RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => Canada => Topic started by: hugisn on Sunday 27 December 15 02:32 GMT (UK)
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Does anyone have any information about my great grandfather Maurice Copland who served in Iceland in WW2 as an airman. He was most likely stationed there in 1943.
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Can you elaborate please?
Date/place of birth & death, parents, siblings, marital status/wife/children, usual occupation, where lived/when & any other significant facts.
Annie
ADDED....Do you know which Air Force?
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The only other thing i know about him is he was french-canadian.
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The only other thing i know about him is he was french-canadian.
How did you arrive at his name & his connection with being an airman in Iceland WW11?
Who are his children, where & when born & wife (maiden name), when/where married etc.
More importantly, when & where was he born? A guestimate year of birth at least?
Annie
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Only 1 Cop(e)land on here...
By name of Keith
http://aircrewremembered.com/rcafnotes-surnames-c.html
Annie
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I got the information that he was an airman in Iceland from my mother. She told me that when he was stationed in Iceland he dated my great grandmother and in 1944 my grandmother was born. He left the country probably in like 1944-5 and left my great grandmother to be a single mother. I guess he might have been born around 1916-1922 and most likely in Quebec.
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Yea my mother has been looking for any information about him for years and no luck. I just learned about him today in fact and as my grandmother and great grandmother and her husband are all dead i decided to try to get some help from the internet but i didn't expect much though as my mother has had no luck all these years.
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Is his name on the birth cert. ?
This should have an address for him at the time?
Annie
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I unfortunately don't have the birth certificate but i could try and track it down.
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I unfortunately don't have the birth certificate but i could try and track it down.
This needs to be your 1st port of call to find out what exactly is on the cert. to be able to progress.
Do you know if there was communication after he left Iceland maybe some letters or cards etc?
Annie
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I know very little about him too be honest. I'm new too this family tracking thing so i didn't know what i needed too have too find out about him but now that i know i will try to do those things like finding the birth certificate. Thanks for your help and wish you all the luck.
Hugi
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Hopefully there will be info. on the birth which may even mention which Air Force or an address......
anything which you could use to follow up on.
Someone else may be able to direct you to Canadian Forces info. but depending on how truthful he was he may even have been American?
Annie
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The only RCAF unit stationed in Iceland during WW2 was the 162 squadron. Finding members of this squadron should be your next task, which won't be easy. Maybe rename this post with a reference to RCAF 162 squadron.
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The Ferry Service also operated on Iceland so he may not part of 162 and even less information for these folks is available.
Don
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This one would be a little older than the age you are suggesting.
Ontario births show a Maurice William Copland born 27 February 1910 34 Keith Street Wentworth Ontario - Father William Copland (Stone-Mason) and Mother Catherine Clarkson.
The parents were married in Hamilton Ontario on 1 September 1909.
Sandra
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The 1911 Canadian Census for Hamilton would show Maurice (described above) living with his grandparents, parents and siblings. spelt with an "e" ::)
Morrise Clarkson 51 Catharine Clarkson 45
Marrico Clarkson 25 John Clarkson 23
Ethel Clarkson 17 Thomas Clarkson 15
Mary Clarkson 14 Elizabeth Clarkson 12
Florence Clarkson 9 Margaret Clarkson 7 Edwin Clarkson 5
William Copeland 27 Katie Copeland 20
Maurice Copeland 1
James Copeland 1 month.
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1911/Pages/1911.aspx
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2143998?collectionNameFilter=false
Family appear on a Canadian Passenger List as returning Canadians - Liverpool to Montreal - 7 May 1919 on the Tunisian.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2HGL-Y3R
Sandra
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Another possibility to explore - border crossing Canada to the USA shows a Maurice Joseph Copland - born Edmonton Alta - age 9 years (possibly could be 5 years) - arriving Washington USA 1925 - accompanied by Mrs Jolly, bro and sister. last permanent address was Nanaimo BC - step-father Wm Jolly paid passage.
Sandra
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The 1930 Census Bell, Los Angeles, California shows Jolly/Copland families (although Maurice is now definitely aged 9 years born 1921 ???)
Earnest W Jolly 51 Born Eng. Imm 1906. NA.
Lucy Jolly 44 Born Eng. Imm 1925. First Papers.
William B Jolly 2 Born Nevada.
Maurice Copland 9 Born Canada. Step-Son. AL.
Leonard C Copland 17 Born Canada. Step-son. AL. Messenger Boy. Western Union.
Helen Weber 20
Frank L Sutliff 24
Sandra
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There was a marriage in Vancouver British Columbia 16 September 1925 for a William Jolly born 1878 and aged 45 years - bachelor - father William Jolly and Mother Sarah Spurgeon to Lucy Copeland aged 40 years, widowed. Father Peter Gillam and Mother Elisabeth Moore.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JD8R-GF4
Sandra
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Canadian Passenger List - shows Lucy and Cyril Copeland - 25 June 1911 - Liverpool to Quebec on the Corsican.
This looks like the Copeland family in 1916/1921 Strathcona Edmonton Alberta - Maurice is under Joseph - the spelling of Copland/Copeland with an "E"
Cyril Copeland 35 Lillian Copeland 33
Leonard Copeland 8 Violet Copeland 6
Ivy Copeland 4 Joseph Copeland 1
Leonard is leonard Cyril Copeland -
1916 10050, 90, Ave, Edmonton South 18 Strathcona Edmonton Alberta
Cyril Copeland 32 Lillie Copeland 30
Lenoard Copeland 3 Violet Copeland 1
Sandra
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This may help discount the Maurice above ??? - US Veterans Gravesites - Maurice Joseph Copeland - S SGT US MARINE CORPS WORLD WAR II - 24 June 1920 - passed away 7 August 1985 - Interment Date 9 Aug 1985 - Riverside National Cemetery - 22495 Van Buren Boulevard Riverside, CA 92518 - Buried At Section 20 Site 1687 - Service Start Date 9 Nov 1941 -
Married in San Diego 5 February 1956 to Josephine E Robinson.
FIND A GRAVE
Burial: Riverside National Cemetery Riverside Riverside County California.
Plot: 20 0 1687
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=82462459&ref=acom
California Death Index confirms mothers maiden name Gillam.
Sandra
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Canada Voters List shows a Maurice Copland living in Brant Wentworth in 1949 - occupation knitter. Also a Mrs Dorothy Copland at the same address. RR No 4 Hamilton.
Sandra
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Your grandmother's birth certificate can only be obtained here
http://www.mcc.is/english/eng-administration/registers-iceland/