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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: alex260966 on Monday 02 June 08 11:46 BST (UK)
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Hello,
I'm new to this forum and i'm just wondering if anybody could help me to find some information about the next man or his relatives:
RAF Sgt Mc Garvey George A., 969452, killed in action over Belgium on the 7/8 of November 1941.
He was buried on the Allied Cemetry of Saint-Trond (Belgium) and transfered to Heverlee Cemetry (Belgium) after the war.
Address of his father in 1945:
Roy Mc Garvey
13, Eveleyn Gardens
Cavehill Road
Belfast (Nothern Ireland)
Thanks and greetings from Belgium
Alex
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Hi Alex,
His details on www.cwgc.org show him as the son of George Edward and Ellen McGarvey; would guess as only 20 years old he was not married.
Nanny Jan
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Hello Nanny Jan,
Yes, you're right. He was 20 years old when he died.
I've found a copy of a letter addressed to Mr Roy Mc Garvey in 1945 and supposed that it was his father. The copy is an answer to Roy Mc Garvey's question about a picture of the grave of RAF Sgt Mc Garvey George.
So he was certainly family of the dead airman.
Regards,
Alex
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Hi Alex,
welcome to Rootschat.
Here's the information relating to the loss of Sgt McGarvey:
http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/bomber.php?id=9922
Here's the Squadron badge:
http://www.diggerhistory.info/images/raaf-sqns/455sqn.jpg
Here's a bit of stuff on 455 Squadron:
http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11153.asp
Here's the cemetery where he rests:
http://ww1cemeteries.com/other_cemeteries_ext/heverlee_war_cem.htm
If you contact these people, they should be able to provide you with a copy of the headstone:
http://www.australianwargraves.org/countries/belgium.php
Good luck.
Thudders
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Hello Thudders,
Thank you very much for this information. I know the cemetry of Heverlee very well....it's about +/- 25 minutes from the place where I live.
I think I'll try to write to the embassy and ask them if they can help me to trace anyone of the Mc Garvey family.
Greetings from Belgium
Alex
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Hi Alex,
as the last address you have is in Belfast, I suggest you link your post in the Antrim thread on the Irish section of the board.
Just to add that I have found a Roy McGarvey in the Belfast Gazette, but it's dated 1985:
The article shows a Roy McGarvey being associated with the Coleraine Rugby Football, Cricket and Athletic Club. It may be worthwhile contacting them to see if they still have any association with the McGarvey family.
The club's web page can be found here:
http://www.colerainerfc.co.uk/
Loads of names in the 'contact us' section.
Forget that. I've just found this:
http://www.sports-clubs.net/Sport/ClubDetails.aspx?ClubID=4951
It just may be that he's a grandson of Sgt McGarvey's father. You never know!
Good luck.
Regards,
Thudders
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Hello Thudders,
Many thanks for this very interesting information about the Mc Garveys.
I'll try it and hope that someone can help me to find out more about the family.
Greetings from Belgium!
Alex
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Here's a link to the Co. Antrim posting for same information:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=308736.new
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Do you know if your George McGarvey had any brothers or sisters? My mum is a McGarvey. Our roots are in Cookstown with William McGarvey.
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Hello,
I can't say with 100 % certitude. I only have the name of George McGarvey and the address on the letter:
Roy McGarvey
13, Eveleyn Gardens
Cavehill Road
Belfast (Nothern Ireland)
Roy was perhaps the brother of George McGarvey.
I also wrote to the president of the Coleraine Rugby Football club for some information about Roy McGarvey but never received an answer!!
Greetings from Belgium
Alexander
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Sgt Mcgarvey, known as Bertie was my cousin. He had a sister Meta and brother Roy, sadly Meta died recently.
I am in contact with Meta's daughter but after the death of my mother, I have lost touch with Roy and his family.
Alexander If you are still searching I will pass your enquiry on.
Alan.
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Hello Alan,
Yes, I'm still interested in having contact with the family of George. I've found recently a familymember of the pilot (Maurice Jenkins) of George his aircraft. The family is living in Plymouth, UK.
I've found also +/- 20 pictures of the scene of crash (wreck of the aircraft, German anti-aircraft battery who shot the plane). Received recently +/- 70 pages from the personal files of the crewmembers of the Hampden AE-243 (source: Royal Australian Air Force Archives)
The aircraft didn't crash fare away from where I live...
I'll send you a PM mail...have done this before on this site but will try to find out how to do it.
Regards,
Alexander
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Thanks for this information Alexander, I have replied to you by email.
Alan
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Hi there - I am Paul McGarvey, younger son of Roy McGarvey ( who was George ( Bertie - shortened from his middle name Albert ) McGarvey's brother ) - thus Bertie would have been my Uncle had he survived.
