Frank James?

Hi. Can anyone give me any details on the regiment etc of the gentleman on the attached photos? All we know is that his name was Frank James, born 1917 in cardiff. He fell out with my grandad and was never talked about. Trying to find out more information. Thanks.

 

I can't pick out any clues to a Regiment from the photos. However, if these were taken during WW2, the General Service Medal ribbon shown on the single photo, would most likely signify service in Palestine before the war. Do you have any other christian names or initials for Frank?

 

From the photo it looks as though his name was spelt Franck.

Tim

 

His birth certificate just states Frank James b1917 Cardiff

 

Could be. I’m a member of ancestry and have found nothing except the birth details.

 

I was hoping for a second name to narrow down searches on the Campaign medals roll on Ancestry. Frank James/F. James brings up several results for the Palestine GSM.

 

The birth certificate states just Frank James but he could have had a middle name I suppose. Is the medal ribbon definitely for Palestine?

 

Do you have his mothers maiden name - and his fathers name?

Did he marry and if so was his wifes first name Beryl?

TD

 

No idea if he married. We have no documents at all. One of the photos looks like he has a wedding ring? His dads name was Alfred John James and his mother was Rachel Williams.

 

Looking at the GSM (Palestine 1936-39) Roll and assuming he had no middle name there are two possibilities for F James:
Private 5949465 1st Battalion Beds & Herts or
Driver T/56700 RASC.
Anyway of telling whether the F in these cases stood for Frank?

Tim

 

1st Battalion Beds & Herts were in the Middle East (original photograph Egypt 1941)
His service number suggests that he enlisted in the Beds & Herts in 1938
5949465 JAMES F. Pte. was wounded in action on 25.11.1941?

 

Some ancestoral speculation for you

I think this might be his father and mother [and his sister] in the 1911 Wales census
1911 Wales Census
Name: Alfred John James
Age in 1911: 39
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1872
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales
Civil Parish: Cardiff
Search Photos: Search for 'Cardiff' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales
Street address: 75 Keppoch Street Roath Cardiff Sw
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: Under 1
Occupation: House Painter
Registration district: Cardiff
Registration District Number: 588
Sub-registration district: East Cardiff
ED, institution, or vessel: 07
Household schedule number: 135
Piece: 32074
Household Members:
Name Age
Alfred John James 39
Rachel Edith James 32
Florence Edith James Under 1/12

This records states they have been married for less than 1 year so that event would have been in 1910

So I think this may be their marriage details
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
Name: Alfred J James
Registration Year: 1910
Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec
Registration district: Cardiff
Parishes for this Registration District: View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District
Inferred County: Glamorgan
Volume: 11a
Page: 732
Records on Page:
Name
Edith R Pengelley (Edith Rachael? Pengelley)
Alfred J James
Albert F Powell
Charlotte E Watton

Just trying to find another route or doorway into finding this mans early history

TD

 

JUst found a family tree for him on Ancestry:
Frank Peter James
1917–
BIRTH SEP 1917 • Cardiff, Wales
DEATH Unknown

Alfred John James
Birth: Oct 1871 - Glamorgan, Wales
Death: Feb 1930 - Cardiff, Wales
Marriage: 15 Oct 1910 - Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales
Spouse: Edith Rachel Williams
F: John Edward James
M: Eliza Amelia Ball

Tree link - [for ancestry members] - https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/53543641/person/13528080771/facts?ssrc=

TD

Alfred John James


Link to Frank Peter James - https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/53543641/person/13528080908/facts

 

Can you make out his hat badge? Someone

Thats the family tree that I own. You will see I have the parents details but nothing else on Frank James.

 

I think the cap badge visible on the man seated front left in the group photo is possibly the general service badge of the South African Forces.

Not sure if that helps any. Can you enlarge it?

Scott

 

Yes looks right. I’ve just checked under a magnifying glass. Is there a way of finding which units served together with the South Africans in 1941 as I’m not sure the regiment that Frank was in? We can see the cap badge slightly but not enough to identify.

 

I've some contradictory vibes. Having stated that you don't know whether Frank had a middle name or was married you then show on the Family Tree that he was Frank Peter and he married a Beryl Jenkins. What is the evidence for these two? Do you have the actual birth certificate and marriage certificate to show a link?

I'm a bit out of my depth and comfort zone here but it looks to me as though British units from Palestine were involved in the East African Campaign in Abyssinia against the Italians from Jun 40 - Nov 41. The British forces included many African units. From Wiki:

The East African Campaign (also known as the Abyssinian Campaign) was fought in East Africa during World War II by Allied forces, mainly from the British Empire, against Axis forces, primarily from Italy of Italian East Africa (Africa Orientale Italiana, or AOI), between June 1940 and November 1941. Forces of the British Middle East Command, including units from the United Kingdom and the colonies of British East Africa, British Somaliland, British West Africa, the Indian Empire, Northern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, Mandatory Palestine, South Africa, Southern Rhodesia and Sudan participated in the campaign. Ethiopian irregulars, the Free French and Belgian troops of the Force Publique also participated.

Tim

 

My tree has him not married. Someone else has him with a middle name but I’m not sure where they go this from. There is a Frank James Beryl Jenkins marriage but no other details.

 

England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
Name: Frank James
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1955
Registration district: Pontypridd
Inferred County: Glamorganshire
Spouse: Beryl Jenkins
Volume Number: 8b
Page Number: 965

Note the date of the marriage

TD

 

Yes I’ve seen that one but we don’t know what happened to him after the war so he may have moved far afield. I’ll have to order the birth certificate to double check. Thanks