I wonder if someone could point me to the right place where I can find documented infomation on my great-grandfather based on the following?
Apologies if this is not strictly historic aviation but it follows around an aviation theme.
My great-grandfather I think entered WW2 in the 39-40 period. He was at Dunkerque though escaped (but my mohter maintained until last year he was captured PoW there).
Gran claims he was enlisted into the King’s Own Borderers (KOBs) even though her dad was Devon through and through and the KOBs are a Scottish unit! Subsequent to Dunkerque, Gran says he was transferred out of the KOB to another regiment and participated later in the defence of Crete (aviation connection) where the Nazis assualted the Island with a mass airborne invasion. During the defence, great-grandad was certainly hit on the head, cause apparently by an ammo box falling to earth under a parachute. This was subsequently to help give him nightmares for many years after the War and the reason why his story is not known.
(After the fall of Crete, the RAF Regiment were set up to defend their own airfields).
Upon being taken PoW at Crete, Gran says he was interned into one of the Stalag Luft camps. Were all prisoners of war air crew there? Seems a bit odd that an Army regular would be there.
In 1945 the Germans left the camp with the Russians almost upon them. He escaped and head West to ward the American lines with a friend, but for some reason evaded contact eventually making his own way back to England.
What I am looknig for really is documented evidence that trails all the way from enlisting, transfers, Dunkerque, Crete, PoW and then his return. Is this possible and where do I look?
By the way his father and uncle were in the RFC in WW1 🙂
By: NickFenton - 1st June 2007 at 13:38
As a start, l would suggest checking out kew referance WO 344 to see if he is listed there. This will give units details, POW camps, etc. A good place to start.
If he is not mentioned here then that does not mean he was not there, but most allied POW’s did complete one of these Liberation Questionaires.
Rehards,
Nick
By: Stan - 9th April 2007 at 12:42
Hi
National Archives hold no information on individual soldiers that served in WW2- these are still retained by the MOD. Release of personal information by the MOD is tightly controlled but if you write to them they will advise you who in your family can ask for the info- there is a legal pecking order. A fee is payable and you’ll need a copy death certificate. It’s a bit of hard work but the answers you seek will probably be there.
National Archves do hold War Diaries for most units and although these give a good background to what was going an at a specific time they rarely mention ‘other ranks’ by name.
Contact for Army Records:
Army Personnel Centre
HQ Secretariat
Historical Disclosures
Mail Point 400
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow
G2 8EX
Tel: 0845 600 9663, option 1, then option 3
Good luck, Stan
By: Pondskater - 9th April 2007 at 01:12
A bit outside my area but there are some local museums which might help too. For instance, the Kings Own Border Regiment Museum is at Carlisle Castle and the Kings Own Scottish Borderers are based at Berwick.
I recall hearing that the Border regiment were the rearguard at Dunkerque and many were taken POW.
Anyway, I’m not too sure which of these covers the KOBs but the two possibilities are:
Carlisle: http://www.armymuseums.org.uk/amot-search/default.asp?Category=Amot&Service=Museum-Display&reference=0000000052
and
Berwick: http://www.armymuseums.org.uk/amot-search/default.asp?Category=Amot&Service=Museum-Display&reference=0000000054
A phone call will let you know how much they can help.
Good luck
By: Jimbo27 - 8th April 2007 at 19:21
I would start here…
http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/army.html
Hope it helps.
Jim
By: Nosedive - 8th April 2007 at 18:33
I would suggest that you pay a visit to the National Archives at Kew Gardens. It is 10 minutes walk from Kew Gardens Station. The staff are very helpful and they have Research Guides that take you step by step through finding people. If you do go, you will need to take your Passport or Photo drivers license (something with your Picture on it) and a household bill to prove where you live. You will then be issued with a reader ticket that lasts fo 5 years.
As I’m sure you are aware, as a starting point, it is best to speak to people who are still alive and knew the person, which appears to be what you have done already, and as you have discovered, they can give you an outline of someone’s career (with inacuracies/embelishments as you have discovered already). A place and date of birth are a great help as they are normally recorded on official documents (they are also methods of checking that records refer to the same person if you have an unusual surname that is mispelt regularly).
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/?source=ddmenu_research0_e
I can recommend the books that are published by the National Archives, they are about £20, but are worth it if you are going to look seriously.
Based on my experience, you should find this persons Service Record, this should give you a brief outline of their career (dates and places). From then it is possible to look at the specific events mentioned in the Service Record.
A final thought, Does your Family still have his Campaign Medals? Depending upon where he was posted, he may have specfic campaign medals and or bars on his medals.
Sign In
April 8, 2007 at 4:32 pm