re new user, help

[cpsmith]

I'm trying to use this forum to find my grandfarthers grave. I have his army number, name and date of death. He was in the Manchester Regiment and possibly a Burma vet. Does anybody know if there is somewhere on or off line that can provide this info. Thanks for an interesting site, hope I've posted this in the right place.

[The Colonel]

Hi cpsmith, and welcome to the forum.  If you post the details you have of your grandfather, we will be able to see whether there is any further information available on him, and possibly a grave photo might be found for you.


The Colonel.

[cpsmith]

Name : Charles Alexander Mc Dowell
Army Number : 3520648
Manchester Regiment
Born : 1906
Died : 28 September 1960
         Aged 54, at Withington Hospital Manchester of Heart Attack
His wife maintained some contact with the Burma (Vets) Star people so he may have served in Burma.
I can remember him in a regimental sporting context possible boxing.
I am tring to find his grave which I think is in manchester somwhere.
With thanks Carl.

[The Colonel]

Hi cpsmith, I have checked my copy of the national burial register,(2nd edition) but sadly your Charles A McDowell is not listed.

However, Manchester City Council do have a burial record database, which is searchable online. Unfortunately at the moment the database is off line as they are updating it. Here is the link to the Manchester City Council.

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=448&documentID=462&pageNumber=5

May I suggest that you email them and ask if they can do a search of their database for the burial details of Charles A McDowell for you. If you know where Charles resided at the time of his death, please add that information when you request the look-up, as it will help narrow down the search.

Your grandfathers military records should be available from the Army Records Centre, Glasgow. Their address and details are here http://www.army.mod.uk/contacts/divisions/records.htm

Hope this helps.
The Colonel

[cpsmith]

The assistance you have provided has enabled me to locate the final resting place of my grandfarther. Manchester city council put me in touch with Southern Cemetry who have furnished the details. For others embarking on a similar quest I can recomend Manchester city council and Southern Cemetry staff for their assistance and helpfull attitude.
Thanks again for all your help.
Best wishes Carl.

[Wendi]

That's lovely news Carl.  Will you be able to visit the grave?

Wendi 

[cpsmith]

Hi Wendi, The reason this became pressing was because of my grandmothers faltering health ( 102 ~ 103 ) and my grandmothers desire to reunite herself with my grandfarther. So the answere is yes the family will be assembling at the graveside to celebrate both their lives and reunite the two of them. ( Yes we will be contacting the council first concerning the scatering of ashes. )
I suspect as with most families the information we have about members who passed away early in life, has been obtained from their remaining spouse and of course grave details do not crop up when chatting about happy times. Now of course my grandmothers memory is hazy and asking such details could be distressing. However thanks to this site we can now make our arrangements without upsetting her. Many thanks Carl.

[Wendi]

What a lovely thought Carl.

The internet has certainly made the world a smaller place, I almost wish we had thought about that for my grandmother, who lost her much loved brother in WW1. 

He is buried in France.  She never visited his grave, but I'm sure (if we had thought about it!! ) she also would have like to be "reunited with him". 

Sadly in those days, no internet, it never even occurred to us.

I'm so glad that you have now located his grave.  Best wishes

Wendi