RAF 113 SQUADRON
W/O Frederick Alfred Rawlings
SEE ALFRED (TED) RAWLINGS PERSONAL ALBUM
Warrant Officer Frederick Alfred "Ted" Rawlings, 519887
June 2, 1915 - April 12, 1992
1939-1945 Africa Star, F&G Star, LS., GCM,
1939-1943 Star Ribbon
RESEARCH BY FRAZER SNOWDON
A career RAF man, Frederick Alfred Rawlings - known as Ted to his friends - enlisted in 1935 and served through the Second World War, eventually retiring on his 55th birthday in 1970.
He was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, but raised at 4 Station Road in Soham, Cambridgeshire, by his parents, Alfred Henry Rawlings - a gardener who was born in Hampstead, London - and Nellie Watson, of Isleham, Cambridgeshire.
Attended Cambridge Technical School from 1929 to 1931. After leaving school aged 17, he had a short civilian career in engineering for Headley and Edwards Ltd in Cambridge from 1932-34. But when the firm went bankrupt he joined the RAF, and went on to use his engineering skills to great effect throughout the war.
W/O Ted Rawlings top right, others unknown. Given the buildings and
the sailor seated center fron row, this is very likely a shot of classmates
taken 1935 or 1936 at T Depot S of TT or 3 S of TT (School of Technical Training)
With his training completed he was posted to 113 Squadron at their Grantham base on April 26 1938, but (according to his service records) just four days later headed for the Middle East, and was assigned to 113 “B” Squadron after 10 days. From his record it can be determined he stayed with the squadron throughout their time in the desert, including the imfamous period at Giarabub and then on to India. On the 11/08/1942 he was admitted to Hospital in Assansol during the time of the Indian uprising against Britain and shortly after discharge left the 113. Either for medical reasons or tour expired on the 19/12/1942 he was heading home to England.
In November 1941 the squadron moved deep into the desert to the ancient village of Giarabub which had just been taken from the Italians. It was to be a disaster for the 113 and many deaths resulted from attacks and accidents. They were not here long before they were found by the Germans and attacked resulting in numerous aircraft being destroyed. It was also here that one of the Squadrons worst tradgedies occured when during an attack a cliff collapsed under which some ground crew were sheltering and buried six of them alive. Corp Rawlings would certainly have known most if not all of them.
Between May 1938 and late 1942 there are few notes on his service record, which is perhaps ironic given that this was probably the most dramatic and noteworthy time of his RAF career.
The 113 Squadron website details the postings and action seen by the squadron as a whole, but exact details of my grandfather’s experiences are non-existent, save for a few photographs found in a “Tysules Brand Spirit” tin, which was found stuffed in the bottom corner of a cupboard following his death in 1992.
Included in the tin were a selection of papers, his identity tags, a rarely used bible signed by the vicar of Soham, some buttons, a packet of now crumbling Panflavin throat tablets, his shaving kit, cigarette case, lighter and medals. There were also several photographs and negatives - all frustratingly without captions - which give a fascinating peek into a period of his life about which we knew very little.
In early 1943 he joined the newly formed 180 Squadron equipped with Mitchell bombers, and after the war had many postings, including RAF Horsham St Faith (1947), Fassburg, Lubeck and Buckeberg (all Germany, 1948-50), RAF Cosford (1953), RAF Thorney Island (1954), as well as several years during the 1960s in London. Although not readily identifiable from his service record, he also spent some time on the island of Gan in the Indian Ocean, as well as Singapore.
He married Christine Leverick in 1943, and set up home in a small bungalow on the outskirts of Lowestoft, Suffolk, where they raised a daughter and spent the rest of their days.
DOCUMENTS
The following documents of Corp (W/O) Ted Rawlings give some indication of his extensive military career and travels but sadly the great stories hidden behind every entry may never be known. Nonetheless a carefull analysis of postings plotted against a timeline of the war gives us a good idea of his activities. He was one of the rare few who served through the entire war from beginning to end and survived. This was certainly not the result of easy postings, he saw service against the entire axis, the Italians, Gemans, and Japs. and served in some of the most horrific theaters of the war.
Post war postings from 1947 to 1957
An interesting document but uncertain as to what it is about.
Received from Cpl Atkinson 180 Squadron. One Lee Enfield rifle No 15322, one pair of waterproof overalls, the property of Sgt Jones. Another interesting document was an empty envelope (not shown) addressed to F/Sgt J Thorpe, M.T. Section (Moter Transport) 113 Squadron. Note the name may be F/Sgt F Thorpe
Heading home 19/12/1942. Bengal Assam railway ticket from Jessore to Bombay via Calcutta
SEE W/O FRED (TED) RAWLINGS PERSONAL ALBUM
Also see PHOTO ALBUM SECTION for more photos.
Source & Research copyright: Frazer Snowdon, UK (Grandson)
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