Cpl Edward Barnes 524170 Willesden New Cem, Middx Died "9 Aug 1940" or 25 April 39

[paulmcmillan]

OK this is a mystery - According to the CWGC record of non World War Graves they maintain a grave in Willesden New Cem, to "Corporal Edward Barnes 524170 Middx Died "9 Aug 1940"

He is NOT on CWGC for WW2

Only problem with this is 1940 is WW2 - I suspect the info is wrong or confused

No Edward Barnes died in England in Wales in 1940 of Service Age

There was an RAF Airman Edward Barnes who Died 25 April 1939, Born 1921 Accrington died April 1939 aged 18 Finsbury London - Now Finsbury is not so far from Willesden so I wonder if this is confused - If his service number was 524170 we can prove it?

BTW Air 78 confirms an Edward Barnes 524170


Hobson has - I wonder if he used the same CWGC Source

Edward Barnes
in the UK, World War II Index to Allied Airmen Roll of Honour, 1939-1945

UK, World War II Index to Allied Airmen Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
Detail Source
Name: Edward Barnes
Rank: Corporal
Death Date: 9 Aug 1940
Service Number: 524170
Burial Place: Willesden New Cem, Middx

[Ross_McNeill]

Hi Paul,

Not sure what death index you are using but gro has:

BARNES, EDWARD	24
GRO Reference: 1940 S Quarter in WILLESDEN Volume 03A Page 690

[Ross_McNeill]

Ahh..... freebmd has transcribed his surname as Burnes

I have found the GRO website "search the registers" to usually have the correct details and their search engine allows a more usable woolly search when needed.

Ross

[Lyffe]

Paul

There is a photo of his headstone at https://www.twgpp.org/photograph/view/4089481. The image is too small to read the details, but the information listed alongside records his SN as 524170 and that he died on 9 August 1940. The headstone looks like a standard WW2 memorial.

Edit. I get the impression the grave is located within an area dedicated to WW2 casualties.

Brian

A second edit was to service number, I've corrected it to 524170 having erroneously written 724170 first time round - old age I'm afraid.

[jonheyworth]

Paul

There is a photo of his headstone at https://www.twgpp.org/photograph/view/4089481. The image is too small to read the details, but the information listed alongside records his SN as 724170 and that he died on 9 August 1940. The headstone looks like a standard WW2 memorial.

Edit. I get the impression the grave is located within an area dedicated to WW2 casualties.

Brian

It's a notched corner non war grave. I suspect he was a post discharge death through non service causes but was buried in the war graves plot and the CWGC headstone is for uniformity. I'll see what I can come up with

[jonheyworth]

Edward BARNES 615538 AC2 25/04/39 Found dead in a state of desertion whilst awol

Edward BARNES 514170 nothing at all, post discharge. Death certificate is the only route