I recently applied to the Army Personnel Centre, Historical Disclousres for any recrods relating to my relative, Charles James 6009015 RASC in WW2. I have his full name and birth date as per his Birth Certifcate. From his Marriage Certificate I have his wifes name, they married 1937. From his wifes Death Certificate in May 1940 I found that Charles was the informant and stated he was in the Royal Army Service Corps, (Bricklayer). From his daughters Death Certifcate in August 1940 Charles is listed as the father, 6009015, Coporal RASC. The informant was the Acting Chief Resident Officer at Royal West Sussex Hospital, Chichester. Historical Disclousures have informed me that they cannot find his records, that possibly some of his data was either missing or incorrect. If I can refine or expand my information they can have another search for Charles. Is their any other way of verifying Charles servicel number or finding which regiment he may have served in. Cheers
"I have his full name and birth date as per his Birth Certifcate" I would suggest scanning the certificate and adding it to this request for assistance. Or at least typing out those bits of info. I don't know if it will help the experts in this field when they come along later (UK time) but it won't hurt........ cheers & good luck Dave
Thanks Dave for the advice; Birth Cert; 1913 Birth in Colchester in the County of Essex. #177, 5 December 1912 at 19 St Leonards Rd UD, Charlie, Boy, Father Arthur JAMES, Mother Fanny JAMES formerly ETCHES, Coach body maker, informant Arthur JAMES 19 St Leonards Rd Colchester, Reg 20 January 1913. Marriage Cert; Solomised in the Parish Church of Wivenhoe, in the County of Essex, #480, 27 March 1937, Charles JAMES, 24, Batchelor, bricklayer, 19 St Leonards Rd, Colchester, Arthur JAMES (deceased) Wheelright and Clara Louise HOWARD, 24, spinster, 16 Manor Park Wivenhoe, William HOWARD, (Deceased), Storekeeper Married accordig to the Rites and Cereomonies of the Established Church after Banns. Charles James and Clara Louise Howard, witness Fred James and George Wm ..........? Wifes Death Cert; 1940 Death in Colchester in the County of Essex. #361, 29th May 1940, ..........(cant read but not Colcchester.) Clare JAMES, Female, 29yrs, 76 Harsnett Road Colchester, wife of Charles JAMES, Corporal Royal Army Service Corps (Bricklayer), Pulmonary Tuberculosis, C JAMES, widower of deceased, 76 Harsnett Rd Colchester, 30 May 1940. Daughters Deatch Cert; 1940 Death in Chichester North in the County of West Sussex. #321, 2nd August 1940, Royal West Sussex Hospital Chichester, Clara Louise JAMES, female, 10 mths, of St Leonards Rd Colchester daughter of Charles JAMES 6009015 Corporal RASC, Bronchio pnemonia, W Jeagger? Acting Chief Resident Officer Royal West Sussex Hospital Chichester, 9th August 1940. I am sure that I did send a copy of the daughters death certificate with my query, as it had Charles service number on it.
Ive just attached a photo of Charlie in his uniform, this was taken after the War, aparently when they were presented ot the Queen. Not sure exactly how long after the war. Charlie is in the back row 2nd from right. After his death his 2nd wife returned his medals to his Regiment. They had no children and all over relatives have since passed away. cheers
If I'm reading this other thread accurately, he must have been a pre-war enlistee in an infantry unit to have that service number: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/research-material/8564-army-number-block-allocations.html Essex Regiment 5998001 - 6076000 Royal Army Service Corps 1 - 294000 and 10660001 - 11000000 Is it possible that you are mis-reading the number? Or whoever wrote it down added or deleted a digit..... Hard to beleive that a soldier stuffed up his own number, but if he was reciting it to someone they might have written it down incorrectly.
Yes Dave, I wondered if the number was correct, as Charlie was not present at his daughters death. The informant was the Acting Chief Resident Officer, so he may have the number wrong. Thats why I sent the death certifcate so the Historical Records people could look at it themselves. It certainly does not look like the Royal Army Service Corps numbers. 1 - 294000 and 10660001 - 11000000 His father and eldest brother were both in the TF before enlisting for regular service in WW1 and 1920s, so it wouldnt surprise me if Charlie was in something similar pre WW2. Even so, the Historical Documents search couldnt find anything with all the details I provided. If he had been in earlier service wouldnt his service number carry over to the RASC for his WW2 period? (At the same time I requested records for his eldest brother with name and service number, which they found and provided me with his previous TF records attached under the same number.)
