Australian Flying Corps (AFC)

Researching Australian military service

Nominal Rolls

Many names will be listed on the First World War Nominal Roll.
The First World War Embarkation Roll lists those who embarked from Australia as members of the AFC.

Personal service records

First World War service records are held by the National Archives of Australia. For information regarding viewing or obtaining copies of these records please visit the National Archives information page Australian Service Records from World War I.

If a soldier saw service in both the First and the Second World Wars, the record has usually been amalgamated in the Second World War service record.

Those who died while serving

The Roll of Honour records the names of servicemen and servicewomen who died during or as a result of service with Australian military forces. The Roll of Honour introduction provides detailed information about Roll of Honour eligibility.

The Commemorative Roll lists Australians who died during or as a result of wars or warlike operations in which Australians have been on active service but who were not eligible for inclusion on the Roll of Honour. The Commemorative Roll introduction provides detailed information about Commemorative Roll eligibility.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission casualty database lists all British Commonwealth soldiers who died in the First and Second World wars. The register provides details about where the individual is buried or commemorated, includes plans of cemeteries and photographs of the cemetery or memorial.

Some AFC casualty files (deaths and injuries) are held in Official records AWM25 171/7 - AWM25 171/10.

Printed resources

Trevor Henshaw, The sky their battlefield: air fighting and the complete list of allied air casualties from enemy action in the First World War: British, Commonwealth and United States Air Services 1914–1918 (London: Grub Street, 1995). Chronological list of casualties with summaries of action with name index.

Chris Hobson, Airmen died in the Great War, 1914–1918: the Roll of Honour of the British and Commonwealth air services of the First World War (Suffolk: J.B. Hayward, 1995). Biographical, chronological and unit lists for RANS, RFC, RAF WRAF and AFC.

H.J. Williamson, The Roll of Honour: Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force for the Great War 1914–18 (Dallington, East Sussex: Naval & Military Press, 1992). Lists names with rank, year of death, and whether RAF or RFC. Separate section of names (with squadron, age, next of kin) from Arras Memorial, which records those who had no known grave. Includes some casualties from 1919–20.

Where they served

Digitised images of Australian Flying Corps unit diaries are available online.
F.M. Cutlack, The Australian Flying Corps The Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918, Vol. 8. (Sydney: Angus & Robertson,1923). This volume of the official history covers in great detail the first air operations in war undertaken by Australia.
For further information please refer to our guide Researching the history of a unit.

Medals and awards

Please refer to our research guides:

Where to look for photographs

Collections Search provides access to digitised images of photographs, films, art, and private records held by the Memorial.
Trove includes photographs and other images held by a range of major Australian libraries, archives, and other cultural institutions