript note states:
"Cancelled by Warren phone request dated 22.10.31" |
| 1932 Sep 7 C.H.K. Edmonds
to J.W. Cordingley |
Reminder that according to
letter of 7 Jan 1929 Lawrence was not to be moved without Air Ministry
permission and notes that Lawrence has been employed on temporary duty
at the British Power Boat Co works in Hythe without such permission.
A.O.C. Coastal Area has been asked to end this attachment. |
| 1932 Sep 7 C.H.K. Edmonds
to AVM R.H. Clark-Hall, HQ Coastal Area, Lee-on-Solent. |
Ordering Lawrence's return
to "his proper duties" at RAF Mount Batten. Notes that
instructions about not moving Lawrence without consulting the Air
Ministry seem not to have been passed to Chark-Hall's HQ, and therefore
repeats them for future reference. |
| 1932 Sep 8 J.W. Cordingley
to C.H.K. Edmonds |
Acknowledges instructions
dated 7 September relative to Lawrence. |
| 1933 Apr 21 C.H.K. Edmonds
to R.H.Clark-Hall |
Concerns Lawrence's
impending move to Felixstowe, his future service at contractors' yards
wearing civilian clothes, and further instructions regarding any
decision to move Lawrence. |
| 1933 Apr 22 HQ Coastal Area
to Officer i/c Records, RAF |
Further to the letter
above, requests formal Air Ministry instructions to post Lawrence from
Mount Batten to Felixstowe. |
| 1933 Apr 27 Message from
Mount Batten to M.A.E.E. Felixstowe [this is message repeated in two
further documents] |
"Shaw reporting
Felixstowe by road p.m. 28/4" |
| 1933 Jun 1 C.H.K. Edmonds
to AOC RAF Coastal Area. |
Summarises Air Ministry
instructions relating to Lawrence. |
| 1934 Dec 17 J. W.
Cordingley to C.H.K. Edmonds |
Notes that Lawrence is due
for discharge on 11 Mar 1935 on completion of 12 years' service:
"Am I to take it that no action is desired regarding his retention
in the Service, in the absence of an application from Shaw in the
ordinary manner?" Notes that it is not intended to pass the E.D. 7
form to the Ministry of Labour. |
| 1934 Dec 20 C.H.K. Edmonds
to J.W. Cordingley |
Replies to the above:
"It has been decided that unless anything to the contrary is heard
from Shaw in the meantime, normal discharge action should proceed". |
