Arthur Collet/Collet - RASC/RIASC, WW2 BURMA

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by Rhonaray, Feb 27, 2020.

  1. Rhonaray

    Rhonaray Member

    Hi
    I am looking for any info on my Father
    I believe that he was in the RASC.
    He got married in Burma in 1944 but no record can be found.Here had a son born there too.
    Arthur Collett was his name.
     
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  2. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    If you have looked around this forum you will have seen that there is only one route and that is to apply for his official service records.

    Get a copy of military service records

    No military information is required, just name, date of birth and a death certificate, unless killed in service.
     
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  3. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

  4. Rhonaray

    Rhonaray Member

    Ok thankyou so much for looking him up.
    Do any of you know when the boys returned to England and if so how?
     
  5. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    Welcome aboard, good luck with your research :bandit:
     
  6. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Best to get hold of his records first otherwise we could be chasing our tails for ever and day on wild goose chases. If you post as much as you know about him that might help somewhat, but his service records are the key

    TD

    If he was in Burma and South East Asia most would have returned home by sea
     
  7. Rhonaray

    Rhonaray Member

    I have this newspaper article from 1944.
    Is this any help?
     

    Attached Files:

  8. Rhonaray

    Rhonaray Member

    Do any of you have records of what ship your relative returned on?
     
  9. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    See post number 2 and send off for his service records, they may provide the vital details you need to answer your questions.

    No my father stayed within the bounds of the UK during the war

    Is this your father?
    Arthur Anthony Andrew Brian Collett
    1921–
    BIRTH SEPT 1921 • Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
    DEATH Unknown

    and his son was born
    Trevor Arthur Collett
    1944–
    BIRTH 6 OCT 1944 • Calcutta, India
    DEATH Unknown

    his wife was:
    Heather Joan Pottenger
    1924–2001
    BIRTH 22 JAN 1924 • Calcutta, India
    DEATH APR 2001 • Greenwich, London, England

    Heather and Trevor arrived in the UK in 1947

    She again arrived in the UK this time from Australia in 1953 with son Trevor and daughter Swan born 1947


    As for Arthur - his service records will be the key

    TD
     
  10. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Could this be the same man

    England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
    Name: Arthur Collett
    Death Age: 75
    Birth Date: 28 Jul 1921
    Registration Date: Feb 1997
    Registration district: Southampton
    Inferred County: Hampshire
    Register Number: D53A
    District and Subdistrict: 5002D
    Entry Number: 10

    especially as Heather gives her home address in 1953 as Bournemouth, Hampshire ??
     
  11. Rhonaray

    Rhonaray Member

    Yes this is my Dad.
    Intetesting that his real name is so long His Dad was called John Brain Collett.Does this mean that on his both certificate he is actually Arthur Anthony Andrew Brain Collett?
    I'm sorry for being slow but I'm confused re post 2 and how to access his records.
    Also..what month in 1947 did his wife and son come to England in 1947 please?
     
  12. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    OK - download the relevant forms from this link Request records of deceased service personnel and send them off to the Glasgow address to obtain his military service records - these will explain where he was, what units he was with and when he was with them, it should also define the dates of his transfers and travel


    I would suggest you take up a subscription to Ancestry as there is a family tree you ought to look at

    Heather Joan Pottenger
    1924–2001
    BIRTH 22 JAN 1924 • Calcutta, India
    DEATH APR 2001 • Greenwich, London, England

    Name: Heather Joan Collett
    Arrival Age: 23
    Birth Date: abt 1924
    Port of Departure: Bombay, India
    Arrival Date: 20 Feb 1947
    Port of Arrival: Liverpool, England
    Ports of Voyage: Bombay; Port Said; Malta and Gibraltar
    Ship Name: Duchess of Bedford
    Shipping Line: Canadian Pacific Line

    TD
     
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  13. Rhonaray

    Rhonaray Member

    I am using ancestry but a\m obviously missing something.
     
  14. Rhonaray

    Rhonaray Member

    I have now the form thank you to send off for Dads records so that is a start.
     
  15. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

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  16. Rhonaray

    Rhonaray Member

    Aha.Found her.Thank you.
     
  17. travers1940

    travers1940 Well-Known Member

    Even with the new info & names I could not find a marriage in Burma or India in the overseas or military indexes to BMD on ancestry, but they are just an index created by ancestry. Its worth checking FIBIS & other sites such as findmypast who may have it indexed differently.
    UK, British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960
    Registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths From British Consulates, 1810-1968
    Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969


    Maybe it was never registered with the consulate, but I would have expected it to appear in his army records as if he was killed he would have wanted his wife to get a pension etc. In 1944 most of Burma was under Japanese control, and that & the fact that his wife was born in India means the marriage was probably in India. The Burma connection may be because he was fighting there.

    As TD says most people travelled back from India/Burma by sea, and depending on where Arthur took his discharge (India or UK), he could have had to return on a troop ship before Joan & the family. She may have had family in India to support her & the children until she could return home & priority just after the war would have been military traffic & returning service men & women. Indian Independence in 1947 is also a factor in her return date.
     
  18. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Their daughter was born in 1947 and called Swan - makes me wonder if they spent anytime at Perth on the Swan river, drinking beers from guess where - the Swan Brewery (Swan Brewery - Wikipedia)

    TD
     
  19. Rhonaray

    Rhonaray Member

    Thankyou
    I really appreciate all your help.
    His daughter is Susan not Swan.And though conceived in India was born in uk in August 1947. So it is possible that Dad came Ito Uk between November 1946 and February 1947? Ibelieve his wife Ruth lived with her Parents George Walter and Ruth at 36 Theatre rd Calcutter but I do not know if Dad lived with them.
    Is there a way to search ships coming to UK from India between Nov and Feb?
    Interesting that the marriage didnot need to be recorded.This accounts as to why he could not be charged for bigamy for his next marriage and why I can't find any divorce record as presumably you can't divorce a non recorded marriage.
     
  20. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    It is extremely unlikely that any British soldier got married in Burma in 1944 as it was mostly under Japanese occupation and the few small areas that weren't were a concessional area. It is possible that he got married in India but may have needed permission to do so.

    I have checked the London Gazette between 1940 and 1945 and there is no mention of him being commissioned.
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2020
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