Home town of Sgt W G Yorke 1802298

[Tim Homewood]

Are there public records which will tell you the home town of a member of the RAF?

I'm researching the crew who flew with my uncle and have managed to place all but one crew member, Sgt William George Yorke from No. 630 Squadron. I've checked the CWGC entry but there are no personal details.

I've looked through a few family history sites for men of that name born between 1905 and 1925 to allow for the possibility he may have lied about his age. Was there an upper age limit for air crew?

Sgt Yorke was the Flight Engineer on JB294 when it was shot down over Germany 21 January 1944.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tim

[Alan Clark]

His service number (1802298) was one which was allocated to the Euston Recruit Centre from December 1941. He probably enlisted there during early 1942. Looking at England & Wales births the only one which makes any sense is a William George Yorke born in the June quarter of 1910 in Kingston, SW London. Births in 1910 were the last ones where the mother's maiden name wasn't recorded on the GRO index, but you'll be able to get some information about his family from the 1911 census.

[Tim Homewood]

Thanks (yet again) for your help Alan.

I have come across that WG Yorke already and if various family trees on the genealogy websites are to be believed he happily lived to a respectable old age.

As you say there aren't any others that make sense, age-wise.

I'm going to start looking through the many Williams and Georges to see if he comes up under one of those names.

Would Euston definitely indicate he's from the Greater London area or could someone wander in to Euston if they happen to be passing, but could be from anywhere?

Tim

[dp_burke]

There is a family tree on ancestry.com which has his date of birth as 1923. Its a private tree however so thats all I can read for now.

i will send the owner a message to read this thread.

[Alan Clark]

If he was born in 1923 he wasn't born in England or Wales, the only William G Yorke registrations were in 1910 and 1926. There are also no registrations of William G Yorke in Scotland or the Isle of Man. Overseas birth?

[dp_burke]

its actually your own tree Tim that is showing up the 1923 birth? I thought it was a glitch in my looking it up on my smartphone. When searching specifically for a man of that name born in 1923 it directs one to the tree Tim has prepared but he currently has it as the 1910 birth.

I can't understand why this return in showing up in ancestry.com!

There is a 1926 William G Yorke born in Durham, South Shields.

Does the service file for the RCAF man M S Marks contain one of those signals containing all the crews next of kin or at least address? If you got only a genie package it might not be in there, worth getting a person to check hands on.

[Tim Homewood]

Thanks Alan and Dennis, unfortunately my replies don't seem to be getting through the moderation process. Hopefully this one makes it.

I don't have access to the service records for Marks (RCAF) or my uncle (Homewood) but have requested both. I expect them in 3-6 months.

Yorke does seem to be a mystery man.