Chris, Just touching base matey... I wasn't aware of this sub-forum on here. Great idea but whose in charge in these ere parts (mod)? lol.... I am working on a few WW2 non-Coms at the moment. It will be useful to use this forum to get advice and general help. I'm afraid I consider myself a Great War nut. I will post a few threads in the next few days setting out what I have. I presume that there isn't any odd rules on here where ww1 talk of prohibited? As you know, although I love the GWF, it is sometimes frequented and run by complete w*****s who think they know it all. I don't know many people well on this forum only yourself young Neil from Shropshire, Paul Reed and that clever chap Geoff Sullivan. Best wishes to you all. An old Great War reprobate!
Neil, we're pretty tolerant here and one of the reasons that this area was created as at the time, talk about WW2 non-comms was not permitted elsewhere. We look forward to your contribution. There is a "pre-war" section for WW1 discussion.
Hi Neil and welcome to the forum. Can I ask why some forums did/do not permit the discussion of WW2 Non-Comms? Regards Andy
Drew, It's a long story and involves a spat I had on the GWF a year or so back. It was the reason why Geoff Sullivan left and I stormed off with occasional visits these days... It's in the past. Onwards & Upwards
These are my latest WW2 non-coms. They are largely unworked on at the moment. I'm concentrating on my next batch of WW1 men that are nearly ready for MoD (x10) FINCH J.W WW2 Book of Remembrance, Royal Britsh Legion, Leatherhead Branch, Surrey James William FINCH. Armourer, Royal Air Force (RAF). Died 24 June 1945 aged 20 years. Died at Reigate Hospital, Surrey. Formerly treated at Preston Hall MilitaryHospital, Royal British Legion Village, Maidstone, Kent. Born 1925 in Goodmayes, London. Son of Mr William Jewson Finch of 3 Highlands Avenue, Leatherhead, Surrey. Buried SS. Mary and Nicholas Churchyard, Church Road, Leatherhead, Surrey. Grave Ref: Grave 330. Educated - Leatherhead Central School, Kingston Road, Leatherhead, Surrey. Commemorated on the Leatherhead, Surrey civic war memorial, and in the Leatherhead, Surrey branch of the Royal British Legion, Second World War Book of Rememberance as shown below. Norman Finch (Jame’s brother) Letter confirming circumstances of his death: Jim, as he was known to his family, served in the Royal Air Force as an Armourer, having been called up in 1943. He became ill at his airfield in the weeks following the D-Day landings in June 1944. This was a particularly hectic time, the Armourers working long hours as planes were being turned around quickly for the next operation. Whilst loading a bomb onto a plane, he fell back on another, hurting the base of his spine. This accident was not reported to the Station Doctor as Jim preferred not to risk being prevented from taking a weekend's leave to see his family, due the following week. When he did arrive home (3 Highlands Avenue, Leatherhead) on the Saturday he was looking rather ill. Jim and I (his younger brother by 3 years) were put in a double bed downstairs in the back room with the French door kept open so that, should a Doodle Bug [V1] come over, we could run to the air-raid shelter. That night a Doodle Bug did come over and cut out. I was out of the room fast but there was no movement from Jim as I yelled to him. The Doodle Bug exploded approximately 2 miles away near the golf course at the end of Kingston Road. When mum came to see what had happened, she saw how ill Jim looked and how he was suffering. Early in the morning she phoned for the doctor. He soon arrived, examined Jim, then called for an ambulance. Jim was taken off to the hospital (previously the Blind School) virtually across the road at Highlands Road. At this point we were told that Jim was suffering from T.B which had started in the base of the spine. A few days later, Jim was taken away to a Military Hospital near Maidstone called Preston Hall, British Legion Village. Jim remained mostly in this hospital during his illness. When death was approaching, he was transferred to Reigate Hospital, Surrey, where he died on June 24th 1945. Sources: 1. St Mary & St Nicholas Leatherhead Graves database, Leatherhead & District Local History Society. 