Morning, I am assisting the Police (to coin a phrase) in their research into Coventry City Police officers killed in WW2. We are stumped by a John Smith. Ive just missed the Ancestry free week-end (dohhh) but MAY have found a likely candidate. There is a John W. Smith born 1916 on the 1939 roll in Warwickshire. Could someone view this, please, and see if a) hes from Coventry and b) is he a Police officer. If so I can take this further, Many thanks and regards, Graeme
Graeme, There is indeed at 73 Lowther St, which is just off Swan Lane (I know it well!) Hope that helps
Seems to be two police constables lodging with Julia Adams in Sep 1939. Julia Adams & William J HIBBS the other person in the household, seem to have married in 1940. William J HIBBS to Julia A ADAMS Jan- Mar 1940 Coventry Registration District (vol 6d page 2333) Searching the CWGC site for any John W SMITH WW2 deaths with either Coventry or Warwickshire in the additional information field brings only one suitable result, who is shown as age 28 at death on the aircrewremembered website (link below). Even if it is not him maybe this will help to eliminate him as a possibility. Sergeant (Air Gunner) SMITH, JOHN WILLIAM Service Number 1583360 Died 12/05/1944 103 Sqdn Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Son of Samuel and Edith Annie Smith; husband of Doris May Smith, of Wyken, Warwickshire. Buried Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerp Belguim. Joint Grave IVa.D.3 Casualty He was part of the crew of LancasterJB73 of 103 Squadron RAF lost on the return trip from a raid on Hasselt. Originaly thought to have been shot down by a night fighter, it has now been suggested that they collided with a Lancaster from 101 Squadron. R Whitley 103 Sqn 103 Squadron Lancaster III JB733 PM-K P/O. Whitley This seems a possible as Wykern, now a suburb of Coventry is close to Lowther Street. The age at death gives John's birth as 13 May 1915 - 12 May 1916.A possible from GRO indexes in nearby Foleshill Registration District (which then included Wyken Parish) is: Name: John W Smith Registration Date: Apr 1916 [May 1916] [Jun 1916] Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun Registration district: Foleshill Inferred County: Warwickshire Mother's Maiden Name: Prescott Volume Number: 6d Page Number: 1256 I am aware this does not match the birth date on the 1939 register unless it was a late WW1 era registration. There seems to be siblings of Samuel T SMITH born 1912 & Ellen SMITH born 1914, both in Foleshill RD. With Samuel born 1912 possibly having his fathers name & maybe the first son, I was expecting a marriage in 1910/11 but can't find it. Also I could not find the marriage of John William SMITH to Doris May. Mention has also been made on this forum of a special recruitment of police Officers directly into the Commandos during WW2, when they as already members of a disiplined force escaped some of the basic training. Police Intakes
Morning Travers, Excellent research, many thanks for taking an interest in our plight. We are struggling to find the correct CWGC death for Smith, with such a common name. I did wonder if he served in the R.A.F. as many Police served in the R.A.F. This was due to a shortage of flight crews and, although they were reserve occupation, they were given dispensation to enlist. If we can somehow confirm Smith's parents it would help considerably. Thanks again for your interest, Regards, Graeme
I can only find 2 [but are actually one asnd the same person] x John Smiths specifically born on 4th Feb 1916 (from Death records) and they are: John Brettingham Smith 4 Feb 1916 Dec 1999 Norwich Norfolk John Smith 4 Feb 1916 Dec 1999 Norwich Norfolk Changing the search parameters to John W Smith born 1916 gives 24 results - some of those include other initials to the 'W' The only one close to Coventry is: England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: John W Smith Death Age: 48 Birth Date: abt 1916 Registration Date: Oct 1964 [Nov 1964] [Dec 1964] Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec Registration district: Nuneaton Inferred County: Warwickshire Volume: 9c Page: 924 I would assume his death cert would confirm more accurately his date of birth TD
Working the other way - i.e. forward I thought I would have a look for marriages after the 1939 Register and see if he married, the Register was taken on 29 Sept 1939 So possibles are: England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 Name: John W Smith Registration Date: Jul 1939 [Aug 1939] [Sep 1939] Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep Registration district: Coventry Inferred County: Warwickshire Spouse: Lilian M Twisleton Volume Number: 6d Page Number: 2950 Name: John W Smith Registration Date: Jul 1941 [Aug 1941] [Sep 1941] Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep Registration district: Coventry Inferred County: Warwickshire Spouse: Lily Moreton Volume Number: 6d Page Number: 2351 Name: John W Smith Registration Date: Jul 1941 [Aug 1941] [Sep 1941] Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep Registration district: Coventry Inferred County: Warwickshire Spouse: Hilda Lamb Volume Number: 6d Page Number: 2290 Name: John W Smith Registration Date: Jul 1948 [Aug 1948] [Sep 1948] Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep Registration district: Coventry Inferred County: Warwickshire Spouse: Peggy Jones Volume Number: 9c Page Number: 2085 These are the ones for a John W Smith between 1939 and 1950 - there are some others where John is followed by a 'W' and then more initials but obviously I have not included those. As a guess I would assume the one who married in July 1939 is not him as he is shown as single in the 39 register which was done at the end of Sep 1939. Again I wouls surmise that their marriage certificate would not onlly show their age, and thus their year of birth can be calculated but also their occupation which is certainly known TD
Hi TD, Many thanks for your tremendous input. I'll try and use these against CWGC (pity about Geoff's) and see what I can find, Thanks again and regards, Graeme
