Hi guys – just need a bit of guidance really, my Grandad was in the RASC during WW2, serving in Italy (that I know of) – he must have stayed on after the war, and died in Italy 1946. I know that he's buried in Assisi War Cemetery – I know what plot he's in and even have a photo of the gravestone... my Mum (his daughter) was only small when he died and doesn't remember that much about him, and doesn't know how he actually died - story she was told was that he was in a truck that went off a mountain road. So, my question is - can I find out what happened to him... will records show what happened if I send off for his service record? thanks, Darren
Hello if you can post his name and date of death (also headstone) im sure forum members will assist further service records the way to go for more info Get a copy of military service records - GOV.UK Also there may be info in the war diaries re casualties a couple of forum members offer a copying service at reasonable rates. regards Clive
Hi, There was likely a Court of Enquiry after the accident which will be in his file but I doubt MOD will release those papers. They will likely rely on Freedom Of Information Act. They don't release medical papers either - unless in exceptional circumstances. Having said the above I would specifically ask for the release of the Court of Enquiry papers and see what MOD say. I've seen Canadian Service files for soldiers who were killed accidentally - despatch riders killed in traffic accidents etc - which contain the Court of Enquiry papers. In the case of deaths in UK Coroners Court papers are often in the files. Good Luck Steve Y
is this him Casualty Details FAULDS, J Rank: Private Service No: T/14757290 Date of Death: 29/09/1946 Regiment/Service: Royal Army Service Corps Grave Reference: II, B, 8. Cemetery: ASSISI WAR CEMETERY Private J Faulds (1917 - 1946) - Find A Grave Photos
I like CL's post as this is the only RASC buried Assisi in 1946, the GRO Register of Army War Deaths gives his name as Jack. I do know that some regimental war diaries contain reports/results of courts of enquiries including those where death has occurred, so that may be a route.
If that is him then there are 3 family trees on Ancestry (seems they have a transcription error) Jack Faulds Birth: Mar 1917 - Lancashire, England Death: 29 Aug 1946 - Italy Marriage: 10 Feb 1940 - Openshaw, Lancashire, England Unfortunately none of them have pushed on to find any details about his death TD
Hi CL1 - apologies for such a long time in replying... yes this is him - I stopped doing my Family Tree a while back, and Covid put paid to it for the past few years, however due to a few things happening personally, I would now like to find out what happened to my Grandad.
Hi - yes, this will be my Grandad... I know two of the trees (me and my Auntie) but not sure who the third would be... He died in September too... My main question is how do you go about finding out how he died? Thanks
Have you obtained the service record yet? I reckon it would have the information regarding the accident that led to your Granddad's death. A brief report on what happened might have been in the local newspaper for his home area. If you can find a library or archives that has copies of these it might fill out a little more information.
Thanks - not yet got the service records, but had thought about the newspaper... i've been trying to look online - he lived in Manchester but was born in Barrow-in-Furness (his name is on the memorial there), so could feasibly be in either newspaper.
It could be worth phoning the Cumbria County archives/local history centre (Barrow office) and ask if they can do a quick look up in the local newspaper for early/mid October 1946 to see if there was an article about the accident? Sometimes these local newspapers would report a military death like that even if the person concerned had left the area some years earlier.
Haha, I wasn't suggesting there was a connection, just whether it was worth a 'subscription' for the month... I'm guessing from your reaction, that it's not!?!
I quoted the link to the other thread as it is important for any members who haven't seen it what FWR are really like and try to make sure new members know about them . You should take the advice originally given to you to apply for the service records from the MOD as you will not get them anywhere else at the moment.
Definitely don't waste time and money on FWR. It was a few years back now but some of their 'researchers' were attempting to use this site to 'research' service details that subscribers to FWR were paying for. If I remember right the said 'researcher' was banned off the site. For a close relative who served in the British Armed Forces the service record from the MOD can be really useful. It usually stops any guessing about what they did and may have done and where and when they served. Member of this site are generally happy to help each other out such as interpreting the shorthand used in service records when somebody is stuck with that.
Please contact the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and ask them what they have on your grandfather. They should tell you where he was brought into Assisi from and may have other details. This is the second time in two days that I have given this advice- perhaps I shoudl start a new thread.