Missing (Van) Klossers ?

[dickiesam]

Hi VicMar1,
Thank you for the update. I think the drawing of the line under the subject(s) is a wise decision in view of the fact there are living relatives and just googling the Klosser name could reveal info someone perhaps doesn't want to know or be known. It has been an interesting 'journey' though.

[MaryA]

It has been an interesting 'journey' though.

You can say that again.

Thanks for bringing us up to date Vic, loved the story and how lucky that you were visiting India and able to see the records first hand.

I wonder if this helps the recent poster and where do they fit in with the story?

[Bertieone]

It has been an interesting 'journey' though.

You can say that again.

Thanks for bringing us up to date Vic, loved the story and how lucky that you were visiting India and able to see the records first hand.

I wonder if this helps the recent poster and where do they fit in with the story?

Perhaps just an interest, http://ww2talk.com/forums/forum/135-soe-oss/

[VicMar1]

Thanks Bertieone, As MaryA enquired re the new 'poster' it appears from your find that he is a very active and interested party on the activities of the Special Operations Executive itself. Maybe,just maybe he can understand more of the Klossers' activities than I have managed so far ?

[JohnC]

Hello Everyone,
Sorry about the length but I hope you find the information interesting.
My name is John Corfield and I can help with information on the family Klosser and to clear up a few discrepancies.
I am married to Pauline Klosser ( born 1947) daughter of Gerard Klosser brother of Arnie (as he was known) and Kendall. We were married in 1968 in London. He also has a son Adrian aged 69 who lives in North London.
Firstly Gerard never left to live in Germany after the 2nd World War or marry a German lady.
He married Marjorie Joyce Phipps born 29/01/1921 of Scarborough while stationed there during the war.
Marjorie is still alive aged 94 amazingly fit and lives with Pauline and me in Basingstoke Hampshire.
You are right he was in was in the SOE as was Arnie and raised from Corporal to 2nd Lieutenant after being recommended by Arnie (apparently for the section they were to be in would only take serving officers ).
His papers are as correctly said sealed but he told me some of his war time experiences and they were out of a boys comic,
Gerry's last mission was being attached to Italian partisans in Northern Italy in his capacity as a Signals officer and their task was to capture Mussolini for the Allies but missed him by arriving just hours after his execution in a small Northern Italian village.
Gerry (as he like to be called) ruefully said that if he could of helped capture Mussolini he would have made General in the Army.
He was a career soldier who was stationed in Libya, Cyprus, Egypt during the Suez crisis, Malaysia and for 3 years in Singapore and finally Germany his last posting for 3 years always with his family apart from Germany as Pauline and Adrian were attended boarding schools in England and would stay with Natalie at "Craiglands" in Blundellsands during school holidays.
He retired as a Major in 1966.
Like Arnie Gerry was a wanderer and when retired in 1966 joined Racal then Plessey electronics and defence company selling signal equipments firstly in Abu Dhabi then for 9 years in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. our daughters had many holidays with them in both Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur during the summer period.
After he retired he bought a a villa in Alcossebre a small fishing village (then) near Tarragon in Spain and lived there until he died and was buried in 2000 then Marjorie came home to us in Basingstoke.
Much as been said to me about Arnie and I have to be circumspect as I can to what was said but Kendal asked us up to Liverpool just before he went into a care home and told me the family history while he was still quite lucid.
Kendal told me of Arnie's war time exploits especially in Yugoslavia and again they were boys own stuff.
However for whatever reason he left his wife and daughter in the UK to go to Kenya.
His daughters name is Barbara ( voted Miss Brighton I think in 1957) and was at Kendals funeral in 2013. Her likeness to my wife Pauline is marked especially by their Indian heritage (Natalie's Father).
This has carried on through my daughter Julia who is dark skinned as to be seen to be Asian and our granddaughter who though milky coloured skinned has the darkest blue black hair and black luminous eyes that has characterised Klosser women during the 20th c.
However Arnis got into financial trouble and became destitute in Zanzibar and converted to Islam so he could have a funeral paid for and be buried. Kendall said he had visited his grave. I would have loved to known Arnie's Muslim name!
Pauline Gerry's daughter and me and my daughters spent holidays at Craiglands ( my daughters called it "Bleak House" ) such was its dilapidation in the mid 1970's before Kendall sold to move opposite into something smaller but still quite grand in Merrilocks Road before entering the Hollies care home when his dementia worsened.
Pauline never met Arnold but knew her grandmother and Kendall well she had also met Grannie Jesse as she called her but was aware that Natalie was her maternal grandmother.
Natalie was a formidable lady from the Victorian era and one antidote is when sitting in the grandroom of Craiglands she was showing me her family photographs ( she was a trained nurse and matron Kendall told me) we came to her mother standing beside an Indian gentleman, being young and not so nuanced as I am now I exclaimed "oh look he is an Asian!" The photo book was slammed shut and a fierce look given to me that brooked no further discussion that quite make me quake in my shoes.
So I hope things bring more clarity to the history of the family and Pauline has many photographs of them all (bar Arnie ) throughout the last 70 years if anyone is interested.

[MaryA]

Hi and welcome to the forum. What a wonderful amount of information to bring this very popular post up to date. Vic is a regular on this forum and will be along very shortly to reply.

