Can anyone shed any light on this trade abbreviation?

A/SAM (F) (2) this appears on a guy’s service certificate dated October 1947, prior to this he had been a A/PO AF (R) - Acting Petty Officer Air Fitter (Radio).

Could this be some form of Air Mechanicion 2nd class? If so what does the S stand for and the (F) I wonder?

Tony

Hi Tony

A/SAM(F)(2)is the abbreviation for Acting Skilled Air Mechanic(Fitter) 2nd Class. The Skilled Air Mechanic non-substantive rating was to disappear by 1949 to be replaced by Air Fitter ratings.

My view is that the abbreviation A/PO AF(R) does not signify that the man's non-substantive rating was Acting Petty Officer Air Fitter (Radio) as Radios (Air) were the responsibility of the Telegraphist Branch (Radio Mechanics (Fleet Air Arm)) prior to 1947.

It is more likely the abbreviation signifies that the man was an Acting Petty Officer Air Fitter(Rigger) although I cannot immediately find a reference to that non-substantive rank in any of my references. However the Fitters and Riggers were specailist aircraft ground crew belonging to the the same Branch of the Fleet Air Arm and this descrïption would therefore be the more likely.

It would be interesting to find out what other non-substantive ratings the man held throughout his naval career.

Regards

stontamr