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RAF WW2 Hubert Alexander Harries anyone alble to help?

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  • RAF WW2 Hubert Alexander Harries anyone alble to help?

    Hi there I am trying to find out about my grandfather who served in the RAF in WW2... I hope I am posting in the right area!....

    He was always known as 'Bert' in the family but his name was Hubert Alexander Harries born 8th sept 1911, st pancres, he died ion 1976 of a heart attack in camden, london, when I was a very small child, I still have memories of him which I treasure and would love to be able to find out what happened to him during the war.

    I was told by an aunt that he was assumed missing in action at one stage however she also told me that when he came home, my gran had found a photo of him with someone else and a new family, I dont know how much, or if any of this is true but I would love to find out!..its a real family mystery!

    I dont seem to be able to find any records for him at all and would love to find a service number and try and trace what action he saw, what his role was, where he had been sent. I have no idea where to start, and would very very mmuch appreciate it if you would point me in the right direction.
    Many many thanks
    Angela

  • #2
    I think you can apply without a service number to MOD for WW2 records they cost £30. You will need to show his death cert and declare you are a next of kin.

    I found this information "Royal Air Force: Records of those who served in the RAF during World War Two are also with the Ministry of Defence, and ex-servicemen or their next of kin can request their relevant record by applying to RAF Disclosures, Room 221b, Trenchard Hall, RAF Cranwell, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 8HB. For earlier records, your first port of call should be the RAF research guides on the National Archives website." on the BBC website ref military records.
    Margaret

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    • #3
      Hi Margaret, thanks for that though at the moment I sadly cant spend £30 on records at this moment in time, how frustrating! I wonder if there is any other way of finding any info out?

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      • #4
        I don't think there will be as there is nothing on line and the records are meant to be confidential at the moment.

        For the second family idea do you think they were in the UK? If so you could look for births for the period concerned with the same surname to see what you can find on that.
        Margaret

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        • #5
          aww thanks Margaret... as for the 2nd family I think they were somewhere abroad where he was supposed to be 'missing in action', and I have no idea where that was ... :¬(
          Thanks for tring to help me though, I do appreciate it. :¬)

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          • #6
            Just 'googled' your grandfather's name and see a tree on Tribal Pages with his name in it - is that yours?
            Margaret

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            • #7
              Thanks, I do have a tree on there and a couple of other sites, my user name is generally ajchambers8 ...thanks for trying though its really kind :¬)

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              • #8
                I had a look in the Times Digital Archive, the London Gazette and Documents Online / National Archive, but none of them seemed to have anything for that name combination.

                Christine
                Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

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                • #9
                  Hi Christine, its quite strange as I thought there would be something of him in the online records somewhere but seemedly not.
                  Thanks for your hard work and time spent looking on my behalf
                  Angela

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                  • #10
                    The tree on Tribal pages seems to be public and has these names in it
                    White
                    Baumber
                    Wild
                    Harries
                    Margaret

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                    • #11
                      Hi Margaret, yes that is indeed mine over on tribal pages, if you see ajchambers8, thats likely to be me :¬)

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                      • #12
                        Is your gran still alive, because if she is she should be able to get the records free of charge (as his wife, if she was still his wife when he died). This is what the MOD say about applying for service records

                        Get military records of service for the Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), British Army and Royal Air Force - who can apply, how long it takes, cost, how to apply.


                        Also were any children born while he served in the RAF? The reason I ask is that my birth certificate has my fathers RAF service number on and my marriage certificate and my daughters birth certificate both have my OH service number on. This however might not always be the case as a quick look at my son's birth certificate shows no service number for his father.

                        Linda
                        LindaG

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                        • #13
                          Hi there, no my grans not alive, there is one of his kids still alive, my aunt but she lives somewhere in france i think. If there was a second family they may still be alive I just done know. I have no idea what period he served either, the aunt that is alive was a post war baby who was part of the post war baby boom!I will try the ministry of defence with his death cert then, maybe I can explain to them the situation and get some help from them.

                          I just find it very odd that there appears to be no mention of him anywhere other than the footprints I have left online. He doesnt come up when searching the national archives either, not even to say the records are sealed.

                          I have tried searching under 'Bert' as well as this was the name he was more commonly known as, but this has been to no avail.
                          I do appreciate the help guys thanks so much.
                          Angela

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                          • #14
                            You wouldn't expect his name to come up in a search of the National Archives as they don't have his records - they are still with the RAF.

                            There should be records of the Squadron he served with at the National Archives but none of it is online - you'd have to go there, or get someone to go for you.
                            The National Archives, Kew – Research Service Offered
                            Contact me via PM on Family Tree Forum or via my personal website - www.militaryandfamilyresearch.co.uk

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                            • #15
                              yes I should've thought that there would be some reference to his name in a catologue ref or something. I do find it strange. I know his actual service records would not be held there, but as he was supposedly thought missing in action ...or quite possibly just awol, I would have hoped to find something acknowledging his existance.

                              I know he married my gran in st pancres 1935, my dad was born later that year, my aunt in 1939 and my other aunt in 1946

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                              • #16
                                There's no references on-line for any WW2 military records so not finding him would not be unusual.
                                If you apply for his records from MOD I would not say anything other than you are next of kin by ticking the appropriate box on the form and sending the money.
                                Margaret

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                                • #17
                                  thanks margaret, I'll have to try & do as you've saidonce my finances are a bit better sorted out!...It really would be great to see his records and find out for myself.

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                                  • #18
                                    Are researching the Chambers name? I'm just doing a tree for my neighbour with that name and it's from the Huntingdon area.
                                    Margaret

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                                    • #19
                                      Hi there Margaret, thanks for asking that but no I'm not doing anything on the Chambers family, thats just my surname from my last marriage, from which I have no issue. I know that branch lived in walthamstow london and possibly went on to essex.

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                                      • #20
                                        Right, n ot likely to be the one I'm researching as they are, so far, in the Midlands.
                                        Margaret

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