A while ago I wrote about my step first cousin once removed (the son of the husband of an aunt of my father) regarding my genealogy research. And how I needed a photo of him and more information as well.
That was some time ago and in the mean time my family book appeared. With his story and his photo. I was able to contact a cousin of my father's, who happens to be his half brother and in fact, has the same name.
His information about his elder half brother was very limited. His half sister was not willing to talk about it any more and the little information they had was wrong really. When I told him what I was doing, he was however willing to let me have a photo of his half brother, that I could use as I saw fit.
But before the story appeared in the book, I had to find out more and I did. Not much above what I already knew, but having a photo to put next to the person on paper was really nice.
During the past weekend it was Remembrance Day (Saturday, May 4th) and Liberation Day (Sunday, May 5th). And while watching the Remembrance service from Amsterdam, the face of this nearly forgotten person popped up in my head. He never saw any liberation, he died in a Japanese Prisoner of War camp in Burma, as far away from home as he could possibly be.
To remember him: Jan (1916-1943).
Strange that the half sister didn't want to talk, maybe he had a skeleton in his cabinet !
ReplyDeleteHari om
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing what you have of this fine young fellow. Remembered ... YAM xx
I think he looks so dapper in his outfit. This photo was taken before he left for the Dutch East Indies back in the late thirties. I have a few more things to solve about him, so may come back at some future date with more information.
DeleteIt's good to know that you continue to do what you do so well.
ReplyDeleteDad is very into this ancestry research. He's found quite a few of them mostly from Finland, and Cornwall. Then there's the part of the family who moved to the US midwest in the late 1800s. Every time Oma visits, Dad asks her a few questions about her family history. He's getting more info bit by bit.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could ask my grandparents, but they have all passed away.
DeleteHe sound like one great dude. Good luck in your search.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
Thank you. I will keep trying to find out more.
DeleteThe heritage road can be filled with potholes for sure. My husband's family has a whole bunch of half cousins that go by the name of Adds after the father ran off with the mom's sister. I know, potholes.
ReplyDeleteHaven't found any of that in my family as far as I know. Mind you, I can only access birth files until 1919, the rest I have to get out of newspaper announcements.
DeleteVery interesting. I wonder why the sister wouldn't talk about him. Maybe the way he died was too painful for her. Thanks for the update.
ReplyDelete