Private Norman R. Decker, 32834408

Hello again,

My Dad's first cousin, Catherine Jeetteman, born in Glasgow 1926 married Norman R. Decker in Blackpool, England in the second quarter of 1945.

Norman (born 1923) enlisted 19 Feb 1943 in Buffalo, NY (residence NY). I found his enlistment details through familysearch.org

Catherine unfortunately died the year before I finally traced her residence in Florida. She and Norman had divorced but they had two daughters.

I'm curious what units and service Norman would have seen in Europe and how he came to be in Blackpool in 1945. I know there was U.S. personnel all over the British Isles during the war.

I will, in time, see if there is any service record for Catherine. Catherine left for the States either '46 or '47 and became a naturalised U.S. citizen.

Many thanks for reading my post.
Kind regards, Maria

 

I have found the marriage record for Catherine -

[SIZE=13.5pt]Surname [/SIZE]​

[SIZE=13.5pt]First name(s) [/SIZE]​

[SIZE=13.5pt]Spouse [/SIZE]​

[SIZE=13.5pt]District [/SIZE]​

[SIZE=13.5pt]Vol [/SIZE]​

[SIZE=13.5pt]Page [/SIZE]​

​

[SIZE=13.5pt]Marriages Jun 1945 [/SIZE][SIZE=7.5pt](>99%)[/SIZE]​

​

[SIZE=13.5pt]Decker[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt] Norman R[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt] Jeetteman[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt] Blackpool[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt] 8e[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt]1400[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt][/SIZE] [SIZE=13.5pt][/SIZE]
















[SIZE=13.5pt]Jeetteman[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt] Catherine[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt] Decker[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt] Blackpool[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt] 8e[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt]1400[/SIZE]


[SIZE=13.5pt][/SIZE] [SIZE=13.5pt][/SIZE]


This may give you a clue to where Norman was based, or what his unit was. The certificate can be obtained through the General Register Office for £9.25 by qoting the number 8e 1400.

Regards
judyp

 

Thanks Judy for the info and tip about ordering the certificate direct. I used Ancestry before and they were charging £30 a certificate!

 

Hope this turns up the information you need. Don't give up! It took me two years to find a cousin I didn't even know I had!

Regards
Judy

 

Thanks for the encouragement Judy. I went looking for my family tree a few years back, feel like I found a forest. Have really enjoyed researching the military elements the most. Norman's service unfortunately will be the last military search (well at least until new archives turn up ha ha)

 

Received the marriage certificate today. Norman gave residence as what looks like, 2910 Reinforcement Coy, T--18th Battalion? APO 5511 U.S. Army.

My scan is too big to upload. Will crop and post soon. They married in a Catholic Church St. Paul's in Marton, Blackpool, Lancashire.

Sadly no hints to any service Catherine may have seen. She's listed as a professional skater, which was a surprise.

 

I have found no record of APO 5511. However, there was an APO 551. APO 551 was located at Botesdale, England in 1943. May of 1944 it was moved to Haddon Hill. In Sep 1944 it was moved to Tidworth where it remained until Nov 1945.

 

Thank you for the information. I think it does say 551 on the certificate looking more closely at it. Think I've confused a full stop for a '1'.

I'll go and have a look at these areas in England you've suggested. I must try and get back in contact with my cousins in Florida and see if I can encourage them to request their fathers military record. Unfortunately their email addresses are languishing in an old computer that now blue screens!

Sorry for the delayed response TD, but the sun was actually shining this weekend in Scotland. Been a rare thing this summer and my garden was crying out for some attention. Thanks again.