[VicMar1]

Hi John, How wonderful that you have found my thread and I am so thrilled that you have confirmed at least some of my discoveries. The route back to India via Africa has been particularly difficult (and costly) to investigate but has met with some success at least.
I would dearly love to be able to share our combined knowledge at some depth but obviously not here on the forum.
Having read my thread and followed its timeline you will see that I discovered, and suspected, that there were indeed a lot of things along the way best left undisclosed for many personal and practical reasons.
The late 'dickiesam',God rest his Soul,explained it best.

Those following my other thread concerning my Maternal line will know that I was recently contacted by another cousin through these pages and it has been a delight to meet her and exchange stories.

I hope these examples give hope to others who are researching their family histories and remember to stay the course ?
To paraphrase an old Hindu saying "Everything will turn out right in the end,and if it isnt alright, its not yet the end"

[MaryA]

You certainly have been lucky with contacts finding your posts, a fine example to us all to set out our brick wall queries on here, we tend to reach the top of google findings when the name is searched for. Good luck with this new relative, hope you find out more of your elusive answers.

[VicMar1]

It might be stretching it a bit but just been and bought 5 lottery tickets

[MaryA]

Fingers crossed

[klosser1918]

Hi all,

I came across this thread at the weekend when I was at my parents house in Liverpool. I know the thread is old but felt compelled to add to it.

My name is Kevin Jones and I'm proud to say, Arnold Joseph Klosser (Arny) was my grandfather. My mother, Barbara Elsie (Klosser) Jones is his daughter. I found the research that VicMar1 had done fascinating and threw some light on what we had long suspected. Mums' very dark skinned and so were the 'boys' as we affectionately refer to them (Arny, Gerry and Kendall) so finally finding out about Seid made perfect sense to us. Bizarrely, I have always had a lot of Indian friends and now wonder if there was some natural affinity because of my own lineage.. although I didn't inherit the Klosser colour unfortunately!

Kendall was naturally, very protective of the family 'history' and denied the existance of the herritage even though my mother had seen photo's of Seid and asked him about it. The 'boys' had much trouble at school as a result of their skin apparently.

I had the great priveledge at the weekend to handle Arny's Miltary Cross again and much of his army paperwork, including diaries and notebooks. I know VicMar1 contacted my parents some years ago after the death of Kendall Klosser (2013) and wrote to them about this subject but it was unfortunate timing. My mother had just survived major heart surgery ( a true fighter just like her father!) and wasn't very receptive for obvious reasons. They would be delighted to share any information now VicMar1, as there are a few gaps they can fill for you if still interested? It seems we have a very 'interesting' family and certainly understanding more about Arnold and his antics has helped me understand more about myself and some of my own 'traits' that appear to have been passed down! It also helps makes sense of my mothers indominatable will to survive despite suffering several horrendous medical conditions in recent years.

My parents have many of the family photo's and documents having been passed on by Kendall who had taken a great interest in the past about the family geneology, but it is the Military Cross that takes pride of place.

There are hand tinted photo's of Captain Parow, who's neice was mother to Joseph Klosser. Joseph married Natalie Newman who gave birth to the three Klosser 'boys'. Parow donated land in Cape Town to build the train station there and a district is named in his honour! He even has his own Wikepedia entry. As I said, a very 'interesting' family indeed!

As for Arny's Muslim name, it was Abdullah and it is the name on his death certificate.

Kendall kept many of the newspaper clippings from the war years that mention some of Arny's exploits. Some even go as far as to suggest his actions may have changed the course of the war in the Med! A far cry from the young 'lad' that broke into the principles office to steal exam papers!! Having said that, it was probably the military honing of his young 'erant' ways that gave him the fearless ability to succeed under such difficult wartime circumstances.

My family are attempting to get the war records for Arnold opened, so will keep you posted with any outcome. I'm sure it will make fascinating reading if the MOD release them.

Many thanks to VicMar1 for his tireless research of the Klosser's in the past that has helped fill in the gaps of a few long held questions regarding our lineage. My parents would love to meet you and I'm sure will be in touch soon.

All the best!

[MaryA]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

We well remember this post and the research that resulted in a fascinating story unfolding and are so pleased that you are able to add to it. I know Vic will be pleased to have some gaps filled in and will come along shortly and reply to your post.

[VicMar1]

Hi Kevin, I am delighted you found my thread. Absolutely astounded !.
As you may guess that since the last posting I have discovered far more than is within those few recollections that I began this search with. Needless to say I would really welcome your direct contact ?
Of course I would love to meet your family and share what 'we think' we know between us.
V

[lynne99]

Oh, I love a happy ending.... or at least restart.

[Katie]

A couple of entries in my WW2 Picture database for the Evening Express.

Captain A.J. Klosser Sandfield Park 23rd-May-45
First Radio Officer K.K. Klosser 25th-Jan-44

[VicMar1]

Hi Katie,
Thats interesting ? Are they photos you refer to or just text references ?

[Katie]

Pictures. Vic

[VicMar1]

Thanks Kate, will have a look for them.

[BarbaraW]

What a fascinating tale that was to read!!!