American GI - Wincanton - Help!

[sianygates]

Hello,

My Great Nan, Christine Marjorie Gates (nee Rose) passed away last year. Before she died, she told me of my Great grandfather, Albert Alexander.

I had never heard of this man before and was brought up believing someone else was my great grandfather.

The story is, that Christine met Albert at the Hunters Lodge in wincanton. They fell in love and she became pregnant but only to find out that Albert had a family back in America. The war ended and she told him to go back to his family.

Christine gave birth to my grandad, D, in 1945.

D and Christine wrote to each other, however when she met her husband, he made her stop all contact and burnt all correspondence.

All I have is a locket that he sent her.

I don't know anything else, I have no idea where to start or how to even find any information!

Any help would be greatly appreciated, no matter how small!

Thanks

Sian

[christanel]

Welcome to the British-Genealogy forums.


Our T and C's do not allow us to post the names of living people so I have had to remove your granddad's name and leave just an initial. I have looked on FreeBMD and see his birth registered in the March 1/4 1945 under your great grandmother's maiden name in the registration district of Poole vol 5a page 474.


Are you wanting to find D? If so any member wishing to help will have to give the information to you via private message (pm) Private message facility is accessed by clicking on the member's user name and then on Private Message from the drop down menu.


Was your grandfather adopted? Did he keep his mother's maiden surname? Did you mean your ggran and her son corresponded or that she and Albert corresponded?


Are you also wanting information about Albert Alexander?


Christina

[sianygates]

Hi Christina,

I'm so sorry for my errors! Thank you for your reply.

No, I am not looking for D, he is my Grandfather and I know his whereabouts. I'm looking for information on Albert Alexander who would have been my Great Grandad (D's Dad). Sorry, in my excitement to find information, I didn't clearly explain.

Christine (Great Grandmother) later met a man called Ted Gates (deceased) and married him. When D was born, he was given Christine's maiden name but later had his name changed to Gates as in those days, it was bad to have a child out of wedlock.

Does that help?

Thank you, Sian

[sianygates]

I have also just found out that the U.S. 3rd Armoured Division Rear HQ would have been based around Wincanton at that time. If anyone has any information on that, perhaps could lead my a bit closer to information on Albert Alexander

[geneius]

#1

D and Christine wrote to each other, however when she met her husband, he made her stop all contact and burnt all correspondence.

Can you confirm this name as I thought you were looking for Albert Alexander!


Have you got the birth certificate when your gt grandmother registered her son. She may have included the GI's name and unit

All x US servicemen are as far as I can find out given a decent military burial so you may find Albert Alexander that way

Googling found this web site maybe of interest to you https://
ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/locations-of-us-forces-in-somerset-1944.15304/

[christanel]

Hi
if you google the 3rd Armoured Division you will find lots of information on it
The main thing is that it left England 24 June 1944. These dates would fit with your grandfather's birth registration in the March 1/4 1945.

According to the book 'Plain Soldiering' by N.D.G James which deals with the armed forces on Salisbury Plain the division's units, while in England from September 1943 until July 1944, were mainly in Wiltshire. The HQ was probably at Warminster with units in 5 Wiltshire villages and 3 villages in Somerset. There is a small memorial at Mere in Wiltshire."
ancestry.com is a pay per view site which has some US army information such as WW11 registration cards and
U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, also U.S. Veterans Gravesites. The problem is that none of these records give an army unit/regiment so no help in identifying your man even if we knew for certain he was in the 3rd Armoured Division. There are numerous Albert Alexanders, some with middle names which would have helped if your ggran had known if he had one and told you
We don't even know in which part of the US he was born so it is very tricky.

Your local library may have the free version of ancestry.com or you could sign up for the 14 day free trial but remember to cancel your sub before the14 days isup or you will be charged for 12 months.

Others will have some ideas I am sure.
Christina

[christanel]

familysearch.org has information about US forces in WW11
https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Wor...,_1941_to_1945


Christina