This website and photos have only come to my attention during the last 24 hours so it's all a bit emotional for the family to realise that there is so much information out there on Bertie, even 58 years after he died - ( especially the photos of the crashed plane )
His brother Roy, who is currently 86 yrs old, also served in the RAF - now resides with his wife Audrey in Northern Ireland, and will be briefed on these emerging details by me in the coming days.
Thankyou to everyone involved at the time of Bertie's death and to those researching the incident since.
Paul
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Hello Paul,
I'm happy to have found you. Alan spoke about you in his last mail.
We never spoke about the other members but perhaps someonelse on this forum knows more about them! Here are there next of kin:
Next of kin of Keith Morris
His father: Mr AC Morris
15 Broadcaks Road, Sale, Sheshire
Next of Kin of Maurice Jenkins
His mother: E A Jenkins
Ship Inn, 12 Parade
Barbican, Plymouth
Next of kin of Rawlings Donald
His Father: RAF Sgt Rawlings (serialnr 221891)
RAF Stenton Harcourt
Oxon.
Greetings to you and your family.
Alexander
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Well Alex, it took a little time but at least one thread of your search is getting results.
Welcome to the forum Paul.
Alan.
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Alexander,
Spoke to my father the other night ( Roy McGarvey ) and he is quite willing to discuss his brother Bertie ( George ) - he showed me various photos of Bertie at school, college, rugby and RAF also school reports, etc - my cousin Kathryn Adair has even more documentary records and we will be collating this over the next few weeks. Dad tells me that Bertie planned to join the Ministry
( Church ) but the war put an end to this - incidentally Alexander, Dad did receive the letter you posted to Coleraine Rugby Club, 18 months ago, but unfortunately thought it 'safer' not to respond, not knowing who you were!
I have asked Dad to write down all that he remembers about Bertie, and we will publish this in due course - he had never before seen photos of the crashed Hampden plane or the gravestone so these were of great interest - he recalls that it was a 'Piet Klassen' who recovered Bertie's body from the plane ( does this name mean anything to you? )
I realise now it is a tragedy that no member of the McGarvey has yet visited Bertie's grave - Kathryn and I propose to rectify this by visiting in 2 years time ( on the 70th anniversary of his death ) - 30 months ago I was in Brussels not realising that I was only a short distance from Bertie's grave.
Paul
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Remembering George ( Bertie ) McGarvey, especially today on the 70th anniversary of his death - also his brother Roy McGarvey ( my father ) who sadly passed away peacefully on 24th January this year ( aged 88 ) in Coleraine, Northern Ireland - he also served with the RAF in WW2
Remembrance day this this year ( on 11.11.11 ) will be doubly tinged with sadness.
Hopefully I will manage to visit Bertie's grave ( Heverlee ) soon.
Paul McGarvey
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Hallo Paul,
70 th years, a long time. Sorry to hear the sad news about your father.
May he rest in peace with his brother Bertie.
I've received the letter from Kathryn in 2009 but I'm not sure if she received my answer.
Let me know when you come to Heverlee. Perhaps we can see each other. I've been to the cemetery many times since our last mails.
Alexander
HIS NAME I OFT RECALL.
THERE IS NOTHING LEFT
TO ANSWER
BUT HIS PICTURE ON THE WALL
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Alexander,
Thanks for the update - these viruses seem to be getting worse.
Just started work again today after the Xmas break so only got to read your email today.
I have been an Architect for 30 years, but the Construction Industry over here is at a standstill, due to the recession, and no improvement in sight - how are things in Belgium?
I live in Derry / Londonderry on the North coast of Northern Ireland - our City is "UK City of Culture" for 2013 so there are lots of cultural events planned for the year.
I am also in Round Table and might be attending the Euro Convention in Maldegem from 17th - 20th May 2013 ( flying in via Brussels ) - I last attended this in 2005 and subsequently was disappointed to learn how close I was to Heverlee Cemetry. This trip may or may not materialise, but if I did go I would of course make the trip to Heverlee this time, to be the first member of the McGarvey family ever to visit uncle Bertie's grave - there may also be the opportunity to meet you? I will keep you posted.
Regards,
Paul McGarvey RIBA
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Alex
Reference the outstanding NOK that you are looking for it might be worth contacting the local newspapers and getting them interested in putting an article in the paper. Have done that before and people who have known the person/family have come forward with information. Bomber Command is to the fore since the Memorial in London was unveiled by the Queen on June 28th last year so they can use that as a hook. Are you trying to get the families together for a memorial unveiling? That would also be a great way to get the newspapers interested.
Regards
Dee
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Hi,
I am researching the McGarvey, Cossars.
Any information appreciated.
Regards
Jilly