Hi Everyone, I am currently working with Drew on the possible identification of an unknown grave in France. We are pretty confident that we know who is in the Grave and we have a fair amount of evidence to support that. However, we also need to eliminate other possibilities to get official approval of our research. Having already ruled out many possibilities we are appealing for forum members for any info on the circumstances of the following personnel: 104154 Lt Asser (RAOC, 4 Fd Park) 69225 Lt Fairclough (4th South Lancs) 107322 Lt Steven (RAMC) If anyone can help with information of where any of them died it would be a massive help.
No more information I am afraid - just a newspaper article. He was first reported 'missing', date not reported, in Casualty List No. 244 dated 2 July 1940, this was under the 'France' theatre; later changed to 'At sea', 'Killed in action' 29.5.40, this list was dated 12 April 1941. I wonder if the other casualty was on the same ship?
To add further Lt Asser's parents placed a Roll of Honour notice in a Portsmouth paper saying that he was presumed lost on "M.S. Grafton". .. Norma. Wendy, mi Michael. . 8 ASSKR —In loving memory of our das ling son. Harold Leonard. Lieutenant, R.A.0.C.. second son of Major and Mrs. W. J. Asser, who was reported missing In 1940. and now presumed killed, when M S. Grafton was sunk on 29th May. 1940 ... Published: Friday 18 April 1941 Newspaper: Portsmouth Evening News (source: British Newspaper Archives) HMS Grafton, a Royal Navy Destroyer was sunk on this day off Niewpoort, Belguim. When torpedoed she was also carrying survivors from HMS Wakefield. HMS Grafton (H89) - Wikipedia
Fantastic stuff. Just two more to go and we can submit our case! Not bad when we started with 18 names.
UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 Name: Harold Asser Given Initials: H L Rank: Lieutenant Death Date: 29 May 1940 Number: 104154 Birth Place: London SE Residence: Portsmouth Branch at Enlistment: Other Corps Theatre of War: At sea Regiment at Death: Royal Army Ordnance Corps Branch at Death: Other Corps So even the Army say he died at sea About UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 This database contains the Roll of Honour – a listing of British Army casualties from World War II. The original data comes from the National Archives records series WO 304, War Office: Roll of Honour, Second World War. This Roll was compiled from various War Office records between 1944 and 1949. Originally the data was encoded onto cards using a Hollerith Machine (a unit record machine), the original print outs of which are kept at the National Archives. The cards have since been decoded and transcribed by the Naval & Military Press and published on CD. Information recorded on the Roll of Honour includes: Name of soldier Initials, titles, and decorations Birthplace Residence Enlisted rank Rank at time of death Enlisted Regiment Regiment at time of death Theater of War or country where wounded or died Death date TD
Humfrey Fairclough Quite a few 'missing' reports but unfortunately no detail: Liverpool Evening Express, Thursday, June 13, 1940 The casualty lists state 'presumed died of wounds', I find that interesting, why that and not 'presumed KIA' as normally occurs.
107322 Thomas James Steven His probate gives a location and wife that isn't on CWGC: His casualty list entry is 'killed in action', there doesn't appear to be a previous for missing, wounded, presumed KIA etc.
England, Andrews Newspaper Index Cards, 1790-1976 Name: Humfrey Fairclough Father's Name: Fairclough Mother's Name: Ruth Spouse's Name: Ruth Manson Death Date: 31 May 1940 "now officially died of wounds received on May 31st 1940" - sounds as though someone knew how he officially died - but who - and that he died sometime after the 31st May 1940 (probably) so if they officially knew that information then his whereabouts should also be officially known - probably TD
Re Thomas Steven RAMC - it might be worth contacting a body such as Wellcome Library | Browse digitised content to see what details they may have - its possible they may know his last known location TD or here - University of Glasgow :: Story :: Biography of Thomas James Steven The RAMC Association - FAQ - General RAMC Association FAQs
I wondered why my searches came up with 'you have previously seen this record'! Help with Lieutenant Humfrey Fairclough, South Lancashire Regiment
Fairclough then seems to have been acting Captain and should have been wearing rank badges accordingly ?
Yes, but CWGC always revert to confirmed ranks...The British Army didn't want to pay higher widows pension than it was forced to ! It's odd that he doesn't appear in any officer returns, but it seems likely that he was employed somewhere wearing three pips...which might make a body with two less likely to be him.