KOSB / 6 DLI - J.W. Robson (3191213): any details?

Discussion in 'Durham Light Infantry' started by 8RB, Jan 25, 2020.

  1. 8RB

    8RB Well-Known Member

    As a start, I thought I'd look for "J. Robson" at archives.com/uk . This results in 66,364 hits! :wacko:

    I need this to apply for his service records. Any ideas how to find the Death Certificate for "my" "J. Robson"?!

    upload_2020-1-29_20-2-17.png
     
  2. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    If you can find Mellerstain in the 1939 register or a similar census pre war he may be listed?

    Kyle
     
  3. 8RB

    8RB Well-Known Member

    Hi Kyle, I have no experience with obtaining these certificates whatsoever. To make matters worse, being Dutch, I don't even live in the UK. So, here we go: what do you mean by "the 1939 register" or by "a similar census pre war"? And where should I look for these?

    Cheers, Ronald.
     
  4. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Hello Ronald,

    The Government in the UK conduct regular census recordings . In 1939 a register was compiled which I believe was used later as a sort of database for the new NHS service. Although I can navigate through the English versions I`m not sure on the Scottish side . Sorry. If J Robson was from Mellerstain or lived there pre war he may be registered not only with his full name but his date of birth. Sorry I cannot be more specific but theres people on here I am sure who can advise re Scotland Census (hopefully)

    Kyle
     
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  5. 8RB

    8RB Well-Known Member

    Found this about the Scottish census records, so I guess I need to way another 19 years to see the 1939 records... :wacko:

    upload_2020-2-2_16-24-18.png
     
  6. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

    a persons details from the 1939 Register for Scotland can be released under the Freedom of Information Act, cost £ 15.00 ( £5 refund if not found). Death certificate may be required.

    National Health Service Central Register (NHSCR) | National Records of Scotland

    Scottish Birth & Death Certificates are availiable via the government website:

    scotlandspeople.gov.uk

    Does not appear to be working at the moment.

    This all assumes that as well as being from Mellerstain in 1943 & just after the war, he was also born in Scotland & died there etc.

    Have you thought about putting an advert in the local paper at Mellerstain, or on social media like facebook ?
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2020
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  7. 8RB

    8RB Well-Known Member

    Thanks for trying... but it now seems I need a death certificate, which I need to look at the 1939 register, to find a date of birth, which I need for getting the death certificate, which I need in order to apply for the service records... :unsure:
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2020
  8. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Hi there, Maria from Scotland here. The website you need is Scotlandspeople, but I have had a look and without knowing what the J name is, you won't find him. There are too many possibilities.

    I can tell you he is not in the Death - Service Returns section. Nor is he noted in the Military Wills section.

    I am curious what this newspaper article from the 1990's might say. Hopefully someone can open it for me Results for '"robson kosb"' | Between 1st Jan 1950 and 31st Dec 1999 | British Newspaper Archive

    I search the National Records for Scotland and nothing came from searching his service number.

    I searched Scotlandspeople for a J. Robson, birth year 1915 +/- 10 years and there were around 5 possibilities in the Berwick area. But there's no guaranteeing he was born there.

    1939 register is not searchable online and you have to provide date of birth. If they didn't die within Scotland, you also have to provide a death certificate.

    I'll keep looking though. All the best.
     
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  9. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

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  10. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

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  11. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Thanks Tony for looking at that news article.

    Ronald, I think your only hope is contacting the museum as Tricky Dicky suggested.

    I've looked through the property valuation rolls for 1935 & 1940 and again there are too many J. Robson's.

    I also searched for Mellerstain and there are over 200 entries in the Valuation Rolls, but no Robson's in 1940.

    If the KOSB museum can't help, you could pay the Scottish War Project people to do a search. I've no idea of the cost involved. Just a shame we don't know his first name. Good luck.
     
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  12. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

    For interest only a further entry on the BNA shows that KOSB in this instance are the initials of the Keep our Scottish Battalions campaign.

    .. additional commitment would obviously aggravate the situation. But Keep Our Scottish Battalions campaign organiser Mr Charlie Laidlaw said that to slow down amalgamations would not be feasible: “As soon as a regiment is consisted to finish, it starts to ...

    Aberdeen Press & Journal 3/9/1992
     
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  13. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

    A never ending circle then at the moment.

    I hope you get some info from your enquiry to Mellerstain House. That seems a good source & a lot of these houses are now starting to get interested in what their staff or their families did in the wars.
     
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  14. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Just a thought would the `Transfer in` book at the Durham Records Office have his first name listed ?

    Ref: D/DLI 15

    The Army Form B358 Enlistment Books and Transfers-In Books (D/DLI 15/1/1 - 56), Annual Discharges Books (D/DLI 15/2/4-21, 23-42) and Discharge Rolls (D/DLI 15/2/1-3, 22) were presented to the Durham County Record Office, via the D.L.I. Museum, by The National Archives under section 3(6) of the Public Records Act 1958 . The records were created by the Ministry of Defence for the purpose of recording the enlistment, transfer and discharge of soldiers (other ranks) in The Durham Light Infantry regiment. These records are no longer public records and Crown copyright ceases to apply.

    I know you cannot view in person because of your location but you have his army number it may be worth a telephone call? Likewise a KOSB discharge roll (on transfer) may list the name?

    Kyle
     
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  15. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Having scanned some available newspapers for Mellerstain House I can find a number of references to Mrs A Robson of Mellerstain. These entries are mainly to do with whist drives, scone making and WRI (? Womens' Rural Institute). It looks like she was a member of the WRI. A couple of clippings attached.

    It looks like Mrs Robson was a regular attender so my guess, for what it is worth, is that she either lived nearby or was perhaps employed at the house or estate.

    The house itself was used as an emergency military convalescent hospital for soldiers from Canada, Britain, Poland and Australia.

    Mellerstain 1934.jpg
    1934
    Mellerstain 1949.jpg
    1949
    Kelso show 1955.jpg
    Kelso show 1955

    This article mentions the house:
    BBC - WW2 People's War - Black Watch
     
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  16. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Still can't find any Robson's at Mellerstain in the Valuation Rolls. But those articles made me look closer.

    Mellerstain is in the Parish of Earlston, Berwickshire and there is a John Robson on the VR's 1940, 41 & 42. A tenant/occupier in the house known as Redpath in the parish.
     
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  17. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    There was a James William Robson born 1918 in Earlston and a John Robson born 1938. I'll look at these births when I'm at the Registrars next week.
     
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  18. 8RB

    8RB Well-Known Member

    Thanks! Sounds interesting! Just a thought: he could have lived at "Redpath" (is/was it a house or a village?) and worked at "Mellerstain House" and have used the latter as his (postal) address when joining the army in 1942? So, I guess John Robson is a possibility (which I suppose it was anyway, as I suppose it is about the most common name in the U.K.).

    I will also follow up on the KOSB and on the "Transfer-In books" tips in posts #49 and #54. Thanks for those as well of course!

    I am afraid not much information came from Mellerstain House, apart from pointing out that by "Mellerstain / Gordon / Berkshire" (the address on the medal box), "Mellerstain Village" might be meant, and directing me to "speak to the Heritage Hub in Hawick - Heritage Hub | Enjoy Great Days | Live Borders UK ". "Mellerstain Village" I can't find, at least not on Google maps. I have just written an email to this Heritage Hub. So, I'll keep my fingers crossed and let you know what comes out. Thanks again for all your help!
     
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  19. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

  20. amberdog45

    amberdog45 Senior Member

    Can you photograph or scan the medal box with address? I'd like to see the original?
     

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