tracing James Palmer before it is too late.

[kammy]

please can anyone help I am trying to find out information regarding my dads father James Palmer.  We know he was in the Manchester Regiment ( army no.  6786 or 3512622) he was born on 02.05.1891 and died on 14.02.41 in Daventry and was born in Birmingham, enlisted 12th july 1901 age on recruitment 15yrs 2mths,

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,359522.msg2363394.html#msg2363394

Kammy

[scrimnet]

I see from the other thread that the pension records have been found...Have you seen them and have you a Medal Index Card??

I wonder how he ended up in Daventry?? There was a huge barracks at Weedon, just down the road...What is he listed as on his death certificate and what was the cause of death??

I'm off to work now, I do have some access there so hopefully, we can get the "flesh on the bones" that you are looking for.

[kammy]

many thanks for taking this up I was so grateful for all the information I received last night ( hardly able to sleep!)
I have not had any information on the pension card except to know of its existance last night.  We believe that he had a ''few'' medals as they have been seen way back when, sadly I think just the ribbons are left ( my dad's brother is the ''keeper'' of all things good and only lets bits slip- no animosity just protective) I have confirmed that James got a Victory British Star and supposedly a Military Medal and Bar ? tradition has it he was mentioned twice in despatches. If it helps he was an outstanding gymnast as we have a newspaper cutting of him doing the 'weathercock' at Aldershot when he was a sergent major.
He was on his way to his elder daughters wedding in Ireland I think and he was known to be on a troop train carrying Canadian soldiers.  He was found dead on the lines with the back of his head bashed in and his watch was found in the carriage smashed so I believe an open verdict was left on him?
Conjecture as no-one has seen the death cert - I believe. He died on 14.02.1941..thats about it I am afraid ..if you can do anything with that info you will be in the good company of those magi last night!
many thanks
kammy

[scrimnet]

I presume the Coroner in Daventry or Northampton was involved, and I expect that there was an entry in the local papers. The Northampton paper is the Chronicle and Echo, and, ooh I cant remember the Daventry one...Perhaps a link on the Northamptonshire board may pay dividends?

I'm afraid I have nil access to Anpestry at work, but perhaps someone will do a dig around the surviving paperwork today.

We can explore the findings this PM!!

[kammy]

wow is there no end to all your talents?
another exciting day ahead it appears - just when I thought all the excitement had died down
kammy

[scrimnet]

I've taken the liberty of putting a link on the Northamptonshire board myself...As that is my home stomping ground!

I also have access to the Home Guard records for the area and know some very knowledgeable railway geeks...I'm sure we can come up with something before end of play today!

Other than that, we must await the pension records with interest!!

[janan]

Hi

James Palmer's medal card is on Ancestry - I am puzzled as to why it would have a red date stamp for  6 Jan 1979 - hope someone will be able to take a look at for Kammy.

Jan

[scrimnet]

My father who unfortunately is no longer with us, was with the Northamptonshire HG quite near by...And he was on the railway....he was a 17yr old lad there...I bet he knew something of it!

[kammy]

thankyou for any help you can give me in finding anything regarding my dad's dad -I hesitate to call him grandad as I never met him, however the more I am finding out the more I am seeing him as a real person so it is good for me too!