Sapper Michael Conway 2130701, 74 Field Coy. Royal Engineers June 1944

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Incredibledisc, Feb 22, 2016.

  1. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Hi, looking for information on my great grand uncle Sapper Michael Conway. From what I've been able to piece together he was in Normandy just after D-Day. He was evacuated back to England and died on the 14th June at a place called East Hanley (I think - hard to make out the writing on his army will). I haven't applied for his army records yet as I've been doing a lot of research into my family and have already had to pay for three sets of army records!

    Any help greatly appreciated.
     
  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    I assume this is the same man:

    Michael Conway in the England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2007

    Name: Michael Conway
    Birth Date: abt 1909
    Date of Registration: Jun 1944
    Age at Death: 35
    Registration district: Surrey South Western
    Inferred County: Surrey
    Volume: 2a
    Page: 590

    A copy his death certificate should tell you where he died and from what - may be more legible as well

    TD
     
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  3. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Hello TD,

    I've tried to get a death certificate but as I don't know the exact location of his death I can't process the request. Not being familiar with Surrey I've not been able to establish the name of the place. I'll see if I can post the page of his will with it on and maybe somebody can help me out.
     
  4. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

  5. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    double post. Sorry.
     
  6. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

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  7. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    Incredibledisc,
    This is a short obituary from the Stirling Observer 20th June 1944 which gives a brief account of his Army service. It states that he was "killed while on service in this country."
    Guy
     

    Attached Files:

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  8. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Fantastic job Guy! I've searched the Stirling Observer via the British Newspaper Archive but never turned up anything - I knew there had to be something after I found an obit for his older brother James who died in France in 1917.

    One killed in WW1, one in WW2 and another a POW for five years - you might say my family doesn't have the best of luck :)
     
  9. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Just looking at the online form TD and I se there is an East Horsely listed -looks like that's the place!
     
  10. CL1

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

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  11. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Excellent work CL1. I was at the castle in October and had no idea the cemetery was so close. I think my Great grandfather (Michael's brother) is buried there also.
     
  12. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Well, it's safe to say I wasn't expecting this...

    Hats off to the Surrey Registry office for getting a certificate out so quickly.

    Cause of death
    1a service rifle bullet wound of chest
    P.m. Suicide whilst the balance of his mind was disturbed

    image.jpeg
     
  13. idler

    idler GeneralList

    Sorry to hear the sad end to the story. The inscription on his headstone 'feels' like it was chosen with knowledge of what happened.
     
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  14. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Sorry to hear that as well, but at least obtaining the certificate has given you the facts as they are. Re the inscription I would have to agree with Idler.


    :poppy: M Conway :poppy:

    TD
     
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  15. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    I wonder if the fact he'd been out in the desert for 4 years and then only back 10 weeks before D-Day had anything to do with it. His brother had been in a POW camp since June 1940 - wonder how they broke the news to him? Five kids too...
     
  16. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Thanks TD - I never knew him of course but I've spent so much time digging around in their lives it feels like I do in a way. Seeing the date and location I immediately assumed he was a combat casualty - we tend to forget the poor buggers who snap under the strain and can't cope any more. It is good to finally find out what happened. Now I feel like I need to start looking through his unit history for clues as to what might have driven him to it.
     
  17. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Got service records today. I was surprised that there was so little compared to some other records I've received but the letter from the MOD says that's all they have and also no information regarding his suicide. Now busy trying to decipher army's alphabet soup of abbreviations. From other sources I knew he had been posted to the Middle East but there appears to be a medal entry for the Italy Star on there too - little hard to see due to being stamped over.
     
  18. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

    Hmm, the button to insert files seems to have vanished!?
     
  19. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  20. Incredibledisc

    Incredibledisc Well-Known Member

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