ADM 199 Brian Sims Rememberance

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by Trevor Smallman, Jun 23, 2015.

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  1. Trevor Smallman

    Trevor Smallman Member

    I have been informed by Shelagh that Brian passed away at 2.15 am this morning.


    Brian was my mentor and friend who never failed to share any information he had to help me or to stretch my thought processes into area's I had not considered.

    His opinions were always welcomed with an 'e' mail '' I have some more information for you'' with me keeping him updated and where the trail led, usually with some success, especially when I obtained photographs from the Swiss archives for the words he had obtained turned into real people.

    He as ADM199 has helped countless people throughout the world in their researches for which he was not always accredited, however his endeavours as a historian was to be one of most knowledgeable and respected in his field.

    This was reflected from the very start in the professional way he handled any documents,being in respect to their meaning, content,interpretaion and their physical condition to the eventual recording and publication of the details.


    Brian will be missed by all who came in contact with him and our thoughts must be with his wife Shelagh and family at this sad time.


    Rest in Peace, the world is a much more shallower place with your passing

    Trevor
     
    Trevor Smallman, Jun 23, 2015
    #1
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  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Oh dear, what sad news .
    Top bloke , Brian
    Condolences to his family.
     
    Owen, Jun 23, 2015
    #2
  3. idler

    idler GeneralList

    We were only ships that passed in the vicinity of Table 5 but he seemed like a thoroughly decent bloke.

    RIP Brian.
     
    idler, Jun 23, 2015
    #3
  4. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    :poppy: Brian Sims. RIP. :poppy:

    Brian will be remembered by all he touched.

    Tom
     
    Smudger Jnr, Jun 23, 2015
    #4
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  5. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    Such a shame. May he rest in peace.

    All the best

    Andreas
     
    Andreas, Jun 23, 2015
    #5
  6. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Very sad news indeed.

    I like many of those who never met him, will never forget his kindness, in doing things for people he had never met.

    As I stated in the other post, I started my RAAF Headstone photographic project in 2007and thought this is beyond me and thought I had bitten off more than I could chew and told Brian so. His response was "how many do you have in Lincolnshire?" - I said 50 in 15 cemeteries and he said, that is 50 off your list and I received emails over the next couple of months. He did all but three as a couple of other people had sent those first. From Binbrook through to Thurlby and every cemetery in between.

    This was just a "hobby" for him compared to all those that he has assisted over the years in his main area of expertise.

    He will certainly be missed.

    My sincere condolences to his wife and family.

    Geoff
    Melbourne
     
    spidge, Jun 23, 2015
    #6
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  7. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    RIP Brian Sims

    A lovely man and a generous friend to this forum

    With sincere condolences to his family

    Ron
     
    Ron Goldstein, Jun 23, 2015
    #7
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  8. Lotus7

    Lotus7 Well-Known Member

    RIP Brian Sims
     
    Lotus7, Jun 23, 2015
    #8
  9. Varasc

    Varasc Senior Member

    So sorry, for him, for his family. A beautiful person and a true gentleman. He wrote me so many times, also providing an invaluable help to my friend and fellow researcher, Mrs. Claretta Coda - I will miss him, too.

    My sincere condoleances to his whole family and friends.

    Marco
     
    Varasc, Jun 23, 2015
    #9
  10. fenner257

    fenner257 Junior Member

    RIP Brian Sims. Brian was a very kind man who always did his utmost best to help those who were searching. You will be missed.
    Irene
     
    fenner257, Jun 23, 2015
    #10
  11. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    RIP Brian
    My sincere condolences to the family.


    Lesley
     
    4jonboy, Jun 23, 2015
    #11
  12. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Oh bugger.
    As said on the other thread, a top bloke who helped out so many. That's a lot of stored knowledge and assistance to others gone down, we're weaker without him.

    Condolences to family and friends.

    ~ Adam
     
    von Poop, Jun 23, 2015
    #12
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  13. rene

    rene Junior Member

    I'm very sorry to hear the sad news about Brian, thoughts are with his family. May he rest in Peace .
     
    rene, Jun 23, 2015
    #13
  14. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Very sorry to hear the news
    Condolences to Brians family

    regards
    Clive
     
    CL1, Jun 23, 2015
    #14
  15. claco

    claco Member

    I join you in memory of Brian, kind and generous sir, trustworthy researcher. All my prayers for him.
    My sincere condoleances to his whole family and friends.

    Claretta
     
    claco, Jun 23, 2015
    #15
  16. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Sad news indeed. My condolences to Brian's Family.

    Rob
     
    Buteman, Jun 23, 2015
    #16
  17. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Sincere condolences to Brian's family. This is the second time in a matter of weeks that the passing of a forum member has left me genuinely grieving for someone that I hadn't met...
     
    Rich Payne, Jun 23, 2015
    #17
  18. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Like many who were also recipients of Brian’s surprises via the post, I’ll always be grateful to him for using his time to help and mentor behind the scenes, which like the proverbial iceberg was undoubtedly far more substantial than anything which appears on the public forums he frequented. But it is his determination and single-mindedness which I admire the most. Brian’s early life was never easy and when he started his research into the circumstances of his father’s death, he managed to ignore the criticisms and rebuffs from those ‘experts who knew better’ in order to finally prove the facts - that the authorities knew of the transport of POWs from North Africa, including his father, before the order was given to sink the ships in the Med, and that the list detailing those men as POWs in Italy was misleading to say the least. Naturally the E&E index is an invaluable resource but it’s the identification of those POWs who were Lost at Sea and the circumstances behind their deaths, which is surely, as far as WW2 goes, his greatest legacy.

    We never met but thanks to one of his stories, when he acted as travel companion to a veteran, I have a mental image of him sitting at the Alamein Memorial contemplating his father’s name... and telling a persistent & oblivious guide to f off. It sort of sums the man up for me: helpful, reflective, not shy of speaking his mind.

    My condolences to his family, and to all his friends.
     
    dbf, Jun 23, 2015
    #18
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  19. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    Sympathy to his friends and family over his passing. I did not know him well, but judging by the comments of others here, he surely was a grand guy.
     
    Slipdigit, Jun 23, 2015
    #19
  20. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Oh dear so sad :(

    RIP BRIAN

    So sorry, I could go on but in these situations words are never enough.

    Kyle
     
    Mr Jinks, Jun 23, 2015
    #20
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