Author Topic: Information found on the back of a photograph. Please help.  (Read 3837 times)

Offline robson1

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Information found on the back of a photograph. Please help.
« on: Monday 05 July 21 09:07 BST (UK) »
A photograph of my mother, taken when she was a young girl, also contains some information on the reverse. We're a little lost on this so if anyone has any ideas, the help would be appreciated more than you know. A little background first:

My mother never knew her father but in her later years my grandmother revealed that her father was a German POW named Hans Behr who was held here in the UK. We think he was probably held at Comrie given it's close proximity to where my grandmother was at the time. However, this photograph - which one would assume was being sent to the father, but for whatever reason never actually got sent (or maybe it was and it was returned) - contains someone elses name. The information on the reverse reads as such:

T/23903012 DUR MASON R.H
C PLT 10COY R.A.S.C (BR)
BFPO 31

Does anyone have any ideas on who this may have been and/or how it may have been linked to a German POW held in Scotland? I only know the service corps part and the post office part. I assume DUR is for Durham maybe? I've thus far found nothing in my limited search of his number.

I would love more than anything in this world to be able to tell my mother who her father was before she dies.

Online KGarrad

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Re: Information found on the back of a photograph. Please help.
« Reply #1 on: Monday 05 July 21 09:23 BST (UK) »
BFPO 31 was the Gordon Barracks in Hameln, Germany. (aka Hamelin)
Garrad (Suffolk, Essex, Somerset), Crocker (Somerset), Vanstone (Devon, Jersey), Sims (Wiltshire), Bridger (Kent)

Offline ShaunJ

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Re: Information found on the back of a photograph. Please help.
« Reply #2 on: Monday 05 July 21 09:26 BST (UK) »
According to https://www.baor-locations.org/BFPO.aspx.html the BFPO address system didn't come into existence till 1957.

"DUR" is probably DVR:  Driver R H Mason, C Platoon, 10 Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
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Offline Ruskie

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Re: Information found on the back of a photograph. Please help.
« Reply #3 on: Monday 05 July 21 09:41 BST (UK) »
Robson, if you haven’t already done so, I suggest that you buy a DNA test for your mother.  :)


Offline oldfashionedgirl

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Re: Information found on the back of a photograph. Please help.
« Reply #4 on: Monday 05 July 21 09:46 BST (UK) »
Hello Robson
Have you considered asking her to take a DNA test ?
Since you have two names to work with you may be lucky and get a match to an online tree.
Good luck

Offline robson1

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Re: Information found on the back of a photograph. Please help.
« Reply #5 on: Monday 05 July 21 10:23 BST (UK) »
Thanks for the prompt replies. DUR could indeed be DVR looking at it again. I'll ask her about the DNA test; where would be best for that?

Offline robson1

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Re: Information found on the back of a photograph. Please help.
« Reply #6 on: Monday 05 July 21 11:08 BST (UK) »
Ancestry DNA I suppose?

Offline oldfashionedgirl

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Re: Information found on the back of a photograph. Please help.
« Reply #7 on: Monday 05 July 21 11:56 BST (UK) »
Yes I think so.
I haven’t done one myself but their one links into their online trees.

Offline robson1

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Re: Information found on the back of a photograph. Please help.
« Reply #8 on: Monday 05 July 21 16:50 BST (UK) »
She has given the thumbs up for a DNA test and was very taken aback about the mention of Hamelin. I think it made it all feel that much more real to her. It's something to look into the eyes of a 72 year old woman and see the eager excitement of an eight year old girl that hopes to find her father.
One step closer I guess. Thank you all, your help is very much appreciated.