Jim Wright - Reconnaissance Unit

[Jennieie]

Hi, but I was hoping for a little help - or maybe someone can point me in the right direction. I am researching my family tree and we have come across some letters ... I am trying to find J Wright (possibly James, Jim) - who we believe in around 1945 lived at 36 parsons mead, west Croydon, Surrey.
There are photos and letters which i will attach. We believe that my Great Grandmother Alice Maud Harbertson was working in Service in the Area at the time.... There are letters showing Alice and Jim arranging to meet. The 1939 (from what i've been told) does not have Wright living at that address at the time. My Great Grandmother fell pregnant to this man.... My Great Grandmother Florence May Harbertson was born in Northumberland in 1933... so we have to assume that Alice left the area and came back home around that time. Alice met Richard Bond, married him and my Grandmother was brought up as his child, but we were all aware that Richard wasn't her real Father. My Grandmother Florence has dementia..... her daughter Eleanor is desperate to try and get any information she can about Jim whilst Grandma is still here......

My research, and understanding, is that the Recon unit that it looks like Jim is wearing the uniform of, was only around for a few years during WW2.....

The photos (which are not great on here) - i can see that he was in the Reconnaissance Unit.....

HELP? I've tried historians of the area.... i can't think how to look. I can see J Wrights on forces records but no idea how i can tell it's jim?!

Any ideas?

Thanks

[rosie99]

Hi Welcome to rootschat

Just to say that WW2 records will not be found online as they are still with the MOD. 

[MaxD]

To add a bit to Rosie's post:
You probably don't need me to say that this is needle in haystack time  -without knowing where the haystack is!
There were a number of Recce Regiments in the Recce Corps, any one of which he could have served in.  Although you may find his name on some sites, his record is, as Rosie says, still with MOD and, crucially,  you need a death certificate which in the circumstances isn't possible so that route is closed. Do be aware that despite what some sites say, they do not have his record.

Unhelpful as it sounds, I would forget the service record side of things and hope someone has an idea of another route to  try.

J Wright and Alice Maud (Great Grandmother) begat Florence May (you wrote Great Grandmother, presumably Grandmother) in 1932 (birth registered Q3 1932).  It is an awfully long gap from 1932 to 1945, do you know when the letters were written and is Crown Hill a location that makes sense from where the family were living?  Was there any contact 1932-45?

maxD

[Jennieie]

Hi, Thanks so much for the reply. The forces records were my last attempt at anything really, i knew they'd more than likely be closed, but i wasn't sure with the Regiment etc.

Alice Maud Harbertson was living/working near Parsons Mead in, we assume about 1930/31.... Again we know she was in service, so i'm guessing as a servant/domestic etc..... she met Jim, they had an affair and then she moved back to Newcastle and had my Grandmother Florence on her own. The story goes that Jim wanted to marry my great-grandmother, Alice, but for what ever reason, she refused. She had my Grandmother Florence, then she married Richard Bond and went on to have more children. (Northumberland)

The confusing thing was the uniform and the letters etc.... i am going to assume that the photos were sent to Alice after she left him 1939-1945.... the letters on the other hand, have to of been hand delivered 1930/1931 ish because they talk about meeting the next evening at browns hill.... so postal service could not deliver a letter that quick.... again i am assuming that she was working for someone - and letters were being delivered there or if she was living with someone... they were being hand delivered.

Am i making any sense at all? haha

[nanny jan]

"the letters on the other hand, have to of been hand delivered 1930/1931 ish because they talk about meeting the next evening at browns hill.... so postal service could not deliver a letter that quick.... again i am assuming that she was working for someone - and letters were being delivered there or if she was living with someone... they were being hand delivered. "

The letters could have been delivered by the postal service; twice a day I think.

[Jennieie]

The Envelopes they came in are all blank.... BUT....Even if that's the case, they must have been in the same area to arrange via letter to meet the next evening. Alice is from Newcastle upon Tyne originally and Jim from Croydon.... so it wouldn't leave enough time to arrange a meet.

[MaxD]

I read the assignation as being at Crown Hill which is ten minutes walk from Parsons Mead in Croydon so I'd go along with the idea that the letters relate to the 1931/31 time frame.  In your first post you said Wright was in Parsons Mead in 39/45 but the liaison happened in 1931/32 so I think your dates are getting mixed up?

From what you say, Alice had nothing to do with Wright after she married Bond in 1934.  I can envisage the letters remaining in her possession in her box of secrets perhaps.  But how did a picture of Wright taken after 1941 appear? 

Begs the question - how has the photo been identified as a J Wright?

maxD

[Jennieie]

I read the assignation as being at Crown Hill which is ten minutes walk from Parsons Mead in Croydon so I'd go along with the idea that the letters relate to the 1931/31 time frame.  In your first post you said Wright was in Parsons Mead in 39/45 but the liaison happened in 1931/32 so I think your dates are getting mixed up?

From what you say, Alice had nothing to do with Wright after she married Bond in 1934.  I can envisage the letters remaining in her possession in her box of secrets perhaps.  But how did a picture of Wright taken after 1941 appear? 

Begs the question - how has the photo been identified as a J Wright?

maxD

Hi, apologies, it will be me that is writing wrong dates whilst im flapping and thinking faster than i can type

Yeah, it has been identified as him, my Grandmother once she got to a certain age was given the photos and letters and was told by her mother.... although she always kind of knew anyways. She was treat differently as a child and as an adult.

I don't know how the pictures have got to Alice.....Really no idea.... but i think it's very safe to assume it was when she was remarried.... naughty naughty

[MaxD]

Indeed, Alice must have received the photo after 1941 which rather implies that she and Wright were in contact after she was married to Bond, oh dear.

No more ideas I'm afraid.  Good luck!

maxd