Tansi All: My good friend, Barb Miller, told me about this list and the wonderful group of people on it. She urged me to sign on and here I am. I, too, am a Metis person from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan with ancestral roots reaching back to Orkney (Twatt, Bremner lines). I, too, am eager to make contact with any present-day Orcadians who have or know of those who have Metis blood. Why? Well the more I read about Canadian (and Orcadian) history, the more I realize how much of it was built on the blood, sweat and tears of both the Orcadian people and on the backs of the Metis people. And yet, for some reason, the history books and the television documentaries never seem to give either the Orcadians or the Metis their rightful due. I feel a real draw toward the people of Orkney and I would like to visit there one day. Thank you in advance, Sincerely, Bob Rock Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

Hi Bill: I too have ancestors from Orkney Islands. My ancester James Sheare Hunter ( Huntow) came from Orkney to run the Hunter's Lodge in Kipawa Area, Quebec for the HBC. He married twice to native women. Diana ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Irvine" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, May 27, 2005 5:35 AM Subject: Re: [Orkney] Re: Greetings from Saskatchewan, Canada > Welcome to orkneyrootsweb, Barb > look at http://lg.gov.mb.ca/initiatives/stjohn.html > i'm sure you'll find much of interest in winnipeg > bill > CYYJ > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: barb miller <[email protected]> > Date: Thursday, May 26, 2005 9:10 am > Subject: [Orkney] Re: Greetings from Saskatchewan, Canada > >> Greetings Orcadians and non-Orcadians alike: >> >> I am a Metis person from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan with >> ancestral roots reaching back to Orkney. >> >> I am eager to make contact with any present-day Orcadians who have >> or know of those who have Metis blood (a mixture of Orcadian and >> Canadian Indian blood--stemming back to the Hudson's Bay Company >> fur trade times) flowing through their veins. >> >> Thank you in advance, >> Sincerely, >> Barbara Miller >> >> >> ==== ORKNEY Mailing List ==== >> >>>>TIP: When when posting your research interests, include the >> surnames in your subject line - this will improve our list archive >> and assist future researchers.<<<< >> >> ============================== >> Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. >> New content added every business day. Learn more: >> http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx >> >> > > > ==== ORKNEY Mailing List ==== >>>>>TIP: To unsubscribe, send an e-mail message to: >>>>>[email protected] In the body include only one word: >>>>>unsubscribe > Use Orkney-D if you're receiving digests.<<<< > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > >

Welcome to orkneyrootsweb, Barb look at http://lg.gov.mb.ca/initiatives/stjohn.html i'm sure you'll find much of interest in winnipeg bill CYYJ ----- Original Message ----- From: barb miller <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, May 26, 2005 9:10 am Subject: [Orkney] Re: Greetings from Saskatchewan, Canada > Greetings Orcadians and non-Orcadians alike: > > I am a Metis person from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan with > ancestral roots reaching back to Orkney. > > I am eager to make contact with any present-day Orcadians who have > or know of those who have Metis blood (a mixture of Orcadian and > Canadian Indian blood--stemming back to the Hudson's Bay Company > fur trade times) flowing through their veins. > > Thank you in advance, > Sincerely, > Barbara Miller > > > ==== ORKNEY Mailing List ==== > >>>>TIP: When when posting your research interests, include the > surnames in your subject line - this will improve our list archive > and assist future researchers.<<<< > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. > New content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx > >

Greetings Orcadians and non-Orcadians alike: I am a Metis person from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan with ancestral roots reaching back to Orkney. I am eager to make contact with any present-day Orcadians who have or know of those who have Metis blood (a mixture of Orcadian and Canadian Indian blood--stemming back to the Hudson's Bay Company fur trade times) flowing through their veins. Thank you in advance, Sincerely, Barbara Miller

