WW II

[raeburn2004]

Can anyone please help me regarding a relative who went off to work one day during the war and never returned.  The family story is that there was a bomb dropped on his route to work and they always thought he must have been under it at the time.  I have tried normal channels, i.e. through Ancestry and 1837 Online but can find no record of his death.  Were all people killed in the bombing in the east end of London actually recorded?  Even if there was no body?  I would be grateful for any help.

[casalguidi]

Hi Raeburn

Welcome to Rootschat

Have you tried Commonwealth War Graves?

The list does include WW2 civilians but there is some doubt as to it's completeness

http://www.cwgc.org/

Casalguidi

[raeburn2004]

Thanks very much for the prompt reply Casaldi.  I've had a look on the site you recommended but unfortunately no luck.  I wonder if I will ever have any luck with this as my mother said there never was a record of his death at Somerset House (as was at the time).

[raeburn2004]

Hi Casalguidi, after your being so kind as to post a reply I go and get your name wrong.  I do apologise.

[casalguidi]

Don't worry about getting my name wrong - I shouldn't have picked such a contrary one

Will have a think about your query

Casalguidi

[janan]

Hi Raeburn
Welcome to Rootschat 

Have you tried looking for a registration  seven years after his supposed death ? As his body wasn't found and there may not have been enough certainty that he was where they thought he was when the bomb dropped I think the 7 year rule for missing people would still apply even in wartime. Have Googled around but not yet found anything definitive on this.

Jan

[raeburn2004]

Hi Janan, thanks for the suggestion regarding the 7 year rule which was something I had never heard of.  I have now checked the BMD records from 1945 to 1952 with one result which is a possibility.  It gives the right age that he would have been if the death was registered in 1950 but the district shown is where his family lived and where he was born but not the area he was living in when he died.  I think it's going to be a question of getting a copy of the certificate to check it out any futher.

Once again, thanks.  I can't believe how excited I get when I think I have found one more generation back - even if it turns out not to be him.  Does that go away when you've been doing a long time - I hope not.

[janan]

I can't believe how excited I get when I think I have found one more generation back - even if it turns out not to be him.  Does that go away when you've been doing a long time - I hope not.

No it doesn't go away

I've recently found my Grandma's elder brother in Canada - we didn't even know he went there - and my 4xg grandfather's nephew also in Canada and have been bouncing around since. Actually I get just as excited when I've helped track down someone else's ancestor

Jan

Hope the certificate turns out to be him