[BlenheimBuff]

OK, one final update on this thread:

I will be requesting this Officer's service record to hopefully clarify the points already discussed, but in the meantime there are several facts that are now evident, and which I'll document here for those interested.

I have now had the opportunity to read all of the 600 Squadron ORB entries covering 1931 to 1939. This ORB is very precise and comprehensive compared to others that I've examined. Temporary attachments and postings are religiously documented, as are the names of applicants granted commissions. Other Ranks (OR) are another kettle of fish, and their names appear sparingly.....if at all. My findings are:

1) No reference to R.L. Saunders appears anywhere in the 600 Sqn ORB.

2) If, as has been suggested, Roi Saunders was allocated a 600 Sqn service number as some sort of bureaucratic expedient prior to commencement of commissioned aircrew training, then I would expect that number to be a 90000 series number, as befitting an Officer. Several new commissioned entrants to the squadron proper date to this period: J.H.C.Rowe (Jan '35 - 90089), A.McLachlan (Feb '35 - 90085), H.Coghlan (Feb '35 - 90117), C.A.Pritchard (May '36 - 90092)........ALL have 90000 series numbers.

3) 1 reference is made in 1935 to an aircraftsman named Pestell, referring to AIR78 records show his service number to be 800337, relatively close to Roi Saunders' number 800420.

4) All of my reading on 600 Sqn has shown it to be an extremely elitist unit, which recruited almost exclusively from moneyed members of the Banking/Insurance/Finance institutions in the City of London. I doubt that they would have entertained the idea of a temporary secondment by someone of Roi Saunders' background, awaiting commission or otherwise.

Obviously final confirmation will have to await Roi Saunders service records, but my gut feeling based on the above is as follows. I think Roi Saunders may have had some sort of work connection in the City of London, which lead to him joining 600 Sqn AAF as OR in 1935. After serving a year as OR he saw the creation of the RAFVR as a means of achieving an aircrew commission which would have been impossible for him within the AAF. He applies for an RAFVR commission, probably at nearby Hatfield where an E & RFTS has been established, is accepted, but retains his existing AAF service number. He attends No.8 E&RFTS at Montrose, where he is allocated to twins and wins his wings, subsequently attending Hatfield at weekends to keep his hours up to requirement......mostly I would imagine on Tiger Moths (hence the relatively low number of Blenheim hours on the 8th August '39 crash card). Prior to November 1938 whenever his status changes his name would be associated with his old AAF service number, which would be interpreted as indicating membership of the RAFO as opposed to the RAFVR. All of this becomes academic when he is issued with his regular RAF service number in Nov '38

All very speculative I admit, so it will have to await the service record for confirmation.

Regards,

Ian