Find Ancestors

Not sure if this would be the correct board for this. Please let me know if not. And it may be a wild goose chase as well.

I have a newspaper clipping of Four Midland Airmen from WWII, a copy of which someone's family would probably really like to have. However, there is not much information provided:

All serving with the R.A.F. in the Middle East:

A.C Randall, then in brackets M.T.M.,
Address 15 Sheringham Road, Kings Norton
He looks to be the oldest of them all.

L.A.C. Fowler, then in brackets W.Dp.
Address 85 Bishopsgate Street, Ladywood
looks extremely young, 16 to 18 maybe

L.A.C. Guy,
Address 158 Weoley Avenue, Selly Oak
about age 25 maybe

Cpl Henessy,
Address 155 Alderson Road Alum Rock
Very young, 20 or so

If anyone has any ideas, I would sincerely like to hear them. Have tried doing a search of the names, but of course, with no first names or DOB's, it's extremely difficult. Also, being from Canada makes it more difficult still.

Diane

An admirable and maybe not entirely hopeless quest!

A relevant miitary museum might be one place to start.

I'm going to send a PM to GR member annielaurie who knows her military stuff and might have better ideas.

I'm off to B'ham archives tomorrow. Do you want me to check out those addresses pre- and post-war? Might give first names, other family members with a bit of luck.
Jan

I think the idea of looking up addresses is the best one.

Nothing much I can do - none were officers so I wouldn't be able to find anything on them as all WW2 records for other ranks are closed.

Many thanks for replying, and my apologies for being tardy in my response - had a family emergency and had to leave for a day.

Brummiejan, sorry, it's probably too late to accept your offer, but it was much appreciated.

I never thought about a military museum - will do a google today and have a look see.

Just thought that this yellowing piece of history would be important to four families. I had an aunt in England who saved many clippings and have been trying to reunite them with families.

Diane

Looked them up anyway! Will send you details tomorrow.
Jan

Many thanks for that Brummiejan, and no hurry.

I posted off a couple of e-mails to museums straightaway, but so far have heard nothing back, other than a "received" message.

Diane

Update:
Have had a reply back from R.A.F. Hendon today:
Thank you for your enquiry. Could you send a copy of the clipping, please? It will be very difficult to trace the men's families, but if you could let us have the information you already have we may be able to help.

Diane

Me at last!

15 Sheringham: Ewart James Randall, Madge Randall

159 Weoley Ave: Joseph and Elizabeth Guy (def. 159, not 158)

85 Bishopsgate: Joseph, Primrose F. and Edna M. Fowler

155 Alderson: George and Prudence Hennessey

:

Wow Jan,

Those are very good finds - you have managed to find ALL the families.

A bit of exploring to do now then.......

Dea x

Just did a street search on Friends Reunited, and there is a Ronald Guy entry for number 159 Weoley Avenue!! Worth trying to contact him I would say.
Similarly a Fowler for Bishopsgate.
Jan

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005
about Ewart James Randall Name: Ewart James Randall
Birth Date: 23 Jul 1911
Death Registration Month/Year: Jun 1987
Age at death (estimated): 75
Registration district: Birmingham
Inferred County: Warwickshire
Volume: 32
Page: 491

There is this marriage but it isn't to a Madge/Marjory, as on Jan's list, BUT as this list does not show relationships, only inhabitants of the household, perhaps Madge was his sister or some other connected person?

England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916-2005
about Ewart J Randall Name: Ewart J Randall
Spouse: Winifred A Williams
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1935
Registration district: Birmingham
Registration county (inferred): Warwickshire
Volume Number: 6d
Page Number: 1153

Will see if I can find some more later.

Dea x

Those people Jan has found on Friends Reunited sound good - I would say that contacting them should be your next step.

Good luck with it,

Will look in later to see how you get on.

Dea x

Many, many thanks Jan and Dea. Just logged on and was surprised to see all the assistance there .. many thanks to Jan for the look ups especially. Am very excited ... have typed all the letters and will post them off in the morning here and will definitely let you know how I get on.
After all your work, it would be nice to reunite at least one or two families with this picture.

Diane

Hi Diane. By all means post letters - always worth a try - but be aware that Ronald Guy no longer lives there, for example. Have you checked out Friends for yourself? I was suggesting you contact him via that site, and also the Fowler registered for Bishopsgate.
Jan

Good idea Jan, will do that later today. Have to leave soon for my grandson's Christmas concert this aft. Will let you know though how it goes.
Diane

An update on this post ... I received an e-mail back from the brother of Ron Guy who thought that maybe, but unlikely, it was his brother.

Lo and behold, it was, but he already had in his possession a picture that was similar.

But the best part is, he had further pictures of my cousin's father that we don't have, which he very kindly e-mailed me.

Thank you very much Jan, and others who assisted, as this has now come full circle!

Diane

Diane, that's fantastic news. Lovely of you to let us know, it makes it so worthwhile. Particularly interesting for me as Weoley Avenue is in my neck of the woods, have driven along there more than once!
Best wishes
Jan

That's wonderful news Diane and it is so nice that you were rewarded for your efforts with some family photo's to add to your tree.

Thaks for 'updating' us.

Dea x