2. Norman Finch, of Tenterden, Kent. James's younger brother - with thanks to Heather Maynard who enabled contact. J Finch was one of the names on which information was sought in a letter to the Leatherhead Advertiser, July 2004. FARROW N FARROW, NORMAN. Royal Army Service Corps. Died 1946? Commemorated on the De Laune Cycling Club War Memorial plaque, which is located at the parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul at the village of Newnham near Faversham, Kent. Norman died as the result of an illness which he had contracted whilst serving in the Royal Army Service Corps, when he had been stationed in the Middle East theatre during the Second World War. At the time of his death Norman had been discharged from His Majesty's Forces, but as his death was resultant of his military service, and occurred prior to the cut-off date for Second World War related deaths on 31 December 1947, www.kentfallen.com is in the process of gathering more supporting documentation etcetera appertaining to Norman, prior to submitting an application for him to at long last be officially commemorated as a casualty of the Second World War, to the Commonwealth War graves Commission. Any additional information which can be furnished by an individual or organisation would be most welcome, to assist us in building a tangible irrefutable case for Norman’s belated commemoration. PITT (PETT) O Folkestone War Memorial PETT, OLAF - St. Mary and St. Eanswythe (Royal Air Force) PITT, OLAF THOMAS VICTOR. Sergeant Royal Air Force. Born Dover, Kent 5 September 1913. Resided: 35, Radnor Park Crescent, Folkestone, Kent. Educated: Barton Road Boys School / Dover Grammar School, Kent. Obtained his Royal Aero Club Aviators Certificate (No. 13644) on 11 March 1936, at the Air Service Training Centre, Hamble, Hampshire. Olaf’s mothers maiden name was Brooker. Olaf is not commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as a Second World War casualty, and he is not recorded in the Second World War overseas deaths at the General Register Office.
These are my latest WW2 non-coms. They are largely unworked on at the moment. I'm concentrating on my next batch of WW1 men that are nearly ready for MoD (x10). I promise to get on with these soon. If anyone has any ideas then I'd love to hear them. I'm open to all ideas because I don't know much about WW2 stuff. I may well need some of Chris Harley's advice as I have only ever worked on WW1 non-coms. FINCH J.W WW2 Book of Remembrance, Royal Britsh Legion, Leatherhead Branch, Surrey James William FINCH. Armourer, Royal Air Force (RAF). Died 24 June 1945 aged 20 years. Died at Reigate Hospital, Surrey. Formerly treated at Preston Hall MilitaryHospital, Royal British Legion Village, Maidstone, Kent.Born 1925 in Goodmayes, London. Son of Mr William Jewson Finch of 3 Highlands Avenue, Leatherhead, Surrey. Buried SS. Mary and Nicholas Churchyard, Church Road, Leatherhead, Surrey. Grave Ref: Grave 330. Educated - Leatherhead Central School, Kingston Road, Leatherhead, Surrey. Commemorated on the Leatherhead, Surrey civic war memorial, and in the Leatherhead, Surrey branch of the Royal British Legion, Second World War Book of Rememberance as shown below. Norman Finch (Jame’s brother) Letter confirming circumstances of his death: Jim, as he was known to his family, served in the Royal Air Force as an Armourer, having been called up in 1943. He became ill at his airfield in the weeks following the D-Day landings in June 1944. This was a particularly hectic time, the Armourers working long hours as planes were being turned around quickly for the next operation. Whilst loading a bomb onto a plane, he fell back on another, hurting the base of his spine. This accident was not reported to the Station Doctor as Jim preferred not to risk being prevented from taking a weekend's leave to see his family, due the following week. When he did arrive home (3 Highlands Avenue, Leatherhead) on the Saturday he was looking rather ill. Jim and I (his younger brother by 3 years) were put in a double bed downstairs in the back room with the French door kept open so that, should a Doodle Bug [V1] come over, we could run to the air-raid shelter. That night a Doodle Bug did come over and cut out. I was out of the room fast but there was no movement from Jim as I yelled to him. The Doodle Bug exploded approximately 2 miles away near the golf course at the end of Kingston Road. When mum came to see what had happened, she saw how ill Jim looked and how he was suffering. Early in the morning she phoned for the doctor. He soon arrived, examined Jim, then called for an ambulance. Jim was taken off to the hospital (previously the Blind School) virtually across the road at Highlands Road. At this point we were told that Jim was suffering from T.B which had started in the base of the spine. A few days later, Jim was taken away to a Military Hospital near Maidstone called Preston Hall, British Legion Village. Jim remained mostly in this hospital during his illness. When death was approaching, he was transferred to Reigate Hospital, Surrey, where he died on June 24th 1945. Sources: 1. St Mary & St Nicholas Leatherhead Graves database, Leatherhead & District Local History Society. 