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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Cambridgeshire => Topic started by: Liz in France on Tuesday 12 November 19 13:50 GMT (UK)

Title: USAF Alconbury
Post by: Liz in France on Tuesday 12 November 19 13:50 GMT (UK)

Hi,

Does anyone know if the death of an American airforceman would be shown in the GRO deaths if he was serving at RAF Alconbury in Cambridgeshire.  I have very limited information on this person, so it means trawling through every quarter of the GRO deaths to see if anything is familiar.  I wondered if, as he was not British and under British jurisdiction, the US would deal with any death as an internal matter and would not appear in the UK registers.

Thanks.

Title: Re: USAF Alconbury
Post by: CaroleW on Tuesday 12 November 19 17:16 GMT (UK)

If the death occurred on English soil then I would have thought it would have to be registered in England

Title: Re: USAF Alconbury
Post by: Liz in France on Tuesday 12 November 19 17:23 GMT (UK)

Thanks Carol.

I too would have thought that but things that happen with US bases might be under their own jurisdiction, so I did wonder when I couldn't find what I was looking for.  I will now have to spread my search further afield rather than just Cambridgeshire.

Title: Re: USAF Alconbury
Post by: rosie99 on Tuesday 12 November 19 17:24 GMT (UK)

If he died on the base the death should be registered Huntingdon reg district https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/huntingdon.html

Title: Re: USAF Alconbury
Post by: cath151 on Tuesday 12 November 19 17:38 GMT (UK)

Possibly newspapers?
I did find an inquest for an American from 3909 Police Squadron, Lakenheath in October 1951, his initials P.J.S.
Cathy

Title: Re: USAF Alconbury
Post by: Liz in France on Tuesday 12 November 19 18:10 GMT (UK)

Hi Cathy,

I have tried the newspapers and found an accident involving an American serviceman but he was stationed at Brize Norton and the other man had a name nothing like the one I am looking for was stationed at RAF Alconbury.  I have passed this on to the person involved to see if this story rings a bell with the person who was involved with the man at the time.

I am helping someone else and I think I am on to a loser as the information is coming from someone who probably doesn't want to remember or wants to keep the information to herself.  A child was involved and maybe she has forgotten the name of the father but may be not.

Title: Re: USAF Alconbury
Post by: Mvann on Tuesday 12 November 19 18:33 GMT (UK)

Hi all.

Roughly what time period are you looking at? Ancestry has a reports of deaths of American citizens abroad 1835 - 1974 collection that could be some use.

Regards

Jon

Title: Re: USAF Alconbury
Post by: Liz in France on Tuesday 12 November 19 19:22 GMT (UK)

Hi Jon,

I think the date in question is around 1959 but it is very vague.  I do not have a positive surname and I cannot post what details I have as it is not my query and the person involved is still alive.  Difficult to be able to help with so little information which is why I wanted to know whether it was worth trying to find the death in the UK records as that is time consuming.  I have suggested to the person looking for  the death to write to the base at Alconbury.  It might save a lot of time.

Thanks for the information on the collection covering Americans abroad, I will have a look.

Title: Re: USAF Alconbury
Post by: cath151 on Tuesday 12 November 19 19:35 GMT (UK)

I have found a report of two American airman from Alconbury killed in a crash in Yaxley in 1958.
If you would like names I can pmyou.
Cathy

Title: Re: USAF Alconbury
Post by: Liz in France on Tuesday 12 November 19 19:42 GMT (UK)

Thanks Cath, that would be great.