Genealogy Chat

Hi all,
Need your opinions on this one.
My dad died in 1980 over in Holland when i was 5 years old. (He was English). I have recently been in touch with the Red Cross over in Holland who have helped me find the police record of the accident which unfortunately killed him. Reading through it, it gives me the name of the other guy that was also killed along with where he was born and his age and also two friends of theirs who identified their bodies in the morgue. (It gives their name and date of birth as well). I would like to try and maybe contact the parents of this other man that died and maybe one of the informants to see if they have any additional information but i don't really want to bring back any bad memories especially for the other mans parents.
Would should i do, try and find out if they are still living and contact them (will need to be found on the electrol roll) or leave the past in the past?
Dawn

I think I'm inclined to agree with ChristineC.

It would depend on what happened in the accident. Whose fault it was, etc. I think trying to contact the policeman who dealt with the accident might be better than contacting the families of the other deceased.

It also depends on just exactly what sort of information you are trying to find, although I understand your need to know just what happened. Is there no one in your own family who has the details of exactly what happened?

Kath. x

Thanks for replying.
When the Red Cross where helping me they did track down the policeman who was there at the scene of the accident. It was him who sent me the police report and also a copy of a newspaper clipping which was in the paper at the time. The reoprt basically says the road they were travelling on was notorious for fatleccidents (5 prevously fatel ones that month) was an accident waiting to happen. My dad was abit of a blacksheep in his family which is why he went over there in the first place to get away from them. Because of things that happened at the time they didn't go over to investigate after the the accident and which is why he was never brought home to England. Sad really!! Because nobody in the family went over there at the time nobody understood what really happened to him and which is why i decided to investigate it myself. Hospital records are definately a good idea i hadn't thought of that. Taking into consideration what you have all said i don't think it is a good idea finding these people it may dig things up that they don't want to remember.
Will look into the hospital things though.
Thanks
Dawn

There may also have been local television news about the accident, although I doubt whether it will give you anything not already in the report from the police.

Have the Red Cross been able to tell you where your father is buried?

Kath. x

The Red Cross gave me a list of local newspapers to contact. They also found out that my dad was cremated for me but the cremaorium have no records left from 1980 unfortunately. The other guy was brought back to England and i have tried looking for his death in the BMD but can't seem to find one. If he was buried over here would his death have to be registered here first?

Yes. deaths abroad would be registered abroad and would not be in the death index over here.

I can't believe that the crematorium doesn't have records from as recent as 1980 (although it may be different in Holland). Our local crematorium can give me details of relatives who were buried/cremated up to more than 100 years ago.

Kath. x