Military Chat

Hi I am trying to trace details about my grandfather Joseph Brett.I have his original Certificate of Transfer to the Army Reserves. I have his army number and know he was a private in the Royal Pioneer Corps..I have been told that he was in the army in second world war but can find no trace of this..I have also been told that he was released from the army due to ill health..Could anyone help me find the truth as I would love to know more about his life.Unfortunately I never met him as he was killed in an industrial accident in the 1950s in Lincolnshire..
regards susan

Welcome to the boards Susan.

WW2 records are still with the MOD and are not online. Have a look here to see how to apply for them:-

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

They will cost £30 and sometimes take quite a few months to arrive although I believe they may have got a bit quicker lately.

Kath. x

There are two deaths in Lincolnshire in the 50's for the name Joseph Brett. One born c.1883 and the other born c.1912. I am assuming the second one was your grandfather. This is the reference for the death certificate:-

First name(s) JOSEPH
Last name BRETT
Gender Male
Birth day -
Birth month -
Birth year 1912
Age 39
Death quarter 4
Death year 1951
District LOUTH
County Lincolnshire
Volume 3B
Page 308

Kath. x

Thank you it is the 39year old. He was my grandad and know how he died. The information about army I will pass onto my mum as she has heard so many rumours and since her sister passed away she is looking for the truth. X

I think that the other person may of been my great grandad but will check it out and thank you again.x

If your mum was married to the Joseph Brett 1912-1951 at the time of his death, as next of kin she can apply for the records at no cost.

If you or someone else has invoked her POA or equivalent, they can sign on her behalf.

Does this tie in with the service number? The image says that he was discharged due to Age Limit. That line is dated 25 Jan 1946. considering what was going on, its unlikely that he'd be considered 'old' at 34, so perhaps not!

First name(s) Joseph
Last name Brett
Age -
Birth year -
Birth place -
Attestation year 1940
Service number 1611074
Former service number -
Record set Royal Artillery attestations 1883-1942
Category Military Service & Conflict
Subcategory Regimental & service records
Collections from United Kingdom

Hi my mum is joseph Bretts daughter. The army number I have is different but thank you for helping look in the right direction. We were told he was discharged due to malaria but so much was told but never the whole truth and now my mum has lost most of her family its difficult to know the whole story. All help is a very welcome step forward. Thank you all and know I will get there in the end.x

Burial
County Lincolnshire
Place North Coates
Church name St Nicholas
Register type Unspecified
Register entry number 746
Burial date 13 Oct 1951
Person age 39
Burial person forename Joseph
Burial person surname BRETT
Burial person abode North Coates

(just to add above, from below link)

http://www.freereg.org.uk/

Chris :)

(no idea if relating, but below there also)

Joseph BRETT Baptism 6 Jun 1886 Lincolnshire Langtoft (St Michael)

Bertha RICHARDSON Joseph BRETT Marriage 29 Jul 1909 Lincolnshire Immingham (St Andrew)


edits

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=brett&yearOfDeath=1952&page=2#calendar

Ooop! Sorry for posting the wrong record. At the time I did think that either your mum was a child-bride, or really, really old ;-)
Obviously, I'd made a generation error.

Thank you everyone for your help. I have managed to trace his birth and his mothers maiden name windle. He was born in ecclesall bierlow and have been told his mum died in child birth but yet maybe another white elephant. Why are families so complexes.x

Thank you everyone for your help. I have managed to trace his birth and his mothers maiden name windle. He was born in ecclesall bierlow and have been told his mum died in child birth but yet maybe another white elephant. Why are families so complexes.x

Could this be your grandfather's parents and siblings in the 1911 census before your grandfather was born? :-

1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
15 Gould Street Walkley Sheffield, Ecclesall, Yorkshire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Occupation Age Birth year Birth place

Joseph Brett Head Married Male Railway Porter 28 1883 Notts Retford
Annie Brett Wife Married Female - 22 1889 Yorks Sheffield
Gladys Brett Daughter - Female - 2 1909 Derbyshire Chesterfield
Evelyn Brett Daughter - Female - 1 1910 Yorks Loxley
Doris Brett Daughter - Female - 0 1911 Yorks Wisewood

Kath. x

Hi Kath. Thank you for your message. I am not sure. I do need to go into everything totally. I am going to spend sometime looking into everything as soon as I get a chance but I am a self employed taxi driver and this time of year is crazy for me..
. Susan (sue) x

I think it would be a good idea to buy your grandfather's birth certificate. That way you would at least know his mother's full name and his exact date of birth.

Kath. x

He was born on st Georges day 1911/12. My mum is going to spend an afternoon with and I think that josephs birth certificate maybe in my late aunts house but haven't been able to get in until solicitors say we can clean it out.x

I'm wondering if this is the marriage of Joseph's parents. Joseph Ethelbert Brett White and Annie Windle. Perhaps he dropped the White?? It certainly fits with the 1911 census that Kath put up.

Derbyshire Marriage Index 1538-1910 Transcription

First name(s) Annie
Last name Windle
Sex Female
Age 18
Birth year 1889
Marital status Single
Marriage year 1907
Marriage date 25 Dec 1907
Marriage place Eckington, Eckington, Derbyshire, England
Father's first name(s) William
Father's last name Windle
Spouse's first name(s) Joseph Ethilbert Brett
Spouse's last name White
Spouse's sex Male
Spouse's age 24
Spouse's birth year 1883
Spouse's marital status Single
Spouse's father's first name(s) Joseph
Spouse's father's last name White
Place Eckington
County Derbyshire
----------------------------------------------------------------

They had another child in 1913:

Births Sep 1913 (>99%)
Brett John W Windle Chesterfield 7b 1590
------------------------------------------------------------------

Possibly Annie's death and Joseph's brother's death:

Deaths Jun 1915 (>99%)
BRETT Annie 27 Chesterfield 7b 888
BRETT John W 1 Chesterfield 7b 879

Well done AustinQ. That certainly looks right to me. It doesn't look as if she died in childbirth (unless there was another child after John W. Brett) but seems she died very soon after her son's death - just a few pages difference in the death references.

Kath. x

Hi all. Thank you all so much for your help. I have told my mum about all the help you have given me and she is fascinated. We are going yo have an afternoon sorting it all out. Thank you all once again. You are all amazing.
. Sue and mum Joyce.x