Need Help with my search for my Grandfather!

[andrealouisea]

Thanks firstly for taking the time to read this!

I am looking for help in tracing my Paternal Grandfather

My Grandmother lived in Bedford during the WWII and had an affair with a serviceman whilst her husband was stationed overseas - the result was my father who was born in Oct 1943
The serviceman concerned was called Michael Harrison and was stationed at Grange Camp in Kempston Bedford (Grange Camp was a convalescence and holding camp for those going on elsewhere) Michael was a Gunner in the Royal Artillery and would have been born around 1910 (certainly no later than 1915) My uncle who was aged 15 at the time remembers Michael and believes that he had a Scottish accent (I have searched the scottish BMD index and came up with a likely Michael Harrison but it turned out that this guy was a Conscienctious Objector and was inprisoned for the whole of the war)

The only conclusion that I can draw now is that Michael was born elsewhere and moved to Scotland at some point

I have been intouch with the County Library in Bedford and they can offer no help (Grange Camp was run be central government and therefore no records are held locally)
I have also tried to contact the Royal Artillery but they cannot help unless we can prove Kinship (Which we are unable to do as Michaels name is not on my fathers birth cretificate)


Brick wall????......................Hmmmmm.....this one feels around 20ft high!

All ideas are very welcome!

Thanks

Andrea

[scorpio]

The London Gazette mentions one Michael Harrison:-

16/10/1942
Michael Charles Harrison 2nd Lt. RA 49778

I've always taken RA as meaning Royal Artillery, but as far as I can tell, the information surrounding this entry seems to relate to the RAF, so it might be a complete red herring

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk

The only other possible thing I can think of is, do you by any chance have a photograph of him?

Dominic

[andrealouisea]

Thanks for your reply!

I will have a look in to the reference that you have made in your post!

I dont have a photo of him only a reasonable description

I meant to also post that he was not killed in action and does not appear on the CWGC website

thanks

Andrea

[ebelthite]

Hard one to find...

Try other name searches such as 'Mick' 'Mike' or Just M. not all search databases use soundex or know about alt spellings.

Try looking for he's dad, he may have the same name..
Try witness records, he may have been a best man for he's brother or
sister or anyone at a wedding.....

regards

Chris