from a Metis person on Vancouver Island with ancestral roots reaching back to Orkney through the Hudson's Bay Company Workers fur trading times - and before the HBC or NWC arrival. ----------------- Dennice Goudie List Administrator of many lists on Rootsweb Brulé, Poirier, McFadden, Stephens, Michelsen, French, Brooks, Brown, Goudie, Vautrin pioneer families of British Columbia and their 'country wives' http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~goudied/index.html Most Recent Family Tree database online (10,000+ individuals) http://www.gencircles.com/users/goudie_d/1 http://www.gencircles.com/users/goudie_d/2/ << Fotheringhame - V7 - 669 Unless specifically stated otherwise in this message, there is no intentional attachment on this e-mail transmission. ----- Original Message ----- From: "barb miller" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2005 9:10 AM Subject: [Orkney] Re: Greetings from Saskatchewan, Canada > Greetings Orcadians and non-Orcadians alike: > > I am a Metis person from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan with ancestral roots reaching back to Orkney. > > I am eager to make contact with any present-day Orcadians who have or know of those who have Metis blood (a mixture of Orcadian and Canadian Indian blood--stemming back to the Hudson's Bay Company fur trade times) flowing through their veins. > > Thank you in advance, > Sincerely, > Barbara Miller

Once again, I want to thank everyone who gave me help with my search for George Herbert Abbott who died May 1, 1944. I was amazed with the number of replies and suggestions that I received. Following up on one suggestion, I have another question for the list - might anyone be planning a visit to St. Olaf's Cemetery in Kirkwall? If so, would it be possible to copy the inscription from George Abbott's grave? He is located at Plot 33, Grave 10. This might help to track down his record of death. Many thanks for all your help, Elizabeth B.C. Canada

Would SKS know if there was any way that the pronunciation of HOUSTON could ever be misheard or misconstrued by someone hearing this surname said out loud, as sounding like "HOGSTON" (in reference to clerks or ministers that notated BMDs in the 19th-century OPRs in particular)... I have transcripts from statutory death registers, dated 1887 and 1897, that list a woman's maiden surname as "HOUSTON"... and yet her 1835 marriage entry in the Old Parish Register distinctly has her surname as "HOGSTON". I guess what I am asking, and it is a long shot, is: how does one pronounce "Hogston" in Caithness (from whence this woman came)... is it "Hog-ston", rhyming with "Fog- etc." ? Or could Hogston in some way sound like "Houston"? Thank you! - Lisa

The GRO in London has "Special Registers of Birth Deaths & Marriages". These are mostly for events concerning British citizens that occurred overseas. Included among them are Death Registers for the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force in the two World Wars. Many overseas reference libraries and Genealogical Societies with a strong interest in British research will hold copies of these indexes on microfiche. I'd be surprised if there aren't a copies in Toronto at least. Regards David Armstrong Maylands, Western Australia Researching Stewart, Baikie, Heddle, Malcomson, Stout, Gray, Cromarty, Oman, Anderson, Sutherland ----- Original Message ----- From: elizabeth Abbott To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2005 11:53 PM Subject: [Orkney] George Herbert Abbott - WWII Now if I may push my luck, I have one more question: does anyone know if I can get specific information about George Abbott's death. I have searched the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website which gives the basics such as name, rank, etc. but there is nothing there about how he died. I have googled his name in various combinations, but no luck with this.

Elizabeth, I've just had a look at the CWGC for your GH Abbott and noticed that on the Cemetery Details for St. Olaf's cemetery that another man from HMS Tern died on that same date. Alec Stewart BOAR - http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/cemetery_reports.aspx?cemetery=74566&mode=1 9th entry down. Might be a clue. They were so young - 19 and 20 years old. -- Mike Clouston

