Service and War Returns

[Miss Poohs]

I've been looking for the death cert of Peter Kerr Dewar, but instead have found a Service and War Return.

I'm not sure if he is the one I'm looking for, and will only know if I see his wife/parents names on the cert.

What I'd like to know is, what info do you get on one of these returns?

[AndrewP]

Hi Miss Poohs,

On service and war returns, the information is sparse. It is not the same as a conventional death certificate. From memory, it is the name, rank and number, the regiment, the approximate place of death, and approximate cause of death if known.

The approximate death is likely to be "killed in action", "missing in action" or similar. The place can be as vague as "France", with no area mentioned.

I have never seen parents names on service returns. They are laid out as a long list rather than one person per record.

All the best,

AndrewP
in Wellington NZ

[Miss Poohs]

Thanks Andrew - I have a gut feeling it is him, but it looks like that is as good as I'm going to get.

Pants isn't it?

Thanks anyway

[LesleyB]

Hi Miss Poohs
I had a similar problem - a young man I was sure was one of mine, sent for the service and war return, which told me nothing I did not already know. The commonwealth grave commission web site had no more info either & I had his medal card, but still just could not prove he was who I thought he was. I was stuck, or so I thought...until I checked the Scotsman archive online - he was an Edinburgh lad and his death had been entered in the death column of the paper - and there was the proof I needed "son of Mr & Mrs..." with a cross-ref on the address

So, if there is a newspaper local to the area, it might be worth a shot.

Best wishes
Lesley

[Miss Poohs]

Thanks Lesley - worth a try I guess, but I know so very little about him.

I've looked for a death or (2nd) marriage cert for his wife Katie too, but no luck.

May just have to accept defeat on this one.