Genealogy Chat

How do I find records for my ancesters who have moved to live in Australia, and all I know is that he fought for the the Australian Army in the Second World War.
I think he died as a prisoner of war in Maylasia?

Hi Paul

If he died during the war he should be on the www.cwgc.org website. You will probably also find his service records on www.naa.gov.au. Did he marry? Depending on which state he lived, you should be able to find his marriage cert. If you'd like to put his name on here, I'm sure you will get some help!

Cheers,
Richard

Paul,
If you give his name or anyone else connected to him (in Australia) I will have a search for you..

Kelly

Ok his name was William Westrup born March 1910 Cranbrook, Kent. He left England in 1925 from London and arrived in Sydney, Australia.

He had a brother called Philip Ronald Ranger Westrup born 1907, who left England in 1923 from London and arrived in Adelaide, Australia.
I have found his millitary records.

My father has stated that they were both capture either in Burma or Maylasia as POW fighting for the Australian Army. William may have died as a POW, but we are not sure.
Whats confusing me is that I have found Philip RR Westrup but not William Westrup records.

Philip RR Westrups next of kin was a Richard Westrup who was my Grandfather.
If you find any info on him that would be great.

Thank you for offering
Regards

Paul

Hi Paul

Well I don't think that your William was in the Australian forces, as he's not listed on the WW2 Nominal Roll: http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/

Also, there's no death for him on the War Graves site http://www.cwgc.org/ which suggests that he didn't die in the war, serving under any of the Commonwealth forces.

There's no William Westrup on the NSW electoral roll (up to 1936) but there is one in Queensland in 1936, so there's a possibility.

By the way, I found Philip's burial record (in Ceduna, South Australia), in case you don't already have it:

Surname Westrup
Given Names Phillip R R
Cemetery Ceduna
Denomination Church of England
Plot/Grave/Niche R8
Last Residence Ceduna
Date of Burial 1949-10-17
Minister Officiating Rev T Hayman
Burial/Order Number 225

(http://www.ceduna.net/site/page.cfm?c=907)


Cheers
Richard

Oh Paul I think that we may have a connection!!!

Were William's parents Phillip Westrup & Jessie Guest, who married in Benenden 29-Jun-1904? I see also that their son Philip had the middle name Ranger. Well, I have a Philip Ranger Guest marrying Cicely Southon in Benenden on 1-Jan-1908! They had a son Roy Ranger Guest in 1914. On the 1881 census, Philip Ranger Guest was aged 5 & living in Brenchley, and he had a sister Jessie, aged 3. Surely this is the same Jessie who married Phillip Westrup, i.e. your gt-grandmother?

Cicely was my 2nd cousin 3x removed, so not exactly close - but it seems that she was also the sister-in-law to your gt-grandmother Jessie!

Not that this is helping to find your William, but an interesting coincidence nonetheless!

Richard