Can I order Norman MacFie's service records without a death certificate?

I have been trying to complete my grandmother's quest to find my great-uncle Norman McLeod MacFie. He was her favorite uncle but they somehow lost touch during or after WWII. My Mom had thought he may have died in the war but I have found travel records showing he traveled a lot between New York and the UK after the war but I've never been able to find a death record. I need a death record to order his records, right? Any idea how to find it? His photo is my picture in case his uniform helps me identify his unit.

I know he was born in London 1903-1904 and immigrated with his family to NY in 1912. He's living with his parents through the 1940 census. In one of his travel records he listed living in NY through 1942. Family legend had him joining the War for the British which his travel records seem to support. On 10/24/1943 he sails from Greenock, Scotland to NY on the Queen Mary and is listed as Lieut. British Army. On 3/8/1946 he arrives in NY from Singapore traveling under orders from British War Office to Washington, D.C. and is listed as Major. There are two more travels between NY and Glasgow in 1947 where he is listed as a civil engineer and discharge date of 6/25/1946. In 1948 he traveled from Canada to Manchester, England and after that trip I can find no further records at all.

Would the travel in 1943 and/or 1946 help me figure out his regiment? Does his listing as Civil Engineer mean he was likely a Royal Engineer? Any advice on what else I need to know to order his record? Thank you!

 

I have been trying to complete my grandmother's request to find my great-uncle Norman McLeod MacFie. He was her favorite uncle but they somehow lost touch during or after WWII. My Mom had thought he may have died in the war but I have found travel records showing he traveled a lot between New York and the UK after the war but I've never been able to find a death record. I need a death record to order his records, right? Any idea how to find it? His picture is my profile in hopes his uniform helps with identifying his unit.

I know he was born in London 1903-1904 and immigrated with his family to NY in 1912. He's living with his parents through the 1940 census. In one of his travel records he listed living in NY through 1942. Family legend had him joining the War for the British which his travel records seem to support. On 10/24/1943 he sails from Greenock, Scotland to NY on the Queen Mary and is listed as Lieut. British Army. On 3/8/1946 he arrives in NY from Singapore traveling under orders from British War Office to Washington, D.C. and is listed as Major. There are two more travels between NY and Glasgow in 1947 where he is listed as a civil engineer and discharge date of 6/25/1946. In 1948 he traveled from Canada to Manchester, England and after that trip I can find no further records at all.

Would the travel in 1943 and/or 1946 help me figure out his regiment? Does his listing as Civil Engineer mean he was likely a Royal Engineer? Any advice on what else I need to know to order his record? Thank you!

 

I have been trying to complete my grandmother's request to find my great-uncle Norman McLeod MacFie. He was her favorite uncle but they somehow lost touch during or after WWII. My Mom had thought he may have died in the war but I have found travel records showing he traveled a lot between New York and the UK after the war but I've never been able to find a death record. I need a death record to order his records, right? Any idea how to find it? His picture is in I'm my profile in hopes that it helps identify his unit.

I know he was born in London 1903-1904 and immigrated with his family to NY in 1912. He's living with his parents through the 1940 census. In one of his travel records he listed living in NY through 1942. Family legend had him joining the War for the British which his travel records seem to support. On 10/24/1943 he sails from Greenock, Scotland to NY on the Queen Mary and is listed as Lieut. British Army. On 3/8/1946 he arrives in NY from Singapore traveling under orders from British War Office to Washington, D.C. and is listed as Major. There are two more travels between NY and Glasgow in 1947 where he is listed as a civil engineer and discharge date of 6/25/1946. In 1948 he traveled from Canada to Manchester, England and after that trip I can find no further records at all.

Would the travel in 1943 and/or 1946 help me figure out his regiment? Does his listing as Civil Engineer mean he was likely a Royal Engineer? Any advice on what else I need to know to order his record? Thank you!

 

Welcome to the forum

There`s an entry in the London Gazette

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 28 MAY, 1943

Royal Engineers

The undermentioned to be 2nd Lts.: —
15th Mar. 1943: —
Norman McLeod MACFIE (266210).

Kyle

Could this be him?

 

Wow that was fast! I would think so? Does the number after his name mean anything? Does it say what the unit was doing? So he was a Royal Engineer? Thank you!

 

Yes Royal Engineers and that's his Army number which will enable you to apply for his service records


Kyle

 

Just to add to Kyle's investigative work, here is the London Gazette entry in question, see attached.

View attachment MacFie LG.pdf

 

Thank you so much! Can I order his records if I do not have a death certificate?

And how did you guys find that? I've been trying to find information about him everywhere!

 

The criteria for ordering service records and the relevant forms can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records#how-to-apply-for-service-personnel-records

TD

 

He was commissioned as an Officer (2nd Lieutenant) in the Royal Engineers on 15 March 1943. Service Number 266210. Info from the London Gazette.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36031/supplement/2375/data.pdf

 

Thanks! Could you please explain rank to me? We're Lieut. And Major pretty basic ranks?

 

Kateryan,

Ask a mod to combine your three original posts they all ask the same question and it will concentrate everyone`s answers and pool their individual knowledge. At the moment its a bit fragmented


Kyle

 

Good call Kyle, I didn't see this post after adding to one of there others.

 

Duplicate post

http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/57345-can-i-order-norman-macfies-service-records-without-a-death-certificate/

 

Sorry, I didn't know where to post originally. How do I ask to combine them?

 

It looks like I need the death certificate and I can still find no record of him after 1948. Any ideas?

 

Thank you Owen.

 

You need his date of birth or Army No. or both and a death certificate to apply for a copy of his service records. There is a way of getting the death certificate but I'm dammed if I can remember now

 

This may be him in 1965?


Name:
Norman M Macfie

Year:
1965

County or Borough:
Kensington and Chelsea

Ward or Division/Constituency:
Chelsea

Street address:
2 Caversham Street

Reference Number:
LCC/PER/B/2999

1964 he`s at the same address
1963 he`s at 2 Chelsea Embankment
There`s another Roll for 1965 which gives Artillery Mansions


Kyle