Military Chat

The above is my Uncle I believed left the army with shell-shock and lived in institutes in London for the rest of his days. due to my father losing touch with his family we never got to meet his side of the family and I would love to know more as I have now joined our local history club and am trying to reconnect with my lost garner family - we have a photo of him in Battle dress and we have found he was a private with Queen Royal Regiment and was ? a POW in Poland.

Welcome to the boards indy.

This is from Findmypast website:-

Prisoners of War 1939-1945 - British Army held in German territories

First Name(s):P.
Last Name:Garner
Rank:Private
Camp No.:344
PoW No.:139141
Soldier No.:1623584
Record Office:Infantry and Army Physical Training Corps Record Office, Stanwell Road School, Ashford, Middlesex
Camp Type:STALAG
Camp Location:Lamsdorf
Regiment:The Queen's Royal Regiment

As this record gives his army number you could look at this site to find out how you could apply for his army records:-

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/army.html

The records will cost £30 and take quite a long time (possibly around 9 months) to arrive.

Kath. x

If you're sure that he was born in 1919, could this be his death?

England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2007 about Peter Stevenson Garner
Name: Peter Stevenson Garner
Birth Date: 2 Jan 1919
Date of Registration: Feb 1997
Age at Death: 78
Registration District: Hatfield
Inferred County: Hertfordshire
Register Number: C2C
District and Subdistrict: 5321C

If he married, the informant might be a relative, although if he was in a long term medical institute, it could be one of their staff

The death does tie in with this birth
England & Wales, Birth Index, 1916-2005 about Peter S Garner
Name: Peter S Garner
Mother's Maiden Surname: Cotton
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1919
Registration District: Greenwich
Inferred County: London
Volume Number: 1d
Page Number: 1201
Entry number: 84

There is a possiblity that he married 1959 in Islington to a Peggy M. Have you traced her? The marriage giving her surname at the time of the marriage is on http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

Use that and the surname Garner to see if they had any children - there are 2 listed on freebmd, 1961 & 1968. It is possible that they are the children of a different Garner/Turton marriage

Thank you for above information - I have sent away for his death certificate which may clarify any relatives, married partner or any surviving children. - I will also go on freebmd.org.uk.

Anne

It might say 'widower of' or 'husband of' a legal partner, but unlike Scottish or Australian DC it won't give the names of children.

You might be lucky and find that a relative/child was the informant.

His service records will be available only to his next of kin

..Thanks Reggie for letting me know otherwise I would have sent away for his service records.

Once you have the DC, the name of the informant might help you trace descendents/next of kin.

As long as you have their permission, you can apply for Peter's Service records. Niece/Nephew is one of the qualifying applicant relationships for a living serviceman anyway!