WW2 Lost Colonel

[K&MFletcher]

Hi, I am searching for my husbands Grandfather and am quite frustrated by the search! His name was John William Fletcher. He served in the Royal Pioneer Corps in 1945. We believe he was a Major or Colonel. We have only two photo's of him in uniform, his occupation from the birth cert of my father in law, and approximate date of birth and we don't know his service number or when he died. My father in law was the result of a relationship between Edith Woodward and John Fletcher. Edith emmigrated to Australia in the 1950's and did not have any further contact with John Fletcher.

I understand there is an Electoral roll for 1945? Does anyone know if it's online? We're coming over to the UK in July but would like to find out more before then. Any other suggestions?? It's hard when we're on the other side of the world!

Kareen

[ET in the USA]

Have you tried their website ? www.
royalpioneercorps.co.uk/"]www.royalpioneercorps.co.uk

Don't really know anything about it, but I clicked on "main server" and there was a lost buddies section where they say they will search their database for a fiver.

I suppose you have done a Google search for 'Royal Pioneer Corp" to see what turns up?

Another time consuming option is to search on Ancestry. Their scanned Birth/Marriage & Death images are free right now (1837-1983 Beta) so you could look at every death page (4 per year) starting about when you think he might have died and looking at each page that alphabetically might contain John Fletcher. I think the fiver sounds the better deal.

[Geoffers]

Hi, I am searching for my husbands Grandfather and am quite frustrated by the search! His name was John William Fletcher. He served in the Royal Pioneer Corps in 1945. Any other suggestions?? It's hard when we're on the other side of the world!Searching an electoral roll is impractical.

I would suggest trying to follow the chap's career through 'The Army List' which records officers, their ranks, seniority, postings, etc.

Also try searching probate records for the chap's will (assuming he has died), they should be available via one of the mormon record centres.

Geoffers

[Peter Goodey]

Have you tried the Gazette?


13041208 Warrant Officer Class II (Regimental
Quartermaster-Sergeant) John William Fletcher,
Pioneer Corps (Birkby, Yorks.).

- issue 36317 4 Jan 1944 page 150

Does that seem likely?

[K&MFletcher]

thanks for the suggestion. Although - warrant officer? What does that mean exactly? Does that fit with the rank of Colonel? What is the Gazette? Newspaper ?? I have heard of the officer lists - just didn't know where to find that info.

Kareen

[Peter Goodey]

Apologies for the shorthand. The Gazette is the London Gazette, the "official newspaper of record" for England and Wales http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/index.asp?webType=0

The rank is that of a non-commissioned officer. Is it possible that a rank such as sergeant major could become garbled by Chinese whispers to become major? You're best placed to judge that.

You say you have a photo of him in uniform. Perhaps you could make it available to us - someone will be able to confirm the rank.

[Peter Goodey]

By the way, I only really posted those details as an example of someone with the right name in the right place. It happened to be the first one I looked at. You may be able to be able to discount it quite easily.

There were 33 hits for John William Fletcher. You'll probably want to look through the others.

[K&MFletcher]

Thanks Peter. It is possible that he was a Sergeant-Major, although unlikely considering the photo's. Anything is possible at this point. I have searched the Pioneer Corps website and the only one who keeps coming up is John William Fletcher warrant officer. I will scan the two photo's later today and post them.

[K&MFletcher]

Thanks Peter. Attached is two photo's of my husbands Grandfather. Any idea's on military rank from this??

Kareen

[Peter Goodey]

Here are the photos that Kareen was trying to post


http://www.inertia.demon.co.uk/gen/JWFletcher 01 low res.jpg

http://www.inertia.demon.co.uk/gen/JWFletcher 02 gif.gif

Ah ha. Forgot about the spaces - sorry - you'll have to cut and paste the URLs.

[Peter Goodey]

Alternatively, here's one

http://www.inertia.demon.co.uk/gen/JWFletcher%2001%20low%20res.jpg

[Peter Goodey]

and here's the other...


http://www.inertia.demon.co.uk/gen/JWFletcher%2002%20gif.gif