Gunner GRATTAN, ALEXANDER GEORGE Service Number 5G Died 10/12/1942 Hong Kong Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Son of George and Grace Isobel Grattan, of Stockwell, London. Casualty Buried at STANLEY MILITARY CEMETERY Location: China, (including Hong Kong) Number of casualties: 427 Cemetery/memorial reference: 1. A. 44.
1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION 72 Vauxhall Bridge Road, City of Westminster, London NAME DOB OCCUPATION George Grattan 27 Dec 1891 Rolling Stock Fitter Grace I Grattan 25 Sep 1891 Unpaid Domestic Duties John V Grattan 10 Mar 1919 Telecommunication Instrument Adjuster Brother: Sig John V Grattan BIRTH unknown DEATH 14 Feb 1957 BURIAL Richmond and East Sheen Cemeteries Richmond, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London MEMORIAL ID 145338140 Mother: NAME: Grace I Grattan BIRTH: abt 1891 DEATH: Dec 1966 - Lambeth, Greater London Father: NAME: George Grattan BIRTH: 27 Dec 1891 DEATH: Jun 1972 - Wandsworth, Greater London
This could be an interesting thread for the experts to examine. I'll just chuck in a couple of points. Alexander Grattan - I'm not sure his service no. is correct on CWGC. Grave concentration report gives his rank as OSG which is Ordinary Seaman Gunner, I think the SG has been wrongly transcribed. His original burial is given as Bowen Road Hospital. This was the British Military Hospital. There is a discrepancy in the date of death. CWGC gives 10 Dec 42 whilst Probate gives 20 Dec 42. John Grattan - interesting that he died in Royal Star and Garter Home - had he been wounded? Tim
He was a 'Probationary Cadet' in Dec 1938 The navy list GRATTAN, Gunner, ALEXANDER GEORGE, 5G. Hong Kong Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. 10th December 1942. Son of George and Grace Isobel Grattan, of Stockwell, London. 1. A. 44. G TD
Seaman gunner is the correct rating, if you see the rating SG it is a seaman gunner of ordinary rate as opposed to an AB able rate. We tend not to use the term ordinary when we include his trade. Alexander George Grattan appears to have been taken as POW on 25/12/1941 probably when the Japanese overran HK and died in captivity 10/12/1942. Cause of death - Pellagra Beriberi Entiritis. Regards Hugh
To avoid confusion I was inferring that his rating of OSG has been transcribed by CWGC as a Service No. of 5G. Tim Edit: TD the Roll of Honour link has probably been taken from CWGC. 5G is very odd for a Service No., which is why I think it has come from a transcription error of SG. Have you any way of checking?
Update from CWGC Re: 5G Gunner ALEXANDER GEORGE GRATTAN Thank you for your e-mail. According to our records, 5G is the service number for Gunner A G Grattan. There are other similar casualties in the Hong Kong Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve with an alpha-numeric service number. This gives rise to a confirmation that 5G is a valid service number. Kind Regards Records Team
Thanks Clive we have to go with what they say. The HK RNVR must have different number scheme than the conventional RNVR. Regards Hugh
