I’ve offered to help someone with a query that has been exercising them – they are researching a man killed in a crash, but have been unable to find a regsitration of death for him, and the General Register Office have given them the runaround when it comes to why. Can anyone help with their query, please? Their request to me is appended below (I’ve edited to bring the relevant line to the top)
” I would like to know what the procedure would have been for registering deaths of US Servicemen who died on active service whilst in the UK during WW2. I wondered if it would have been left to the USAF to deal with according to their own country’s requirements rather than the usual registration via the local Registrar.
http://www.b24.net/missions/MM030644.htm#cnl
That page describes the crash and lists the men who were killed. My research involves 2nd Lt James Aloysius HEILMAN who was the bombardier, he was also my father in law’s cousin. The page states that there was no Missing Air Crew Report for this flight, so I assume that as well as the accident being witnessed, there was no doubt about who was on board and that they all died in the crash.
If you have time to do this, I would like to know what the procedure would have been for registering deaths of US Servicemen who died on active service whilst in the UK during WW2. I wondered if it would have been left to the USAF to deal with according to their own country’s requirements rather than the usual registration via the local Registrar.
I am unable to find a death registration for any of the ten men in the GRO index.
The local Registrar does not know how the deaths would have been registered.
The local archives do not know.
I tried the GRO and got a reply from a sort of general help desk which more or less ignored my question and gave me details of how to apply for a death cert for British Servicemen who died overseas.
A follow up mail produced the reply :
“There was no change to the requirement for all deaths that took place within a registration district to be registered during this time. However, in cases where the body is not recovered, it would be possible that the death would not be registered as there would not be definitive proof where the death occurred.”
NB I don’t actually want the death cert, I am more interested in the procedure for registration. I know how and where these men died, I know that James’ body was returned, in 1948, to the USA and he was buried in Kokomo, Indiana. I am not asking anyone to look into the crash or to help with researching any of the men. I wouldn’t want anyone to waste their time looking for info I already have.”
All assistance gratefully received!
Many thanks,
Adrian
By: Alan Clark - 20th December 2016 at 13:53
The reason there is no MACR is because the crash occurred in an area where the US authorities had access and the aircraft was not missing, and so there is a Form 14 (Report of Aircraft Accident) for the loss instead, which is listed. The photographs of the crash site are marked as having come from the accident report.
I have only seen wartime deaths of US service personnel registered before the US entry into the conflict and the Isle of Man. It would appear there was an arrangement made to exempt the US services from having to register deaths in the UK for the duration. Post war, and I am not entirely sure when it occurred, deaths began to be registered in the UK.
By: Richard gray - 20th December 2016 at 13:25
Interesting question.
I have a feeling that the registration of American deaths would be initially down to the Quartermaster of the airfield where the crew were at, in this case RAF Wendling. US Station 118.
Where he would place the burials on the weekly report which would be sent to the Quartermaster General in Washington. Where they would be registered on the American system.
But it does raise the question did they have to be registered before burial?
This report no 77 19th March 1944. Crew on page 2.
By: Kiteflyer - 20th December 2016 at 13:17
The Individual Deceased Personnel File may well hold further information to answer the question of registering US service personnel deaths. More details regarding the files here https://www.archives.gov/files/calendar/genealogy-fair/2014/handouts/session-14-presentation-handout-mcgraw.pdf
Jeff
By: paulmcmillan - 20th December 2016 at 09:15
PS.
The page states that there was no Missing Air Crew Report for this flight
There is no MACR as the aircraft was not “Missing” they knew where it crashed. A MACR was usually only raised when they didn’t know where aircraft crashed (I.,e in enemy controlled areas or in the sea)
By: paulmcmillan - 20th December 2016 at 07:18
Adrian
I don’t know the full answer but I do know that it is very rare that you will find death registration of US Serviceman in UK in UK records there was apparently some protocol that meant they were not registered. Though don’t know what that was you will find some US names occasionally especially for incidents before 1942 (When they were “advisers”) and also when I assume authorities did register death before military intervention. U.K. Fatalities in same incident both in air and on ground (both Civilan and Military) are usually on UK register though
I am not an expert but the above is my own guess on the procedure based on years of research and I have never seen procedure written down
Paul
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December 19, 2016 at 9:32 pm