Hi, I've left this far too late for far too long. I'm trying to research anything about
Albert Thomas Armstrong Stokes
b. August 8th 1917 or 1918, I believe in Sutton Coldfield, but the family was also based around the Birmingham & Aston area.
d. April 2nd 1993, Darlington, Co. Durham.
I believe Albert's father or grandfather was a furrier in the Sutton Coldfield or Aston area, and Albert had several brothers, one of whom was called George. The family name was at sometime double baralled as 'Armstrong-Stokes', but whether that was dropped before Albert's birth registration or not I don't know.
Albert's early life appears to have been fairly well to-do. He may have gone to a private school, (is there a way of checking school records?), he was bought a car for his 17th birthday, and took flying lessons. There is some talk of his being involved with Aston Villa football club in his youth, but my inquiry with Aston Villa draw a blank.
When WWII broke out, Albert enlisted in the RAF at age 19 or so and served as a Flight Sergeant until being injured out sometime in 1942 or earlier. I believe he flew Wellington bombers and crashed twice, one in France and one in Northumberland. The second crash ended his military service. He has the Atlantic Star, Defence Medal and War Medal (there is one more but I've forgotten it). However, I am having trouble finding out/remembering the exact squadron number he belonged to, and the only other information I have about this period of his life was that the captain of his crew was an Irishmen, possibly called Patrick Kelly, and that this man and Albert were the only two servicemen in the squadron that enlisted in 1939 who survived the war. Shortly after de-mob, Kelly (if that was his name) was apparently killed in a traffic accident.
After the war, Albert's biography is unknown, until sometime in the mid 50s he met and married Margaret Mary Officer from Hartlepool. Much of the rest of his history after that time I know, but anything about either the family (Albert's brother's names, and father and mother's names) or anything else up to the mid-50s would be brilliant.
A long shot, I know, but thanks in advance.
