Tydvil Ronald James

The black triangle with the red dagger designates that he has passed the Royal Marines Commando Course.

Regards

Frank

 

Hi and thank you for your response.
The medals are the Italy Star, the France Germany Star and the African Star. And yes it is a green beret with what we think is the SAS badge. My cousin is also an ex-serviceman and picked up on that straight away.

Gaynor

 

Tydvil is, as far as I have found, one of only two welsh people with that name, the other was a female with the f instead of the v. My gran must have named him after the place, Merthyr Tydfil, but no idea why. I wish my gran had spoken about Tydvil more, there must have been a huge falling out between them.

Gaynor.

 

I should have been clearer when I quoted the other JAMES people on the electoral Roll at Paddington Hospital 1951/52. They would have had to be 21 or older to be on the electoral roll, so can't be Tydvil's children. All of the voters listed for the hospital were in one big alphabetical list, so its probable they are other employees who happen to have that surname, or are older JAMES relations.

Have run a quick check on ancestry for any JAMES births from 1940-1960 with MORAN as the mothers maiden name:
Salisbury Registration District, Wilts: 6 births 1940-1950
Birkenhead RD, Cheshire: 6 births 1947-1958
Birmingham, Cannock, Wolverhampton RD's 4 births 1943-1960
These can't all be assumed to be family groups.

No London births found, but as mentioned by others, either Tydvil's will, or the informants name on his or his wife's death certs would help with any children they may have had.

If a fathers name & details are listed on your fathers full birth certificate, legally this means that the father would have to present at the registration and agree to his details being recorded. Even in wartime for a birth out of wedlock, I can't see any registrar breaking this rule.

Good luck with your search.

 

Ahh I see, I shall double check amongst my grandmothers siblings and their children. Thanks so much for your responses, they have been so helpful.

Gaynor.

 

Hi Frank,

I asked my cousin if he could take a look for a number on the ribbons, he sent me this picture. We didn't want to disturb the ribbons, which are very well sewn, to look at the back.

 

So, left to right as you look at the photo:- 1939-45 Star; Africa Star (no clasp); Italy Star (red has faded to orange tones) France & Germany Star and the War Medal. The Africa Star could have one of 3 clasps; a small rosette or the numeral "1" or "8" (depending if in 1st Army or 8th Army Group) but don't think they'd be shown on just the ribbon strip as shown on the tunic. Africa Star - Wikipedia

That may help Pals suggest a likely unit, subject to confirmation whenever you receive his Service records.

As regards the family history side, good luck with that as, even with an unusual name, there seem to be quite a few red herrings in tracing him and Annie Norris.

 

Bottom row is Defence Medal and War Medal

Medals: campaigns, descriptions and eligibility


Not sure why he would be awarded the Defence Medal as he was 'operational' all over the Med and NW Europe, and it was basically only for 'non operational' service

TD

 

Thank you so much for all your help. After chatting to my cousin it appears that the clasps and medals themselves were missing when his mother received the tunic, he suspects that they were 'acquired' by members of Tydvils wifes family, but clearly they had no interest in the tunic or the green beret.

My next step now will be to apply for Tydvils service records.

I shall also keep looking into the family history side of things, though at the moment it does seem that Tydvil may have had no children. It was my aunt, Tydvils sister Joan who dealt with his affairs and arranged for his burial, her son Anthony tells me that she would have known if there were children from his marriage. So it looks as though my father, if he was Tydvils son, was his only child.

Annie Norris was well known to me, she was my grandmother (or if Tydvil was my grandfather, my great-grandmother. So I know all of her descendants and despite a huge falling out between her and her family, I have managed to find out who her parents and siblings were.

Again, thank you so much for all your help, I really do appreciate it.

Gaynor.