Web: UK and Allied Countries, Index of International Bomber Command Losses, 1936-1966

General Collection Information

This is a web-based index of Royal Air Force Bomber Command casualties between 1936 and 1966. These are some of the most comprehensive pre- and postwar records of Bomber Command personnel losses. During World War II, more than a million men and women from 60 nations across the world served or supported the Bomber Command.

Using this Collection

This collection is a set of digital indexes that are searchable by the following:

• Name
• Rank
• Service number
• Decorations
• Date of death
• Age
• Squadron
• Serial number

Military records are usually well kept and highly detailed, making them a great resource when researching your ancestors. An ancestor’s service number and squadron can lead you to enlistment information, the location where they joined, and even what trade they practiced.

The serial number will help identify the aircraft an individual was assigned to, which can help you uncover details of their last operation and the names of their fellow servicemen. Personal information like next of kin and burial or memorial information could also be found through this database.

History of the Collection

The Royal Air Force was established near the close of World War I in 1918 as a separate branch of the military. It merged with both the Royal Air Corps and Royal Naval Air Service to create a better and more focused effort against German forces.

In 1936, separate Commands were created: Bomber, Control, Fighter, and Training. The Bomber Command kept records of each aircraft that failed to return from an operational flight. This data was collected to identify patterns and reduce the number of losses. No equivalent exists for the other Commands.

Bibliography

Royal Air Force Museum. “Aircraft Records.” Last Accessed January 28, 2021, https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/default/archive-collection/aircraft-records.aspx.

Imperial War Museum. RAF Bomber Command During the Second World War.” Last Accessed January 27, 2021, https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/raf-bomber-command-during-the-second-world-war.

International Bomber Command Centre. “Losses Database.” Last Accessed January 27, 2021, https://internationalbcc.co.uk/history-archive/losses-database/.

National Archives. “Royal Air Force Operations.” Last Accessed January 28, 2021, https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-air-force-operations/.

Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. “Bomber Command.” Last Accessed January 28, 2021, https://www.aviationmuseum.net/BomberCommand.htm.