Killed in WW2

[cath151]

A piece in the Nottingham Evening Post 27th Jan 1945 (British newspaper archives or Findmypast) has a photo of Albert Smith of the above address as having died in a Japanese POW camp May 18th 1944.
Cathy

[Girl Guide]

If his mother was given as next of kin then that would suggest that Albert didn't marry.  There is no trace of Albert on the 1939 Register using the dates given.

As I said earlier he was probably already in the army by the time the 1939 Register was compiled.

Ah, correction, there does appear to be an Alfred with that birth date in the 1939 living in Cheshire.  The right Albert or one who happens to have the same date of birth?

[CaroleW]

Is birthdate 10.2.1907 or 2.10.1907?  If 2/10 I would have expected the birth to be in the Dec qtr 1907.

Alberts birth was registered March 1908 which I would associate with a very late November or a December 1907 birth

[Girl Guide]

This is what I said in Reply#5

If his age is accurate on the CWGC website then he would have been born in either 1906 or 1907 depending on when his birthday fell.

Dave then informed us that his mother's maiden name was Wiley and I therefore came up with the MQ 1908 birth.

So is Albert's birth date the 10th February 1908?

[cath151]

Just checked again , dob written 1907.2.10  so could be either 2nd Oct or10th Feb I suppose.

Cathy
Added.. on the POW card there is no name in the box for Father, just a line through .Alice was down as Mrs so possibly widowed .

[Girl Guide]

The CWGC record that Carole found stated that Albert had died on 18th May 1944 aged 37.  So if he had his birthday in February and was therefore 37, this gives a birth year of 1907.

If the 1908 birth record is correct as Dave said the mother's maiden name was Wiley, then the age recorded at death is incorrect.

I suppose that would depend on what the army had down as his date of birth.

Dave - what army records do you have for Albert?

[chalkeydave]

Unfortunately I have no information on Albert at all,except CWGC.
I will get a birth certificate to confirm D.O.B and perhaps you will allow me to return to you,
and hopefully put it all to bed.
But thank you all once again,you really are an amazing bunch of people.
Dave

[Girl Guide]

You could consider getting Albert's service record from the Government.   It does cost money though, £30 last time I looked and takes a while to come through.

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records

You have this information which will assist in obtaining the records

Service Number: 765415
Regiment & Unit/Ship
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)

1/5th Bn.

Have a look at the website and see whether you wish to consider getting Albert's service record.

[iolaus]

Depending on when he joined the army maybe he lied to make himself old enough - obviously if he only joined up for the war he wouldn't have needed to lie - but had he joined the regular army in the 1920s adding an extra year wouldn't have been unheard of