elizabeth Abbott wrote: > Hi Archie, > > I will now return to the CWGC website and see if I missed additional > information concerning enemy raids in connection with George's death. > For a starting point, I felt the site was very helpful since it gave > me his nationality, rank, regiment, unit text, age, date of death, > service #, parents' names, grave & plot numbers. On another page it > also said "Remembered with Honour - Kirkwall (St. Olaf's) Cemetery." > I printed off 3 pages from their website. > > I was hoping to find some local reference - maybe an old newpaper > article etc. - about casualties on the date of his death which was > May 1, 1944. > > I have a photo of this very handsome young man in uniform pushing me > in my baby carriage (1941) when we lived in Montreal. I'm not sure > why he was in Canada - perhaps he was on leave, but my Mom told me he > used help her by standing in line for our rations. > > Thanks for all your help. > > Elizabeth Elizabeth, It's possible that your cousin didn't die as the direct result of enemy action. Assuming him to have been aircrew, his plane could have crashed on landing or take-off or for any number of other reasons. He may have been involved in an accident on the ground while moving aircraft - the possibilities are endless. If he was on active service then he would have been 'entitled' to a War Grave. If he died in Orkney then the County Archives might be able to help, but a lot of that sort of information didn't make it into the local paper because of censorship during the war, or being blunt, because there was no immediate Orkney connection. I wish you well with your search and would love to hear the outcome. -- Mike Clouston

Thanks Mike - everyone has been so helpful. When I get my answer, I'll post to the list. Elizabeth ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Clouston" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 12:33 PM Subject: Re: [Orkney] George Herbert Abbott - WWII > elizabeth Abbott wrote: > > Hi Archie, > > > > I will now return to the CWGC website and see if I missed additional > > information concerning enemy raids in connection with George's death. > > For a starting point, I felt the site was very helpful since it gave > > me his nationality, rank, regiment, unit text, age, date of death, > > service #, parents' names, grave & plot numbers. On another page it > > also said "Remembered with Honour - Kirkwall (St. Olaf's) Cemetery." > > I printed off 3 pages from their website. > > > > I was hoping to find some local reference - maybe an old newpaper > > article etc. - about casualties on the date of his death which was > > May 1, 1944. > > > > I have a photo of this very handsome young man in uniform pushing me > > in my baby carriage (1941) when we lived in Montreal. I'm not sure > > why he was in Canada - perhaps he was on leave, but my Mom told me he > > used help her by standing in line for our rations. > > > > Thanks for all your help. > > > > Elizabeth > > Elizabeth, > It's possible that your cousin didn't die as the direct result of enemy > action. > Assuming him to have been aircrew, his plane could have crashed on > landing or take-off or for any number of other reasons. > He may have been involved in an accident on the ground while moving > aircraft - the possibilities are endless. If he was on active service > then he would have been 'entitled' to a War Grave. > If he died in Orkney then the County Archives might be able to help, but > a lot of that sort of information didn't make it into the local paper > because of censorship during the war, or being blunt, because there was > no immediate Orkney connection. > I wish you well with your search and would love to hear the outcome. > -- > Mike Clouston > > > ==== ORKNEY Mailing List ==== > >>>> Orkney list now has 329 subscribers <<<<< > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > >

Elizabeth, I do not think I can add to the info. that you have received from others, but coincidentally, just last month I attended the funeral of my mother's cousin aged 96. She was a nursing Sister and was stationed in Orkney in 1944 with the Fleet Air Arm. after having been on HMHS Vasnia for 18 months I have just got hold of some of her photos to copy and one is with her doctor and staff in front of the wooden huts which was the hospital. Maybe Mike or others could tell me where that was. My oldest brother was in Scapa at that time on HMS Indomitable, a carrier, and he came under enemy fire at that time, so it quite likely that your relative was shot down. If you have his service number or some details you may be able to get his record which would give more info. I am surprised that you got so little info from the CWGC as I researched another cousin of my Mother's who was shot down in Germany, and I got detailed info as to where he was buried and also detail of the raid in which he was participating when his Lancaster bomber was hit. Is it posible that his body was taken by the family to be buried at home and therefore the CWGC have no responsibility ? Archie Gilbert, Kinross. ----- Original Message ----- From: "elizabeth Abbott" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2005 4:53 PM Subject: [Orkney] George Herbert Abbott - WWII > I'd like to thank everyone for your replies and suggested websites regarding Scapa Flow and H.M.S. Tern during the war. It was a big help and I appreciate the wonderful response I received. Now I have a much better understanding of the situation. > > Now if I may push my luck, I have one more question: does anyone know if I can get specific information about George Abbott's death. I have searched the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website which gives the basics such as name, rank, etc. but there is nothing there about how he died. I have googled his name in various combinations, but no luck with this. > > I'm going on hearsay that his plane was shot down so I would like to confirm. > > Is there any place in Orkney that might have more detailed records? > > Thank you, > > ELizabeth > > > ==== ORKNEY Mailing List ==== > >>>>TIP: To unsubscribe, send an e-mail message to: [email protected] In the body include only one word: unsubscribe > Use Orkney-D if you're receiving digests.<<<< > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > >

