Pre-WW2 RAF Dentistry

**Resmoroh** · 24th November 2022, 17:39

Hello All,
I have been investigating (on what will be a very large s/sheet!!) the RAFVR Pilots Number Block (740000-759999, highest issued 759361).
There are a number of anomalies. These are mostly name spelling difference between the LG, FREEBMD, and various written accounts. Most of these anomalies can be resolved with a bit of hard work on the internet!
One, however, caused me to smile. I hope it makes you do likewise.
It concerns a John Francis Mordaunt.
Now our John Mordaunt appears in the RAFVR Pilots list with the number 741138. He has no professional post-nominal letters after his name. He appears to have been born on 7 Mar 1916 (location not known). He must have done some (flying?) training? The next I find is that he is Commissioned Plt Off (106680) on 4 Jul 1941, but in the Dental Branch!!!!! (still no post-nominal letters!).
I thought that was a fairly unusual career path for an RAF “washed out” u/t pilot?!!!
However, he is shortly promoted Fg Off – and by this time he has LDS after his name (Licensure in Dental Surgery). So, he’s a dentist.
The detail of all this would be fascinating. Did he fail hi LDS Finals and volunteer for the RAFVR to avoid being conscripted into the “brutal and licentious” soldiery? Was he a good RAF Fang Farrier? Where did he go?
HTH
Peter Davies
PS Have a care! A rellie of his – Penny Mordaunt – is a very senior political person in the UK Parliament !!

**paulmcmillan** · 24th November 2022, 23:38

1963 Dentists Register

26401 Mordaunt , John Francis
42 New Cavendish Street London W1
Qualified April 21 1941
LDS Royal College of Surgeons Eng 1941

**paulmcmillan** · 25th November 2022, 08:09

Peter

The birth of
John Francis Mordaunt

https://www.theguardian.com/books/20...ry-eve-fairfax

Paul

But John Francis Mordaunt seemed destined for tragedy. In 1964 he, his wife and their elder daughter died in a plane crash at Innsbruck

MORDAUNT John Francis of Flat 64 Rivemead Coutrt Ranleigh
Gardens London S.W.6 died 29 February 1964 at Tulfes
near Innsbruck Austria Probate London 10 April to
Louis Courts solicitor and Harry Barr painter.

This is the plane crash

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britis...s_Flight_802/6

29 February 1964, British Eagle International Airlines Flight 802/6 crashed into the Glungezer mountain near Innsbruck, Austria. The aircraft, a Bristol Britannia registered G-AOVO,