Hi

My grandfather was an RAF Cadet in Egypt in late 1918, where the RAF had training schools at Aboukir, Heliopolis and in other locations. Part of his training was to attend the RAF Armament School (which may also have been known as the School of Aerial Gunnery). My grandfather graduated from the school on 15 September 1918 and his gunnery certificate was signed by a Capt. R.C. Boddie.

I was looking to identify which gunnery school my grandfather attended and so searched to see if there was any information on the internet about Captain Boddie and came across your query. I assume that this could be your illustrious ancestor since the rank and service fit.

My grandfather went from gunnery school to the Training Depot Squadron at Aboukir (where there was a gunnery school) but there was also a gunnery school at Heliopolis and it seems that cadets could be moved between the various schools and squadrons, so I'm afraid that I don't know which airfield my grandfather and Capt. Boddie were at. The O/C of the Armaments School was a Major A.J.G. Anderson who was mentioned in Allenby's dispatches on 18 September 1918 but I haven't been able to track him down to a location either.

I hope this information is useful to your researches.

Kind regards,

Richard Simmons