Elizabeth- You might already know about the site : [email protected] Very bright resourceful people there who know answers to questions like yours. I think they may be able to help you. cheers Thompson ----- Original Message ----- From: "elizabeth Abbott" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2005 1:26 AM Subject: [Orkney] George Herbert Abbott - WWII > I'm writing from British Columbia, Canada, and wonder if anyone could give > me a bit of background information about Scapa Flow during World War II. > > My 1st cousin (once removed) was George Herbert Abbott, from Glasgow, who > served in the War. From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, I > have discovered that he was a Petty Officer Airman with the Royal Navy, > Unit Text was H.M.S. Tern. He is buried in Kirkwall (St. Olaf's) Cemetery > having died May 1, 1944 at the age of 20. > > My question is: can anyone give me some background about the war action > in Orkney for that time frame. I seem to recall my mother telling me that > George was shot down over Scapa Flow, and yet the record shows he was with > the Royal Navy. Would they have flown aircraft from aboard ships? I am > puzzled about his rank as a Petty Officer Airman in the Navy. And does > anyone know anything about the H.M.S. Tern? > > Also I'm not familiar with the term "Unit Text" - could anyone clarify? > > Anything that might help put further light on his action and death during > the War would be so helpful. > > Thank you, > > Elizabeth > > > ==== ORKNEY Mailing List ==== >>>>>TIP: To search the archives of this list go to >>>>>http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?list=ORKNEY on >>>>>the next page enter your search word(s) and select the year click the >>>>>submit query button<<<< > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. > New content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.322 / Virus Database: 266.11.14 - Release Date: 5/20/2005 > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.322 / Virus Database: 266.11.14 - Release Date: 5/20/2005

Elizabeth Try Google & search for >>. -- HMS Tern - it was a Royal Navy aerodrome at Twatt, on Mainland, Orkney, used by the RN Fleet Air Arm , first commissioned on 1st April 1941. -- RN Fleet Air Arm -- Scapa Flow - was the base for the RN Home Fleet in WW II and its norther shore is Mainland -- Churchill Barriers Related maps can be found at >> < http://www.multimap.com/ > Unit Text - broadly indicates assignment to a fighting unit - naval ship, air force squadron or army battalion Naval Shore Stations (on land) were traditionally accorded the title HMS xxxxxxxx or similar, depending on the (Commonwealth) country - hence HMS Tern - an aerodrome There was a ship called HMS Tern in the China Fleet concurrently; it was scuttled (after an air attack) in 19 Dec 1941 near Hong Kong Cheers, Barry, on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland [email protected] (Constant Virus Monitoring by NAV - 18/05/2005 update.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` elizabeth Abbott wrote: (snipped) ........... background information about Scapa Flow during World War II ............about the war action in Orkney ............anything about the H.M.S. Tern? ............the term "Unit Text"

