7914636 Trooper Thomas John Lloyd, Royal Armoured Corps

Trooper Thomas John Lloyd, Royal Armoured Corps, died in the UK on 7th May 1944 and is buried at Cathays Cemetery, Cardiff. He is remembered by the CWGC.

I am trying to find out details of how he met his death, as I have seen mention of it being 'in action' as opposed to being from an accident or through illness or injury.

I am researching the service personnel from northern Cardiff who appear on 'my' local war memorial in the village of Whitchurch.

Any pointers of where I might find more information regarding the RAC around this time would be greatly appreciated.

Ceri.

 

Ceri,

Looks like you have a long journey ahead. So go down the slow route first, get his records: Get a copy of military service records Upload the records here once you've obtained them and then the forum can get to work on them.

Please do not pay for any site on the internet who promise you his service records they will not have them, and you would have wasted your money.

I have noted since landing here the 'Other Ranks' rarely feature in Google searches unless they have been awarded gallantry medals or written their memoirs.

The RAC was a large corps, with detachments everywhere preparing for combat or in combat. As his death is before D-Day I would expect either a training exercise or an illness. Others can comment on when his service number was issued.

The only place I know the RAC used in South Wales were the ranges at Castlemartin. Wiki has very thin details on the WW2 use: Castlemartin Training Area - Wikipedia

 

Ceri, That is quite a question as David says, to give you some idea this link gives an idea of the regiments in the RAC:

List of Royal Armoured Corps Regiments in World War II - Wikipedia

You obviously have a large project in hand, but somehow you will need to drill down for information on regiments and battalions, you could try local newspaper archives, these sometimes give a report of residents that could provide more information. From his number he did however enlist in the RAC.

Good hunting

 

Thanks both for your comments and advice, and yes, I realise that this search, like so many I am undertaking, will take some time.

Harder too at the moment as my local heritage library in Cardiff that has all the old local newspapers is off limits for the foreseeable future.

Still, I thank you once again for the pointers. It is appreciated.

Ceri.

 

Might be worth checking with the Tank Museum at Bovington for a tracer card as that should show what unit of the RAC he was with which will open up research avenues - I'm sure they normally mention the cards on the website and you can order one for £5 or so but when I looked recently it seemed to have gone (not sure if its a victim of lockdown). I should add I'm not 100% sure if tracer cards exist for those killed as in the Artillery I believe they were taken out of the filing system so hopefully RAC isn't the same.


Below is the casualty list entry, as mentioned he is shown as Killed in Action

 

As you correctly mentioned he is reported as KIA and this was in the UK. Is this him? What sources have you access to? Do you know his age to perhaps get a death certificate?

 

Hi Tony, yes, this is the man.

I have not been able to find a definitive date of birth for him as yet - there are various candidates locally, but of course, he may not have been actually born in Cardiff or South Wales. My search was initially complicated by confusing him with another casualty from the same period named John (or Jack) Lloyd who came from a small village to the north of Cardiff, Tongwynlais, and is also someone that I need to find, as the parish area that I am researching covers that village also.

I have sent for many death certificates for other servicemen who died at home from illness / injuries etc as part of my research but there does not appear to be one that equates to this man's date of death (as far as I can see so far).

I have Ancestry, Find My Past and the British Newspaper Archive, but the main newspaper for Cardiff (the South Wales Echo) is not on there for the Second World War period.

Thanks again for your comments.

Cheers,

Ceri.

 

Possible death record, Poole, Dorset 2Q 1944?

First name(s) THOMAS J
Last name LLOYD
Gender Male
Birth day -
Birth month -
Birth year 1910
Age 34
Death quarter 2
Death year 1944
District Poole
County Dorset
Volume 5A
Page 261
Country England


This is Thomas' marriage in 1939

First name(s) THOMAS J
Last name LLOYD
Marriage quarter 4
Marriage year 1939
Registration month

THOMAS J LLOYD married one of these people

Frances E Davies

Spouse's last name Davies
District Cardiff
District number -
County Glamorganshire
Country Wales
Volume 11A
Volume as transcribed 11A
Page number 1041

 

Hi Guy,

Thanks, yes, I thought that this would probably be him, just need to try and tie it to a birth date really.

Cheers,

Ceri.

 

Ceri,
I edited #8 to include a death record for 2Q 1944 at Poole in Dorset?

also Thomas' future wife residing at 203 Mackintosh Place, Cardiff in the 1939 register;


Guy

 

The death record for Poole in Dorset sounds very promising.

I might take a chance and order the death certificate and see what comes back.

Many thanks.