Talk:Borivoje Mirković

Mirkovic as a AVM RAF

The Air Force List of September 1943 does not list Mirkovic as a AVM, or even an honorary one. This needs further verification. here is the link. I've removed command of the RAF from the infobox, as he clearly did not command the RAF. Cheers, Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 00:39, 29 November 2014 (UTC)

Promoted Honorary in 1942 find that list he was Major General of RAF. ^{Snake bgd} 12:02, 29 November 2014 (UTC)

I don't understand your response. I had a good look, and his name doesn't appear on either the September 1943 or March 1944 Air Force Lists, which are authoritative, and go back to cover all officer promotions from the beginning of the war. In any case, if verified, the rank should be noted as honorary, not substantive. Essentially, having it in the lead is misleading puffery, he had no operational role in the RAF, not any allegiance to the UK as a result, it means very little. Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 12:14, 29 November 2014 (UTC)

According to the end of war Air List, there were no honorary AVM commissions at all granted during WWII, the highest rank for which honorary commissions were granted was Air Commodore, and there were only four or five of them, people like the Nawab of Bengal and some prince of Trans-Jordan. Mirkovic doesn't appear at all. This needs to be treated with a big dose of scepticism at this stage. Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 12:41, 29 November 2014 (UTC)

I could scan you book so that you could see text. Maybe he was Major General like it is on the book but he was Air Force General in Yugoslav Army and that doesn't make sense that he wasn't same rank in Royal Air Force. He was defiantly working for British so that was way so they could repay him for service. ^{Snake bgd} 18:40, 29 November 2014 (UTC)

My point is that the official record of officer promotions in the RAF does not list him, despite the fact that it includes lists of all serving AVMs and all honorary commissions in the RAF since 1918. There is only one conclusion to draw from that, and that is that the source you have used has misunderstood something. I'm not disputing his Yugoslav rank, I'm disputing his commission in the RAF. Without a corroborating source, I'm afraid the Yugoslav source appears unreliable on this point. I'll make inquiries with the MILHIST community to see if anyone has access to RAF histories that might clarify this further. Regards, Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 20:57, 29 November 2014 (UTC)

Hi, first off just a reminder to Snake bgd there was no such thing as major general in the RAF during WWII, although admittedly it was the equivalent of an AVM, i.e. two-star. Secondly I'd be inclined to accept the Air Force List as authoritative although honorary ranks could be granted to an individual long after their service. For instance at least one RAAF officer who retired as a substantive group captain in 1946 was made an honorary air commodore a decade later. Anyway, another way I'd check is to search for this chap's name in The London Gazette, if you haven't already, as it usually listed British military commissions as well as decorations. Cheers, Ian Rose (talk) 06:40, 30 November 2014 (UTC)

Thanks Ian. A search of the Gazette also shows no hits for this Mirkovic. I think it is increasingly likely that the source is not accurate on this point. Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 11:28, 30 November 2014 (UTC)

I cant find any formal connection with the RAF, no mention of him at all in the London Times and he doesnt appear in the British on-line death indexes at all (which he would if he died in London). MilborneOne (talk) 23:43, 5 December 2014 (UTC)