Genealogy Chat

How do I find out what regiment someone served in?
My father Captain Albert Noel Aspin served in the 2nd WW but I have no idea which regiment, I know he served some time in Italy and he was an army chaplin. Any help would be great thanks. :-D

Doesn't help much:

ROYAL ARMY CHAPLAINS' DEPARTMENT.
The undermentioned are granted emergency
commns. as Chaplns. to the Forces, 4th Cl.: —
5th Feb. 1943: —
Rev. Robert Edward CAPE, M.A. (260316) (P.).
26th Feb. 1943 :—
Rev. Albert Noel ASPIN, M.A. (254169) (C.E.).

From this site:

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35929/supplements/1120/page.pdf

Thanks for that. Very difficult finding any ref to my father as he had no birth cert, he wasn't expected to live when he was born so his father also a vicar christened him straight away!

Surely his birth would have had to have been registered though?

When & where was he born, im only guessing with this birth.

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
about Albert Aspin
Name: Albert Aspin
Mother's Maiden Name: Dickinson
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1915
Registration district: Blackburn
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume: 8e
Page: 682 (click to see others on page)






You could of course obtain his service records, these are not online they are still retained by the MOD and are only available to the person themselves or NOK.

Here is the link to The Veterans Agency to whom the application has to be made.

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/army.html
The link does explain all and you can download the application form from the site

However, there is a cost last i heard it was £30=00 ish , and possibility of a long wait to get them.

George

There is this birth with the correct middle initial:-

Name: ASPIN, Albert N
Registration District: Oldham
County: Lancashire
Year of Registration: 1914
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
Mother's Maiden Name: Medwell
Volume No: 8D
Page No: 1248

Kath. x

Perhaps you try contacting the Army Chaplains museum, you never know they might help you.


http://www.army.mod.uk/chaplains/museum/default.aspx

george

Is this your parent's marriage in Italy:-


Name: ASPIN, Albert N
Place: Catania
Country: Italy
Year: 1944
Page: 349
Spouse's last name: Betty
Record source: GRO Index Army Marriages (1881 to 1955)

Name: BETTY, Joan
Place: Catania
Country: Italy
Year: 1944
Page: 349
Spouse's last name: Aspin
Record source: GRO Index Army Marriages (1881 to 1955)

I would think his marriage certificate may give the regiment he served in.

Kath. x

Do you know your grandparent's names? If the above birth for Albert N. Aspin is correct then this would seem to be his parent's marriage:-

Name: ASPIN, Albert
Registration District: Fylde
County: Lancashire
Year of Registration: 1906
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Spouse's last name: Not available before 1912
Volume No: 8E
Page No: 1562

Also on the same page is Edith Mary Medwell.

Do you know whether or not your grandparents were called Albert and Edith Mary?

Kath. x

Thanks for all the replies, George no sorry wrong mother, but thanks I will try the Vetrans Agency, and the Army Chaplins Museum.
Kathleen that birth record is very interesting as it is correct except for being one year out!! I know he was born in 1913 and he never had a birth cert, when he joined the army he used his Baptism Cert and the only passport he ever had was issued through the army. Makes me wonder if his father realised he was going to live and thought he better register him a year late. I know his life hung in the balance for many months after his birth. I have traced the record of his marriage and my grandparents marriage, but thanks all the same. There was a problem with the marriage cert when he died, some stamp missing to do with marriage abroad and it wasn't legal!! Great for a man who was a vicar, but has caused some amusement over the years.x ;-) ;-)

I can't imagine that his birth would have been registered a whole year after he was born. What makes you so sure he was born in 1913 if you have never had his birth certificate?

People often get the year of birth wrong when they mention it years later - but the actual certificate is usually right. My father's army records say he was born in 1907 (he lied about his age) but he was actually born 1908.

Kath. x

I know he was born in December 1913 although he wasn't due to be born until March 1914. His sister was 6 years older and remembered the events clearly, his baptism is listed as December 1913. He was baptised the day he was born because they didn't think he would live. Every paper I have traced says 1913. Joan x

Joan, can you confirm his parents details?
also the birth that Kath found is still a possible,
some people did register births late and the only way to prove or disprove if this is him is to buy the cert,
also you said that his sister clearly remembers from being a 6 year old in 1913,

My mother clearly remembered her brother death from an accident and it was only after searching for his death for 2 years and then a visit to his grave as i was getting no where that i found out that he died 12 years before my mother was born poor thing was only 7 when he died

Roy