Dudley C OLIVER, deceased

[gladyseva]

Can anyone help my friend with details of her late uncle please.
Dudley C OLIVER, b. Sept 1/4 1930 Battle, Sussex, maiden name JONES.

Believe he is showing at Bexhill on 1939 register with birth year of 1903 (typo?) in index with his father, Charles OLIVER and 2 others blocked (2 sisters, both now deceased).  Mother had died earlier in 1939 (we have her death details) and so does not show on register.

Family story is that he drowned while in the Air Force at the age of 18 - possibly Hastings.

Can't find anything about his life nor his death, can you help please?
thanks, gladyseva

[mirl]

I can't see anything obvious in BMD's.

Have you tried MOD for his service record?
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/overview

[gladyseva]

Thank you
No we can't see any death record either, nor monument inscription.  Thought to be C of E.
We have not yet gone down the military record route, were hoping some local knowledge may be enlightening.
His mum died in March 1939 and at the time was living at 51 Buxton Drive Bexhill, if that helps anyone
Thanks, gladyseva

[ShaunJ]

He died in Scotland. He was swimming off a busy beach at Montrose and got into difficulties. There are several newspaper reports about the incident in July 1949.

" AIRMAN DROWNED AT MONTROSE

A 19-year-old airman AC 2 Dudley Charles Oliver, stationed at 63 M. U. RAF Montrose , was drowned while bathing with other three airmen at Montrose beach ..."

(The Scotsman, 21 July 1949 )

[gladyseva]

Thank you very much for that info. I shall let my friend know tomorrow.  Your help is really appreciated.
Cheers, gladyseva

[gladyseva]

Can you advise a site where we may be able to search for Dudley's death and burial notice?  Looking for further family name clues.  Thanks, gladyseva

[Christine53]

BMD records for Scottish events are only available from ScotlandsPeople :

https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

You need to register in order to use the free search but you will have to buy credits to look at the certificate. I can see the record is there but can't help as I don't have any Scottish ancestry so I don't purchase credits.

I wonder if he would have been taken back home for burial ?

[gladyseva]

Thank you Christine.  We will check out Scotlands People, thanks for confirmation that his death shows there.

 I would have expected some family notice in Bexhill newspaper so fingers crossed some Rootschatter can help out with that too.
Gladyseva

[rosie99]

He died in Scotland. He was swimming off a busy beach at Montrose and got into difficulties. There are several newspaper reports about the incident in July 1949.

Have you looked at the BNA website.  They have some Bexhill newspapers for the 1940's there