searching for ww2 Soldier

[eli08]

I am trying to help a second cousin of mine find her Grandfather,she has very little to go on-his name was John Scott born c 1916,he was stationed at Bury Hill,Dorking between 1940/41 although he was in the Army she has no regiment ,he was either a corporal or Sergent he dated a lady called Doreen Nichols for a while who had no idea what part of the country he was from,I know ,no Regiment ,No army number any suggestions please from anyone ?

[Geoffers]

Was he by any chance, serving in the army either when, a) he married or, b) any of his children were born?
Geoffers

[eli08]

Yes He was when their daughter Anne was Born but no details on the birth certificate,all she know`s is Bury Hill,was there a Barracks there ?
are there any records she could look through ? she does live in Surrey.

[Geoffers]

Yes He was when their daughter Anne was Born but no details on the birth certificate,all she know`s is Bury Hill,was there a Barracks there ?
are there any records she could look through ? she does live in Surrey.
Most peculiar, I would have expected his rank and number to be included in her birth certificate.

Assuming that her dad has died, does she have his death certificate which should at least record an age, and depending on when he died it may show a date of birth.

Does she have his marriage certificate which hopefully records a father and occupation, on the marriage certificate were the witnesses signifcant?

Geoffers

[eli08]

John Scott was married but not to the lady in question who was pregnant with his child,when she told him she was pregnant he walked,this is why it is difficult,my second cousin is the granddaughter of the above two,hope you are following this I`m losing the plot myself, is there anyway we can trace him ?

[Geoffers]

John Scott was married but not to the lady in question who was pregnant with his child
Okay, a different approach will be needed and it may be difficult with the information you have given


is there anyway we can trace him ?
To start with the simplest opening, as I previously mentioned, does she have his death certificate?

Also

If he was otherwise married, do you know to whom and when, again that marriage certificate will include an age and also hopefully his father's name and occupation. Witnesses to the marriage may also be related.

Did he have any children by his (1st?) marriage?

Is there anything to confirm his name, or is John Scott just what he told the lady in question?

Geoffers

[eli08]

I can see where we should be going now,building information on him,I will speak to my second cousin with the ouestions you have asked,thank you ,I will be returning hopefully with some answers.

[eli08]

Unfortunately the lady in question will give no more information other than his name,all this happened 60 years ago & at the age of 85 she is not willing to go back into her past not even for her Daughter whose Father is John Scott or her Granddaughter who I am in contact with(my second cousin )I`m not giving up I`m just trying to rethink the whole situation.It is all very sad.
Thanks Geoffers stiil any advice you can give,we so need any right now.
Regards El

[eli08]

Hello Geoffers
I have spoken to my second cousin again and she has found some notes she made while visiting her Grandmother Doreen ,she says John Scott was born in London about 1896 I have looked on the 1901 census hundreds of John Scott`s at that time & he was a sergent at Aldershot, so what am I looking for to try & trace him ? and what regiment was stationed in Aldershot in 1941? any ideas?

[Geoffers]

I appreciate the problems and the lady's desire not to pass on information -tricky - could she at all be prevailed upon to say if she knows when he died?

The Army List is normally the quickest way of finding out basic information about the army, but I have no idea whether it was published in WW2 as I haven't had to use it later than WW1.

continued....

[Geoffers]

part 2....

A Sergeant in 1941 and born 1896 - I wonder if he was a career soldier? Is there any way of finding out if he was married? If so, and he married in the army, try searching army marriages on findmypast - your cousin may have to get a few certificates - but possibly the age on a certificate may match a birth c.1896 and the regiment recorded may tie in with those based at Aldershot?

Your cousin has another problem in that even if she knew the regiment, service records are still held by the MoD and only released to direct descendents. Is John Scott named on the birth certificate - if not, how do you show direct descent and thus entitlement to details of the service record?

Geoffers

[keith9351]

You can search Regiments at Aldershot at :-

http://hcms.firstoption.net/peach2cms/SiteResources/hcms_barracks.jsp

I think it's only up until 1939 and then the Canadian Army started to use the barracks.

Keith

[eli08]

Thanks Keith & Geoffers it aint looking good is it ?
Iv`e searched the Aldershot site & found nothing ,There is no name on the birth certificate,and the chances of her giving anymore info on this subject are nil,If the name had been a little more whacky or different think I may have got somewhere,back to my cousin to see if she can remember anything,I doubt whether she knew his death date & as you said Geoffers she could be giving any name.
Regards Elaine

[Geoffers]

With a bit more to go on, the search may be easier - but I fear your cousin will have a long and expensive search to get anywhere and even then the outcome isn't absolutely certain.

If she wants a project, the way to go about it is to begin with the 1901 census and all John Scotts born within 25 miles of London aged 5 +/- 2 years and then try to eliminate them to see what she is left with.

Geoffers
(I don't suppose there is a photo of the chap in uniform? - he asked fornlornly)

[keith9351]

The 3rd County of London Yeomany (3rd Sharpshooters) were in the Dorking area early 1941 :-

http://www.warlinks.com/armour/3_cly/3cly_41.html

I also remember reading about the South East Army Weapons Training Camp at Bury Hill, it was on the BBC WW2 peoples war, I think the story was from 1943 but they talked about Home Guard being trained at the camp. If John Scott was born in 1896, he could have fought in WW1 and in the Home Guard in WW2.

Keith

[eli08]

No Geoffers No photo,I tryed the Find my Past website nothing,Sorry Keith don`t know why I put 1896 he was born 1916 we know he was older than Doreen but how much older ,we are guessing ,I think we may have to go to plan (b) Drug her,( I am Joking) well the fat lady is not singing yet so I will plough on ,with the suggestions you have given & areas to look we will get to the bottam of it somehow ,Thanks again. Eli

[abarbee]

My Father was in the U.S. Army in WWII Stationed in
England he meet a Doreen Nichols while there.
He had my brother post a add in the London
Newspaper two years ago searching for Doreen.
My Fathers Name is George Barbee of Alabama, U.S
His nick name was BAMA. He would love to
find Doreen and contact her, could this be the lady you speak of.
He read your post and ask if I could ask you to ask her he is in his 80's so I am posting for him. I am his daughter Ann
He can contact through e-mail.