Brass button cleaner / Uniform protector - Who did it belong to? Hi all I am hoping that you'll be able to help me find out who was issued to. Pressed number is 7265245 I have been told that it may relate to a WW2 US Naval man - Andrew Reinholz. Hoping someone on this forum will be able to help me.
Hi, I’ve never seen one attributed to US forces previously. The quoted number appears to be from the British Army sequence issued to a soldier who initially enlisted in to Royal Army Medical Corps between 1920/42. You are very lucky - there is a trace at UK National Archives - Name: J Leeming . Service number: 7265245 . Date of birth: 5 February 1921 . | The National Archives Steve
WW1 1917 Brass Button Cleaner / Polisher Uniform Protector Stick or Brass Uniform Button Stick Patent No 116972/17 | #486067989
Hi Steve, Thanks for prompt reply on this. Im new to this forum and trying to help find out a bit more inform as this was a gift for my son. Do you know how I would go about finding more information for this person?
Hi, You’ll have to do some basic genealogical research. You have a DOB - presuming he gave a correct DOB on enlistment - so if he was born in England & Wales you should be able to find him on the General Register Office Births register index - likely registered in 1921 Jan to March quarter - available online via Ancestry. I’m not aware of processes in Scotland or N Ireland. You’d then need to order a physical copy of the certificate from GRO to get a full name at birth. It’s then a case of trying to find a date of marriage and death in the GRO Marriage & Death indices. You may find him listed on 1939 register on Ancedtry/findmypast or his WW2 Campaign Medal Application on Forces War Records. You may find a shortcut if you go on Ancestry and find a family tree listed. Ancestry is often free in local libraries in UK. Steve
I came across a J. Leeming when researching POW repatriations from Italy. Not your man but maybe his son? My man John F. Leeming - Wikipedia
Hi, There were 10 fatalities in the air crash. The NZ pilot of the plane and 9 Downside scholars. The J Leeming mentioned in the above NA record was 22 years of age in 1943 so would not be one of the 9 children who were killed. Steve
Down another rabbit hole! Still could be him? On Saturday, 15th of May, 1943 two Royal Navy Sea Hurricanes were on a training exercise from their base, HMS Heron at RNAS Yeovilton. One of the planes was being flown by an instructor Sub-Lt J.B. Leeming and the other by a trainee fighter pilot, Sub-Lt ( A ) A.C. McCracken. The exercise was to be one of ' tail chasing ' with the trainee following behind his instructor and the latter trying to shake him off. Standing instructions for such flights were that they were not to be carried out at less than 2,000 feet unless in an area approved for low flying. Downside Abbey was outside such an area. At about 1530 hours the two Sea Hurricanes began circling the Downside Abbey school grounds at what witnesses described as a very low altitude. One of the planes went out of control while turning steeply, clipped a tree, and crashed into a crowd of boys watching a cricket match. Nine boys died as well as the pilot, Sub-Lieutenant ( A ) McCracken. Fourteen other boys were injured, ten of them seriously. https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/wiki.php?id=75858
