I know his name but scant else: RAF Sdn Ldr.

[Adam Lewis]

Our local museum (California) was gifted with a nice, clean RAF uniform attributed to Sqdn. Ldr. John Edward Gray-Hill Thomas. My job is to find out pertinent details about him.
So far: the DFC was in the London Gazette p.5866 in 1933. The next ribbon could for the NW Frontier, where this action apparently took place, according to the Gazette.
The 1939-45 Star
The Africa Star.
The War Service pair with Oak Leaf.
Coronation Medals 1937, 1953.
The "RAF Officers of WW2" list has no information, even though his 4 stripes on the cuff indicate Squadron Leader.
I could not find the MID reference.
I could not find an obituary.
He was born in 1904 so probably didn't fly combat in WW2.

The most anonymous squadron leader I've tried to find.

Adam Lewis

RAF Officers WW2 1000W.jpg
DFC 1933 p5866.jpg

John Edward Gray Hill Thomas . Rank_ Midshipman .jpg

[Adam Lewis]

Any help would be very much appreciated.

[paddywhack]

If someone hasn't by the time I'm home from work today IL check the 37 and 53 rolls, the 53 rolls should give me his service number and with that you can check the London gazette for his war time announcements and they should be able to get you when he was MID , but it's a great uniform with what looks to be a interwar DFC!I'd love to read the description of how that was awarded!!

[peter monahan]

For obituaries you may actually be better off searching via Ancestry and Find A Grave, since you have the full name. Start in the state you're in, and use verious combinations of name and initials, then move out from there. If he died in California, you may get lucky.

The RAF Museum is still handling some research enquiries, apparently. And they have pamphlets on how to research various awards.
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/researc...enquiries.aspx

[paddywhack]

So surprisingly the 53 rolls didnt give a service number which is strange but it did say he was the group captain of of 61 group(that is group not squadron), I looked at the 37 rolls and he was the CO of 228 squadron, IL see what the London gazette brings up but it's a bit of a bugger to use!also with a name like his there was ALOT of results in ancestry but IL see if I can't narrow it down!

[paddywhack]

Also according to the London gazette he got the DFC during the relief of Chitral which was in Afghanistan I believe! So that's an even niceer tunic as can't be many of them awarded for that operate/campaign!!

[paddywhack]

As the national archives are doing free digital downloads I found is mid ship man's record and downloaded it!send me a pm with a email address I can send it to and IL get it to you! Seems he was from Anglesey wales and joined the RAF in 1922

[Adam Lewis]

As the national archives are doing free digital downloads I found is mid ship man's record and downloaded it!send me a pm with a email address I can send it to and IL get it to you! Seems he was from Anglesey wales and joined the RAF in 1922

Hello!
The PM service won't let me send a note to you - says your PM folder is full.

[paddywhack]

Cleared out my pm box there and mailed you

[Adam Lewis]

For obituaries you may actually be better off searching via Ancestry and Find A Grave, since you have the full name. Start in the state you're in, and use verious combinations of name and initials, then move out from there. If he died in California, you may get lucky.

The RAF Museum is still handling some research enquiries, apparently. And they have pamphlets on how to research various awards.
https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/researc...enquiries.aspx

Thank you for replying.
I used findagrave to look for John Thomas b. 1904. The first hit I got was from Australia, d. 1958. There are 28 John Thomas in that cemetery alone.
An ancestry search for John Thomas b.1904 yielded thousands of hits. I have an inquiry to familysearch.org asking how I can use middle name and date of birth to winnow down but no reply yet.

I found 228 sqdn - based in Africa for much of WW2 (Coastal Command), commensurate with his Africa Star. I found no references that named the COs. I'll try the RAF Museum a bit later.

Cheers!
Adam