Sgt Bill Tierney MM - Post War Years

[cwt1382]

I am looking for my grandfather, who went by Billy Tierney. I have a medal of his that shows his service number being 4126008 and also reads A/CPL A.W.TIERNEY CHES R. He served during the second World War and was last seen in London around 1960, where he was driving a taxi. I cannot find any information on his whereabouts after 1960. I am in the United States and have faced many challenges in trying to find more information. If anyone has any information, or can help, it is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Chris Tierney

[ap1]

Hi Chris,

In the off chance that he is still alive,have you tried www.192.com

If you suspect he has already died, you could apply for his service record from the MOD?

[cwt1382]

Thank you. I have not yet tried 192.com, but will do so. I doubt if he is still alive, so I will look into applying for his service record. I have had his medals for years and just discovered the engraving on one of them. The engraving with his service number should help my search. Thanks again!

Chris

[jungle1810]

Hello,
I knew a Bill Tierney in Jamaica he was awarded the M.M. whilst serving with the Cheshires. He also used to box a little. His wife(Margaret) and two children were lost in an aeroplane crash off Newfoundland, on February the 2nd 1953 (Skyways) The Children were listed as A 3 year old boy Colin and a young baby named Trevor.This was in the early days of air trooping As listed in the Regimental History volume six 1945 to 1969 by Gen Riley D.S.O. I do not know if we are relating to the same person????
Regards "Don"

[ap1]

I have had his medals for years and just discovered the engraving on one of them. The engraving with his service number should help my search. Thanks again!

You need to visit the veterans website at the link below, and print off a SARS Form, you then fill it in and send it off with a cheque for £35(double check that). The turnaround time is about 6 months, but the wait will be worth it, and it should answer some of your questions.

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_...e_records.html

Can you tell us what medals you have?

[cwt1382]

Don,

That is my grandfather. My father was born in 1954 in Swindon, England. He must have met my grandmother shortly after his first family was killed in the plane crash. My grandmother told me that he had another family who had been lost in a plane crash. I actually have pictures of him and his first wife from old photos my grandmother had of him.

The medal I have is the Military Medal For Bravery in the Field 1939-1945. He was stationed in Jamaica when he met my grandmother (I believe). My grandmother was from British Honduras (Belize) and her name was Kathleen Iris Biddle. Do you have any information on his whereabouts after Jamaica?

Chris

[ap1]

Well remembered Don, and a sombre reminder of a terrible event that happened within the 1st Bn, 55yrs ago this week.

Chris, Looking at Regimental Records, one slight correction to Don's post. As Don say's your grandfather's first wife was called Margaret, however they had 2 children, a 3yr old girl called Linda and and a baby boy called Dale. All 3 perished on the plane crash.

Contained with regimental Records is a poignant picture of your grandfather assisting families to get onto a Skyways flight leaving Bermuda. The picture caption goes onto state that Cpl Tierney's family were on the next flight.

He is also listed as a member of Anti Tank Platoon as a Sgt in 1954.

You can obtain a copy of Regimental Records of the Royal Welch Fusiliers Vol 6 online. The IBSN is 09525408 8 6

[cwt1382]

I really appreciate all of your information. What site must I visit to order the book? I am interested in purchasing a copy. Hopefully they ship to the United States.

I have the following medals of my grandfather's (I did some research and found online. I hope I have them correct):

The Military Medal "For Bravery in the Field" 1939-1945
The 1939-1945 British campaign Star
The Africa Star
The WWII Italy Star
The WWII France and Germany Star
The WWII Defence Medal
The 1939-1945 War Service Medal
There is one more medal with the same ribbon as the "France and Germany Star" but just has 1939-1945 on the back. I assume it is for service between 1939 and 1945 in France in Germany.

A Royal Welch Fusiliers "Cap Badge" or clip ???

A Royal Welch Fusiliers Patch

[cwt1382]

I forgot to mention...

I found a few photographs with his badges. One of them is a picture of passengers boarding an airplane with a "Skyways" decal on the side of it. I'm curious as to if it is a photo of the plane that was lost before it took off. There is no date on the picture.

[ap1]

We would love to have the family photos on our gallery, especially as it covers a very traumatic incident in the modern history of the RWF. If you are happy to do that, you can either email them to me, or upload them yourself.

If possible it would also be nice to have a picture of the medal group, with the inclusion of the military medal they are quite valuable, Richard may give you a better idea about the medals, and what they all relate too.

Do you know how old your Grandfather would be today, assuming he is still alive? If not Don may be able to estimate his age, based on his knowledge of him in the 1950@s.

In reference to the availability of Volume 6 of the Regi Records. It can be purchased via the RWF Museum. It is advertised as being sold as a package with Volume 7. You do not require Vol 7, so I suggest an emai to them to clarify that. Pse mention the RWF Forum......We need all the publicity we can get

http://www.rwfmuseum.org.uk/pu.html

Good luck