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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: mentmore on Saturday 20 January 18 23:39 GMT (UK)
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Frederick D. Willey born 1920 died 19th July 1943 aged 23.
I have the certificate from CWGC which says Frederick is buried Johannesburg (West Park) Cemetery.
Wonder if someone could please tell me where Frederick was living at the time of 'call up' or anything else. He was a Sergeant, 638905, 274 Sqdr RAF. His mother is listed as Nellie Willey of Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, but not that this is correct.
Thank you
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His mother is listed as Nellie Willey of Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, but not that this is correct.
Did you check his birth reg on freebmd? mmn was Kent
Parents marriage in Leighton Buzzard 1919 - mother was Nellie Kent
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His service record will still be with the MOD,.
As they are for all personnel serving after 1920.
To apply, see: https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records
There is a fee of £30.
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CaroleW
That is correct Frederick Willey was born Leighton Buzzard as was his mother, Nellie Kent, I think the family were living in Cleethorpes at the time of the 1939 Register, so wondered why the CWGC certs says 'Nellie Willey of L.B. I can't find a death for Nellie's husband also Frederick, so it is possible the Nellie went to L.B. after her husbands death as I think the cert would have said 'son of Nellie and Frederick Willey'
Thanks
KGarrad
Thanks for that information
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What was husband Frederick’s birth year?
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You might like to re-check the 1939. The Cleethorpes Willey is Frederick J born 1920 but he is lodging with a married couple, not his family.
MaxD
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MaxD
Thanks MaxD for the information, it appears that there are a number of Willeys living in Cleethorpes at the time of the 1939 Register, I only have the indexes.
I'm sure I've seen a Nellie Willey born 1893 living Cleethorpes with a Frederick (poss husband) born 1877.
Carol
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CaroleW
As I've posted to MaxD, I think Nellie's husband was born 1877. I can't be sure of this as Nellie and Frederick married 1919 so no census records to go on.
Carol
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Nellie Kent born Leighton Buzzard and living there up to 1911 at least consistently has a birth date of 1881 through the censuses. In 1891 she is Nellie G, in 1891 she is Nellie Gertrude, in 1939, given as Nellie G Kent and single she is on the 1939 in Leighton Buzzard born 1881.
Looks as if he put her down as Willey on the next of kin bit of his records* but she had reverted to her maiden name sometime.
The Frederick J Willey born 1920 in Cleethorpe in 1939 was still on the electoral register there in the 2000s.
MaxD
*That is where the CWGC got his nok from.
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MaxD
Thanks MaxD for the information, it appears that there are a number of Willeys living in Cleethorpes at the time of the 1939 Register, I only have the indexes.
I'm sure I've seen a Nellie Willey born 1893 living Cleethorpes with a Frederick (poss husband) born 1877.
Carol
I think this Nellie has been indexed as WILEY b 1893.
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I agree but no Frederick associated. I go with Nellie G Kent as being his mum as per my last post.
MaxD
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MaxD and carol 8353
The Nellie Gertrude born 1881 living L.B. according to the census that you give, is not Nellie (Kent) Willey. The Kent family of Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire, all related is a very large family. I have Nellie Gertrude born 1881 on all census and the 1939 Register listed as unmarried.
Nellie (Kent) Willey actual birth name was Helen but always listed as Nellie married Frederick Willey 1919 Leighton Buzzard.
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Excess of enthusiasm!
Found the Helen Kent (as such) in 1911, age 17, servant to the Gates family in Wing LB. Having rudely skated over Carol8353's earlier post, I agree with her find Nellie Wiley (in transcription) but looks like Willey in the original birth 15 Sep 93 widow in Cleethorpes with a Mary EL Willey born 1929 which agrees with FreeBMD birth Grimsby reg dist with mother Kent (which interestingly has the registration also of a Frederick to the same Willey/Kent combination (late registration?).
Original question remains - why did CWCG put Leighton Buzzard. My understanding is that this would have come from his service record but perfectly possible for there to simply have been an administrative error that mixed up his place of birth and his mother's name as next of kin.
Could ask CWGC what the procedure was, they are always helpful with enquiries.
MaxD
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Nellie had young children,she could easily have been evacuated to the countryside at the start of war in 1939.She may well be back in LB by 1943.
Mind you her daughter Mary marries in 1955 in Grimsby ???
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My thanks to MaxD and carol8353 for their input into this.
I've looked at the war memorials for L. Buzzard and Lincolnshire and haven't found Frederick, but I know when and where he died and that's fine.
Best wishes
Carol