New to me RAF Form 659 - Aka RAF Airman Death Certificate

[paulmcmillan]

All just had access to an Air 81 file and it includes (new to me) a 2 part RAF Form 659 - which is best described as an RAF Airman Death Certificate - basic details are below - has anyone ever seen this before - could not find anything on Google ? - I wonder if they are still a round - it would certainly fill some missing gaps!

Kind Regards Paul



ROYAL AIR FORCE 659
Report of Death of an Airman to be forwarded to the Air Ministry immediately after the date of Death

Page 1
No
Rank
Unit,
Names
Date of Birth
Trade,
Enlisted (Where and When)
Death (Date, Place, Cause)
Account (or in Indian Casualty Return
Will


Page 2
Annuity
Medals
Married
Widow Address (and Children)
NoK
NoK Notification Date
Signed Commanding Officer
Station and Date

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Paul,

RAFAHB said in response to a query I raised on the subject that a number have survived in Casualty Files (I found quite a few in NAA files for RAAF fatalities in european theatre - which triggered the request).

However they went on to say that they were currently considered Medical/Personal Information and as such not released due to requirements of GDPR.

Although, if prepared to do the ping pong letters/reviews etc, you could argue GDPR applies only to living not dead I considered that after the redaction of essentially most of page 2 - what was left I could get from other sources.

Ross

[paulmcmillan]

Ross

Thanks for this! - I think you are right most of the info can be found from other sources - what was interesting was the page 1 stuff (page 2 stuff more personal information, children could still be alive) - including cause of death in my case 'Flying Accident on 4 January 1940' at RAF Montrose

AIR81/1769 Oxford II N4721 Sergeant T Watkins: killed; aircraft accident, Oxford N4721, 8 Flying Training School, 4 January 1940

Sergeant Thomas WATKINS (741568) Pilot (Under Training)



Paul

[jonheyworth]

Surely the Form 659 became the casualty card ? Same basic information

[Ross_McNeill]

Yup.

But as always information was stored in duplicate places in the archive - along with additional to suit the purpose of that record.

As a fatality associated with an aircraft crash F1180 gives

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fti7h82g93...82%29.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dyuyherjgv...82%29.JPG?dl=0


Ross

[paulmcmillan]

Surely the Form 659 became the casualty card ? Same basic information

Jon probably - but Form 659 would have been the first piece of official documentation - and completed by Unit.. do you know the form number for a RAF Casualty Card

Paul

[Jagan]

There is also a "Air Force (India) Form 551 - Officer or Airman - Report on Accidental or Self-Inflicted Injuries or Immediate Death Therefrom"

Seen a bunch of "Casualty Verification Sheet" with no form numbers..