Trying to research a family member - George Frederick Whitham

Hi

Trying to look into a family member to see what he did during the war years - can find lots of other information e.g. death, birth, marriage but NOTHING to show what he did during ww2

Name: George Frederick Whitham
DOB: 16/07/1913
DOD: 05/10/2002
Lived: Norwich. Norfolk
Married: 09/09/1939 to Gwendoline Verdon Wiggett

Can anyone perhaps suggest how I can find out what he did during ww2?

Thanks

 

Hello and welcome. The first thing you can do is apply for his service records, the MOD in Glasgow is the ONLY place you can get them. They only take a few weeks, not months. Cost 30 pounds and are well worth it.
Get a copy of military service records

Lesley

 

Thanks, was hoping to find some clues first before spending money - just in case no record to find

 

Just a thought-If you apply for his marriage certificate, it might possibly state his service number if he joined up at the beginning of the war-he would have been 26 when he married.

 

Careful. MOD Glasgow is for Army Records only. You'll first have to try and establish whether he was RN, Army or RAF or indeed served at all.

Tim

 

@ Tim
Yes that is my issue and why I posted really - as no idea what service he was in if any, but also if none then can't see why as not likely he had a reserved occupation etc

 

Well, what do you have apart from your initial post, photos in uniform, medals, letters etc....
It'd be unusual for any fit man of Service age NOT to have been in the Armed Forces in some form or other.
You must know something more about him
Just how close a relative?

 

Darren,

One man with the name "George Frederick Whitham" served in the RAF in WWII.

Service number was 1646307 indicating an enlistment at Cardington sometime between October 1941 and October 1942.

Whether this is the man you are looking for, I cannot say.

Regards,

Dave

 

Was a baker a reserved occupation?

 

Thanks Dave - if only I could find DOB for that service number then I could be more certain it was him

 

I don't think so. http://anguline.co.uk/Free/Reserved.pdf

 

Didn't know he was a baker in first place, so not sure?

 

He was on 29/9/1939
7 Wymer Street, Norwich
WHITHAM Frederick G / dob July 16 1913 / Married / Baker
WHITHAM Verdun G (?S) / dob Aug 28 1916 / Married / Shop assistant, multiple stores
WIGGETT Selina M/ dob July 7 1889 / Single / Charwoman

Note first names.

 

Thanks Tony - didn't know that - so seems even though we knew him as George Frederick, he was perhaps Frederick George

 

England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
Name: George Frederick Whitham
Death Age: 89
Birth Date: 16 Jul 1913
Registration Date: Oct 2002
Registration district: Norwich
Inferred County: Norfolk
Register Number: D35B
District and Subdistrict: 6391D

England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
Name: George F Whitham
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1939
Registration district: Norwich
Inferred County: Norfolk
Spouse: Gwendoline V Wiggett
Volume Number: 4b
Page Number: 533

England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915
Name: George F Whitham
Mother's Maiden Name: Bacon
Registration Year: 1913
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Erpingham
Parishes for this Registration District: View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District
Inferred County: Norfolk
Volume: 4b
Page: 145

TD

There are several trees on Ancestry that include him, one of those was created by a Steven Rose - any relation ??

 

If he was Frederick George, you can rule out the RAF as no one with that combination of names appears to have served. I say "appears" as the finding guide at Kew makes the point that there are gaps in the microfilmed slips.

Air Ministry and Ministry of Defence: Department of the Air Member for Personnel: Index to Airmen and Airwomen | The National Archives

 

Certainly on his marriage certificate he was George Frederick and that is what we knew him as

 

If you have his marriage certificate, what does it say his occupation is on 9/9/1939?

 

Thank you all for your help so far, this is very interesting

Another part of this story would be to work out the father of his wife Gwendoline, as no one knew who her father was, and so far no one can find any records. She was born during WW1 I believe and his mum didn't think much of her as though her illegitimate child, so wonder if perhaps her dad was a solider during WW1 and she was conceived out of wed lock

 

I don't have his marriage certificate - just going on information on Ancestry website in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index e.g. https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interact...82611/facts/citation/522053681878/edit/record