Hi Archie, I will now return to the CWGC website and see if I missed additional information concerning enemy raids in connection with George's death. For a starting point, I felt the site was very helpful since it gave me his nationality, rank, regiment, unit text, age, date of death, service #, parents' names, grave & plot numbers. On another page it also said "Remembered with Honour - Kirkwall (St. Olaf's) Cemetery." I printed off 3 pages from their website. I was hoping to find some local reference - maybe an old newpaper article etc. - about casualties on the date of his death which was May 1, 1944. I have a photo of this very handsome young man in uniform pushing me in my baby carriage (1941) when we lived in Montreal. I'm not sure why he was in Canada - perhaps he was on leave, but my Mom told me he used help her by standing in line for our rations. Thanks for all your help. Elizabeth ----- Original Message ----- From: "Archie Gilbert" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2005 1:28 PM Subject: Re: [Orkney] George Herbert Abbott - WWII > Elizabeth, > I do not think I can add to the info. that you have received > from others, but coincidentally, just last month I attended the funeral of > my mother's cousin aged 96. She was a nursing Sister and was stationed in > Orkney in 1944 with the Fleet Air Arm. after having been on HMHS Vasnia for > 18 months I have just got hold of some of her photos to copy and one is > with her doctor and staff in front of the wooden huts which was the > hospital. Maybe Mike or others could tell me where that was. My oldest > brother was in Scapa at that time on HMS Indomitable, a carrier, and he came > under enemy fire at that time, so it quite likely that your relative was > shot down. > If you have his service number or some details you may be able to get his > record which would give more info. I am surprised that you got so little > info from the CWGC as I researched another cousin of my Mother's who was > shot down in Germany, and I got detailed info as to where he was buried and > also detail of the raid in which he was participating when his Lancaster > bomber was hit. Is it posible that his body was taken by the family to be > buried at home and therefore the CWGC have no responsibility ? > > Archie Gilbert, Kinross.

Thank you for your help. Yes, he must have been identified, as I have him listed as "Casualty Type" - Commonwealth War Dead; his plot #33; grave 10 in Kirkwall (St. Olaf's) Cemetery; died May 1, 1944, at the age of 20. Your offer to look him up on the LDS index is much appreciated - I guess the only other thing I need as a reference is his parish of registration & entry number. Many thanks, Elizabeth ----- Original Message ----- From: "Greenwood" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2005 12:24 PM Subject: Re: [Orkney] George Herbert Abbott - WWII > Elizabeth, if this lad died in Orkney, his death registration should be > found there regardless of where he was born. Fisherman or victims of > sinking ships who die at sea have been recorded in the Death > Registration books for Orkney if a body was found and identified. I've > read registration entries for those who washed up and were > UNidentified....reasoning was they were found to be legally dead in > Orkney, therefore registered there in whatever parish they were found. > Do you happen to know if his body was recovered from the wreckage ? > Knowing this might make a difference in figuring out what county or > parish in which his death would be recorded. > > Try logging onto www.ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk/ pay the fee with a credit > card and view all the hits for George ABBOTT who died in Orkney, all > parishes. If no hits are found, try alternate spellings like ABOTT or > ABBOT. If you enter a birth year or age, S-P looks one year either side > of the stated year for returning the hits which is extremely helpful. > Death Regsitrations for Scotland are searchable up to 1954 which is 50 > years ago. > > Getting a Death Registration photocopy from Kirkwall will cost you 13.50 > Pounds Sterling....way too expensive for my pocketbook. A researcher > can get this same Registration from Edinburgh for about 1 Pound > Sterling. ScotlandsPeople this is definitely the quckest way to get > George ABBOTT's Death Registration no matter where it was recorded. > > If you can wait until Monday, I'll check the LDS filmed Death Index for > his year of death to see if he is recorded in Scotland at all. It would > give his name, age at death, the parish of registration and entry > number. Its easier to check for the alternate spellings and the given > age would most assuredly help identify your man. Let me know if you'd > like me to check the Index film, please verify the age and year of death > for me. > > MegG in OK, USA > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth, if this lad died in Orkney, his death registration should be found there regardless of where he was born. Fisherman or victims of sinking ships who die at sea have been recorded in the Death Registration books for Orkney if a body was found and identified. I've read registration entries for those who washed up and were UNidentified....reasoning was they were found to be legally dead in Orkney, therefore registered there in whatever parish they were found. Do you happen to know if his body was recovered from the wreckage ? Knowing this might make a difference in figuring out what county or parish in which his death would be recorded. Try logging onto www.ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk/ pay the fee with a credit card and view all the hits for George ABBOTT who died in Orkney, all parishes. If no hits are found, try alternate spellings like ABOTT or ABBOT. If you enter a birth year or age, S-P looks one year either side of the stated year for returning the hits which is extremely helpful. Death Regsitrations for Scotland are searchable up to 1954 which is 50 years ago. Getting a Death Registration photocopy from Kirkwall will cost you 13.50 Pounds Sterling....way too expensive for my pocketbook. A researcher can get this same Registration from Edinburgh for about 1 Pound Sterling. ScotlandsPeople this is definitely the quckest way to get George ABBOTT's Death Registration no matter where it was recorded. If you can wait until Monday, I'll check the LDS filmed Death Index for his year of death to see if he is recorded in Scotland at all. It would give his name, age at death, the parish of registration and entry number. Its easier to check for the alternate spellings and the given age would most assuredly help identify your man. Let me know if you'd like me to check the Index film, please verify the age and year of death for me. MegG in OK, USA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On Sun, 22 May 2005 08:53:11 -0700, original message : >I'd like to thank everyone for your replies and suggested websites regarding Scapa Flow and H.M.S. Tern during the war. It was a big help and I appreciate the wonderful response I received. Now I have a much better understanding of the situation. > >Now if I may push my luck, I have one more question: does anyone know if I can get specific information about George Abbott's death. I have searched the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website which gives the basics such as name, rank, etc. but there is nothing there about how he died. I have googled his name in various combinations, but no luck with this. > >I'm going on hearsay that his plane was shot down so I would like to confirm. > >Is there any place in Orkney that might have more detailed records? > >Thank you, > >ELizabeth > > >==== ORKNEY Mailing List ==== >>>>>TIP: To unsubscribe, send an e-mail message to: [email protected] In the body include only one word: unsubscribe >Use Orkney-D if you're receiving digests.<<<< > >============================== >Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the >last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx >

