My Dad involved in pacific A bomb testing

[gf27]

Hi all.
Some help please. My Father, Alfred Fletcher, was born in Liverpool in 1925 and joined the royal navy at the age of sixteen. I believe he saw action in WW2 aboard his ship. He left the navy after the war but re-joined a few years latter. He was then involved in the atom bomb testing in the Pacific.
I would like to know if there would be any records of his service in either, or both tours of duty. I last saw Alfred in 1955 in West London and shortly after, I went to live with my Mum after their divorce. Alfred was never mentioned again. So I am pretty much in the dark about Alfred's exploits. The only thing I can say is that when I spoke to my late Sister a few years ago, she said that had been disciplined and demoted during WW2. She told me that while Alfred was pulling a German sailor on board his ship from out of the water, the German spat in his face, so Alfred promptly threw him back overboard again, understandable but probably not the best coarse of action.
She also told me that Alfred had Died in the 80s of multiple cancers. She thought that the A bomb testing may have contributed to his death. I will never know
Any help in filling in the blank bits about my fathers Navel history would be great. Thank you. Gareth.

[dickiesam]

Hi Gareth,
I think you should start by finding Alfred's death certificate if possible. There might be clues there as to previous occupation [after leaving the Navy], whether he remarried and to whom [occupation on marriage cert], etc.

If your late sister was right about the decade he died there aren't that many deaths...
FLETCHER, ALFRED - bn 1926 - dd 1983 - Hereford, Herefordshire
FLETCHER, ALFRED - bn 1926 - dd 1987 - Manchester, Lancashire
FLETCHER ALFRED - bn 1925 - dd 1989 - Enfield, Middlesex

If you have his birth certificate it might give a birth date match for the Enfield one.
Death: ALFRED FLETCHER
Birth date: 21 July 1925
Death year/qtr: 1989 / Jun
District: ENFIELD; Register number: 589; County: Middlesex
Volume: 12; Page: 278

Births Sep qtr 1925: Fletcher, Alfred [Johnston] - Liverpool 8b 187

[MaryA]

I believe that, as for the Army Records, you will need to apply to the Navy for them, they won't be made available online for many years. You will probably also need to provide evidence of his death, so I would suggest that Dickiesam's suggestion is the best route to begin. You could also check the National Archives to see if there is anything mentioned.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/reco ... ecords.htm

[dickiesam]

There might be clues there as to previous occupation [after leaving the Navy], whether he remarried and to whom [occupation on marriage cert], etc.

A further thought... If Alfred did remarry there could be children who have knowledge of what he actually did in the RN.

Worth a read: http://www.ctbto.org/nuclear-testing/th ... programme/

[dickiesam]

I believe that, as for the Army Records, you will need to apply to the Navy for them, they won't be made available online for many years. You will probably also need to provide evidence of his death, so I would suggest that Dickiesam's suggestion is the best route to begin. You could also check the National Archives to see if there is anything mentioned.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/reco ... ecords.htm

Apply for service records here but you will need his birth and death certificates and a cheque for £30.
http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org ... s_page.htm

[gf27]

Thanks DS and Mary A.
DS you were correct about the Enfield Alfred Fletcher death and yes he was born Liverpool 1925.
Alfred's occupation on death cert states, arc electroplater. Cause of death,
Calcinomatosis, sorry copied that the best I could, any medical members out there? Informant was his stepson Michael, my stepbrother. Michael is no longer
with us, he died a number of years ago.
On my Sisters birth cert, to be technically correct she is my half Sister, it states Alfred Fletchers occupation as, journeyman electroplater. The date registered was 2nd February 1959??? So it looks as if he wasn't in the RN at that date, unless it was a trade in the navy So if he was involved in the Navy during The A bomb testing it would have been after the Feb 59 date.
Thanks for the links DS, Interesting. It looks if I might have to spend some more cash, again.
Any other Children who might know something. My half Sister had two daughters after her Marriage - names removed as they may be living people - MA. I spoke to them briefly a couple of Boxing days ago when one of them told me my half sister had died. They have not kept in touch, so how do I contact them? Before this post I was looking at some Photos that my Sis had sent me of her and on the back of one of them it says " with my first Grandchild".
My God, that makes me feel old
Sorry to have gone on a bit.
Thank you for your interest. Gareth.

Ps. Ds o n the last bit of your post re the prostrate, me thinks I should get my GP to don his rubber gloves

[dickiesam]

Your sister was right about cause of Alfred's death.
Carcinomatosis is described as a condition in which multiple carcinomas develop simultaneously, usually after dissemination from a primary source.
See: http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/carcinomatosis

I understand it is a common condition associated with neglected cancer of the prostate.

[gf27]

Thanks DS.
I am sure you know there is a shortage of medical staff in the UK, Get your CV off today.
On a serious note , I barely new my Father, just fleeting memories, I was only a child. The one regret is that I could have met him in my latter years. After a fall out with my natural mother,I asked my Grandmother what had become of my Father Alfred. I was told that he died of cancer a few years previously. I was livid, surely my Mother could have informed me that he was seriously ill, I was only a couple of hours away. My Mother will still not talk about Alf, maybe he was a bad lot. Sorry this is sounding like my life story.
On a lighter note I can remember my Dad and Step mum looking at his medals,
I seem to remember six. Oh where are they now?
Will get on to the RN records in the new year. What will they tell me? I was told some time ago that sailors were handed their records when they left the service, is that true?

Thanks for your efforts on this one. Gareth

[dickiesam]

Will get on to the RN records in the new year. What will they tell me? I was told some time ago that sailors were handed their records when they left the service, is that true?

Re those RN records... they could take up to 6 months to be sent out to you. My own Army records took just under that.

As to what is in them, probably when and where Alfred enlisted, when and where [on what ship] he served and at what trade and rank. Notes of any promotions, demotions, disciplinary actions deemed serious enough to go on his record, etc.

I have never heard of RN personnel being given their 'records' when they left the service but I do know I was given an Army Form W5258 Record of Service Card and my 'cancelled' Army Pay Book when I was demobbed.

PM sent.

[MaryA]

I have messaged Gareth with some suggestions for contact details.

He might also want to try some of the suggestions in this post.
http://forum.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk ... =14&t=8154

I would suggest speaking with a couple of similar names on Facebook perhaps just to discount them if nothing else.

[dickiesam]

I have messaged Gareth with some suggestions for contact details.

Me too!

[MaryA]

Great minds

[gf27]

Thanks both.
Mary A and DS you have gone beyond the call of duty, great work
If cant get a result now it wont be for the want of trying.
Take care. Gareth.