when&where did Percy C Wheeler b1901 die?

[Mol100]

I am searching Percy Clarence Wheeler born 7th December 1901. I have found lots of info for him except his death. Whilst searching however I came across this information:

P C
Surname: Wheeler
Date of Action: 05/03/1945
Fate: Wounded
Incident Details: Reported to the War Office Casualty Branch for the 24 hours ending at 09:00.
Incident Date: 21/03/1945
Information: Casualty List No. 1711.
Rank: Guardsman
Service Number: 2623866

I have no idea if this is my Percy Clarence Wheeler so my question is - Is there anyway I can find the first names for this Wheeler without having to fork out £30 for his record when it actually may not be him!
If I can establish if this is my man then I will happily pay the money.

Thanks Sue

[keith9351]

This is the only Wheeler I could find in the Grenadier Guards who died in WW2.

WHEELER LW 2619055 4TH BN 05/11/1944 GRENADIER GUARDS

Keith

[Mol100]

Hi keith9351
I got my info from Forces War and he was wounded.

[Lesley Robertson]

I have checked CWGC.org, and 2623866 is not there, so he obviously recovered from his wounds.
The only PC Wheeler they list is 90213 F/O Percy Clifton of the RAF.

Try looking for a civilian death certificate after the war.

[Mol100]

I have tried looking for a civilian death but have hit a brick wall, I did order one which turned out not to be him. I have searched all the known ancestry sites for deaths up to when he may have been 100 but to no avail. So that is why I was going down the War route thinking maybe he had joined up for the 2nd WW, that is when I found the Grenadier Guard PC Wheeler. But just do not want to spend the money if it really is not him. He had been in prison on and off up until 1932 and had used different names so maybe he did change his name. It is a mystery!

[Lesley Robertson]

If he was in and out of prison, have you looked at local newspapers?
Of course, if he died in an institution, be it prison or hospital, where he wasn't well known, he might have been registered without his middle name....
It's clear from what you say that your guy survived the war, so the guy in message 1 isn't eliminated...

[Mol100]

Hi Lesley

Yes i have searched newspapers that is where I originally found out about all his stays in prison. I know that Percy is a common name but with the Clarence there appears only one. But he did drop it sometimes and use just Percy. So yes I cannot eliminate the Grenadier Guard connection but if he did not die where was he after the war!!

[timbo58]

It's potentially worse than paying £30 or not.
Unless you can prove he is already dead the MOD won't release any records in any case.

I think the only definite way of finding out is if/when the WWII service records are released to the national archives in 2019 onwards (depending on when he left service) unfortunately.

[Mol100]

It's potentially worse than paying £30 or not.
Unless you can prove he is already dead the MOD won't release any records in any case.

I think the only definite way of finding out is if/when the WWII service records are released to the national archives in 2019 onwards (depending on when he left service) unfortunately.

Well he must be dead as he was born in 1901 so would be 116 if he was still alive.

[timbo58]

The issue is, the MOD will ask for proof of death, regardless of the age of the subject.
Without it they won't release the records.

In any case, your P C Wheeler may well not be this man on this record so it's catch 22 I am afraid.
Only once these records are released under the 80 years after service rule to the archives will they be able to be searched unfortunately.