Elizabeth, I'd never heard of "unit text" either and I must admit that I thought it was a mistake. However, a bit of Googling reveals that it is used to describe the unit (in this case a ship) to which the individual was attached. Here's an example: http://www.cwgc.org/education/life_death_pop/alfred_howard.htm There's another example of the expression at the foot of this page: http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/princecrew/nye.html Norman Tulloch elizabeth Abbott wrote: > >Also I'm not familiar with the term "Unit Text" - could anyone clarify? > >

elizabeth Abbott wrote: > I'm writing from British Columbia, Canada, and wonder if anyone could > give me a bit of background information about Scapa Flow during World > War II. > > My 1st cousin (once removed) was George Herbert Abbott, from Glasgow, > who served in the War. From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission > website, I have discovered that he was a Petty Officer Airman with > the Royal Navy, Unit Text was H.M.S. Tern. He is buried in Kirkwall > (St. Olaf's) Cemetery having died May 1, 1944 at the age of 20. > > My question is: can anyone give me some background about the war > action in Orkney for that time frame. I seem to recall my mother > telling me that George was shot down over Scapa Flow, and yet the > record shows he was with the Royal Navy. Would they have flown > aircraft from aboard ships? I am puzzled about his rank as a Petty > Officer Airman in the Navy. And does anyone know anything about the > H.M.S. Tern? > > Also I'm not familiar with the term "Unit Text" - could anyone > clarify? > > Anything that might help put further light on his action and death > during the War would be so helpful. > > Thank you, > > Elizabeth Elizabeth, HMS Tern was the Royal Navy Air Station at Twatt in Orkney. On the other side of the road was the RAF Skeabrae air station. Remains of both stations can be seen there to this day. You'll find a small amount of information here - http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/wartime_orkney/page3.html All rating members of the Fleet Air Arm were known as "Naval Airmen", whether they were aircrew or not. Don't know what "unit text" means - probably something to do with the CWGC web page. -- Mike Clouston

I'd like to thank everyone for your replies and suggested websites regarding Scapa Flow and H.M.S. Tern during the war. It was a big help and I appreciate the wonderful response I received. Now I have a much better understanding of the situation. Now if I may push my luck, I have one more question: does anyone know if I can get specific information about George Abbott's death. I have searched the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website which gives the basics such as name, rank, etc. but there is nothing there about how he died. I have googled his name in various combinations, but no luck with this. I'm going on hearsay that his plane was shot down so I would like to confirm. Is there any place in Orkney that might have more detailed records? Thank you, ELizabeth