WW2 trunk found

Discussion in 'WW2 Militaria' started by Fezz, Apr 3, 2021.

  1. Fezz

    Fezz Member

    Old lady who lived next door to me she was 87 she gave me a trunk before she died. Not thinking owt of it I had it 10 years . I was sat in the shed and the light shone sideways in revieling some writing which said on 1 side sgt frank brake RAPC and other side cpl frank brake free pow.
    She told me story's of her husband who was taken pow for 2 years the army told her he was dead and 2 years later he walked in then she collapsed in shock. I have no idea what to do with the box or is it worth anything. It has a lid aswell

    20210402_205523.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Was the box his or just something that ended up his shed ? Whether it's worth anything probably depends on whether it is a military box or one that he acquired along the way. What does it look like inside ? Does it have any other markings or handles on the end or inside the lid ?
     
    JimHerriot likes this.
  3. Fezz

    Fezz Member

    Yeah it was his it has his name on it. Il check later today and get back with more pictures thanks for the reply rich
     
  4. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    ...so he was Pay Corps and at one point in Freetown which was used as a naval base....I wonder where and when he was captured ?
     
  5. Fezz

    Fezz Member

    I couldn't ask as she died 10 year ago the box probs is wortless but a good story attached to it.
     
  6. Fezz

    Fezz Member

    Rest of the pictures
     

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  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    What else do you know about him, when did he die, where did he die? the same town/area as his wife

    I can only find a H E Brake as a POW in Germany

    TD
     
  8. Fezz

    Fezz Member

    Lived in Leeds 19 easdale mount Seacroft. And other parts of leeds
     
  9. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Possible

    England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
    Name: Frank Henry E Brake
    Death Age: 81
    Birth Date: 12 Dec 1919
    Registration Date: Sep 2001
    Registration District: Leeds
    Inferred County: West Yorkshire
    Register Number: A28C
    District and Subdistrict: 0921A
    Entry Number: 229

    England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
    Name: Frank H E Brake
    Registration Date: Apr 1941
    [May 1941]
    [Jun 1941]
    Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
    Registration District: Leeds
    Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding
    Spouse: Iris H Gill
    Volume Number: 9b
    Page Number: 976

    UK, Electoral Registers, 2003-2010
    Name: Mrs Iris H Brake
    Residence Date: 2003-2010
    Address: 19, Easdale Mount, LS14 6QQ
    Residence Place: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England


    England and Wales, Death Index, 1989-2019
    Name: Mrs Iris Helene Brake
    Gender: Female
    Age: 89
    Birth Date: 1922
    Last Residence: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
    Postal Code District: LS15
    Death Date: 25 Sep 2011

    TD
     
    CL1 likes this.
  10. Fezz

    Fezz Member

    Yes that's the one his wife was iris. Bloody hell your good hahah
     
  11. Fezz

    Fezz Member

    Can you find any pow stuff I wouldn't mind finding out
     
  12. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    TD
     
  13. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Theres a PoW Card for H E Brake and strangely enough he has the same date of birth as F H E Brake ? Not RAPC though?

    WO 416/39/394
    Description: PoW Card
    Name: Henry Ernest Brake.
    Date of Birth: 12/12/1919.
    Place of Birth: Newport.
    Service: British Army.
    Rank: Private.
    Regiment/Unit/Squadron: [The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment)].
    Service Number: 5569096
    Date of Capture: [unspecified].
    Theatre of Capture: [unspecified].
    Camp Name/Number: Stalag XIA Altengrabow.
    PoW number: 142770.
    Date of Death: [unspecified].
    Number of Photographs: 0.
    Number of Fingerprints: 0.
    Number of X-rays: 0.
    Number of Cards: 3.

    Name: Henry Ernest Brake . Date of Birth: 12/12/1919 . Place of Birth: Newport . ... | The National Archives

    Kyle
     
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  14. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Interesting.
    He has a Wilts Regt number.
    Wiltshire Regiment 5562001 - 5608000
     
    Fezz likes this.
  15. Fezz

    Fezz Member

    20210404_082519.jpg

    I can see another bit of writing " uk and looks to be Yorkshire or york.

    Wait the final clue has revieled it self hahaha

    Lightly scraped away the paint

    You found him 5569096 well done hahaha
     

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  16. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    I wonder if he was a Norwegian Campaign prisoner who served post-war in the Pay Corps ?
     
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  17. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Well seems someone needs to send off for his service records - Request records of deceased service personnel death certificate details for ordering a copy of that are in post no 9

    TD


    Family Tree
    Frank Henry E Brake
    1919–2001
    BIRTH 12 DEC 1919 • NEWPORT, ISLE OF WHITE
    DEATH SEP 2001 • Yorkshire


    Father:
    ERNEST BRAKE
    1881–1931
    BIRTH 1881 • WHIPPINGHAM, ISLE OF WHITE
    DEATH 1931 • NEWPORT, ISLE OF WHITE

    Mother:
    ETHEL MARY BUTT
    1880–
    BIRTH 1880 • ISLE OF WHITE
    DEATH Unknown

    Had 6 children
     
  18. Fezz

    Fezz Member

    Thanks for the help with the info guys. Any idea what to do with it is the question really.
     
    SDP likes this.
  19. CL1

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

    Keep it
    Store nuts and bolts in it
     
    Fezz likes this.
  20. Fezz

    Fezz Member

    Man cave it ww2 beer storage unit haha
     

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