War death in 1946

I wonder if some kind soul can explain something to me.
A relative is listed on the Chatham Naval Memorial, with a date of death of Feb. 28, 1946. (that's all the info - name, rank, and date of death)

I appreciate that the CWGC people would recognise people as being casualties of war if they died of wounds within a certain period after end of hostilities. (Does anyone know when this was for WWII?)

However, I also understand that the Chatham Naval Memorial is for war dead without a known grave (which is quite a lot of naval personnel, of course). This seems to suggest that my chap didn't die as a result of wounds received but was lost at sea. And if you were lost at sea in 1946 (even if still in the Navy) how would it be a war death? Anybody know?
My best guess would be if he was involved in, say, mine clearance in the months immediately after the war and the ship was sunk - would this qualify him for the Chatham Naval Memorial?

 

Hi Liberty, I know your post is nearly two years old but it caught my eye - did you ever get anywhere with this?

The CWGC commemorate deaths for WW2 up to 31 December 1947. While the vast majority of names on Chatham Naval Memorial will be for Royal Navy personnel who were lost at sea, some will be for those who the CWGC simply have no record of burial; I suspect your relative may be one of these.

I assume your relative is Andrew Alan Campbell (he is the only casualty on that date commemorated at Chatham)? According to the National Probate Calendar he died at 418 Westgate Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

 

Paul

Yes, thanks, CWGC replied when I asked them. I don't have the response to hand but it is to the effect that for both WWI and WWII they have a cutoff date which is well after the end of hostilities. Anyone who was in the Forces and died before the relevant date counts as war dead. My great uncle Alan seems to have died of natural causes, in hospital. Not a mine clearance casualty at all!

 

Did you ever find out where he is buried? I assume it would be somewhere around Newcastle. If it can be found then the CWGC might be able to move his commemoration from a memorial to the missing to his actual grave.

 

Never thought of that.....