2. Norman Finch, of Tenterden, Kent. James's younger brother - with thanks to Heather Maynard who enabled contact. J Finch was one of the names on which information was sought in a letter to the Leatherhead Advertiser, July 2004. FARROW N FARROW, NORMAN. Royal Army Service Corps. Died 1946? Commemorated on the De Laune Cycling Club War Memorial plaque, which is located at the parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul at the village of Newnham near Faversham, Kent. Norman died as the result of an illness which he had contracted whilst serving in the Royal Army Service Corps, when he had been stationed in the Middle East theatre during the Second World War. At the time of his death Norman had been discharged from His Majesty's Forces, but as his death was resultant of his military service, and occurred prior to the cut-off date for Second World War related deaths on 31 December 1947, www.kentfallen.com is in the process of gathering more supporting documentation etcetera appertaining to Norman, prior to submitting an application for him to at long last be officially commemorated as a casualty of the Second World War, to the Commonwealth War graves Commission. Any additional information which can be furnished by an individual or organisation would be most welcome, to assist us in building a tangible irrefutable case for Norman’s belated commemoration. PITT (PETT) O Folkestone War Memorial PETT, OLAF - St. Mary and St. Eanswythe (Royal Air Force) PITT, OLAF THOMAS VICTOR. Sergeant Royal Air Force. Born Dover, Kent 5 September 1913. Resided: 35, Radnor Park Crescent, Folkestone, Kent. Educated: Barton Road Boys School / Dover Grammar School, Kent. Obtained his Royal Aero Club Aviators Certificate (No. 13644) on 11 March 1936, at the Air Service Training Centre, Hamble, Hampshire. Olaf’s mothers maiden name was Brooker. Olaf is not commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as a Second World War casualty, and he is not recorded in the Second World War overseas deaths at the General Register Office.
Neil I have not done that many WW2 non comms other than the additions to the civilian ROH so that makes the 2 of us Chris
It would seem that Olaf PITT may have died before the actual outbreak of war! Following info Care of that helpful chap "Nicks" - Name: Olaf Thomas Victor PITT Sex: M Birth: 5 SEP 1913 in 15, Upperhillside, Dover, Kent Death: 29 AUG 1939 in Nr, Haisboro, Off Kent Father: Arthur Sinbad PITT b: 1883 in Pluckley, Kent Mother: Cecilia Emily BROOKER b: 22 SEP 1888 in Pluckley, Kent Children: Sydney Edward Arthur PITT b: JAN 1907 in Addington Street, Margate, Kent Sophie Dora PITT b: 24 DEC 1908 in 6, Addington Street, Margate, Kent Living PITT Living PITT Olaf Thomas Victor PITT b: 5 SEP 1913 in 15, Upperhillside, Dover, Kent I presume that this means he is not entitled to an official CWGC commemoration? Pity because his name does appear on Folkestone's civic tribute... Perhaps it's still worth getting his DC in case I can convince the RAF to pay for a headstone as a second preference to full CWGC status. The services sometimes agree to pay in special cases where a man died resultant of his service outside actual wartime conditions. Men killed in Northern Ireland during the troubles were all entitled to a headstone paid from public funds. If this guy died in service or as a result of his service, he MAY be worth taking forward... ALL opinions welcomed.
Neil what was the circumstances behind his death? Would be nice to see if you can get a headstone paid for by the RAF. Try contacting your local RAFA branch for some support Chris
I had a young Australian lad who had joined the RAF with the talk of war and was killed in a air training accident in England 3 weeks before war was declared. He is also ineligible.
I have to admit that I am a bit bemused by the lack of any death resgitration for Olaf Pitt, without which it would be difficult to apply for a death certificate. I have checked all th online sources I can think of and still nothing. Nick
Without a DC the exact date of death can't be confirmed. I have had this problem with a WW1 man here (Jack Uden) - CWGC :: Casualty Details The MoD very sensibly agreed to commemorate him between the date of discharge and the date the village war memorial was erected with his name on. God knows where or when he died. There are a whole raft of possible explainations - change of name, died overseas etc... With PITT did you try variations of surname? Thanks for the help bye the way Nick. Neil
