British Army WW1 service records - ancestry

[kiterunner]

Tell us about your finds!

[kiterunner]

I've already found my 2xg-uncle Frederick Galway on the Irish Casualties database, although I don't think it has any info that I hadn't already got elsewhere.

So come on, let's hear about everyone else's finds!

[kiterunner]

I think I've found my grandfather's cousin in the WW1 service papers, but he had a fairly common name, so I'm reading through trying to find something to confirm whether it's him or not.

[Georgette]

You're doing well, Kate :) I haven't found anyone yet, but I'm still looking :D

[Jennifer Eccles]

ooh...

*rushes off to find grandads service records*

[Phoenix]

I wish I could tell whether anything was originally a mis-sort, as I've seen the original microfilms for most of mine and am baffled as to why some have two entries where there was just the one on the films.

Also, the search engine is shunting surnames into the forename boxes, so isn't finding some people.

[kiterunner]

Yes, I've found that happening too, Phoenix. If you keep retrying the search then it works eventually.

[Phoenix]

I've also had fun playing with the location box! Though my grandfather gave his parents' address, when he was actually working on the other side of the county.

[WendyPusey]

Have found an entry in the Irish Casualties for the son of my Great Grandmother's brother who was born in Dublin.

Still can't find my Grandfather's papers though.

[Langley Vale Sue]

I have found my Great Grandfather's papers - all 17 pages of them :) Some are blank though. He was in the Territorials, something I only found out recently from one of his sons' marriage record on the LMA records.

His surname is very uncommon, Tivers, and although he had 3 sons and at least 4 nephews of eligible age, I can only find one other listed under that name who was his cousin. I know my Grandad (born 1900) lied about his age to join up at 17 and I have a photo of him in uniform, but no records for him nor for either of his older brothers. The trouble is, the name is so often mistranscribed (I have at least 8 different listings from various records) that it is almost impossible to find the rest of the family. Even the only other one I found is mistranscribed as Twers!

[kiterunner]

Ooh, I'm glad to hear you've found that, Sue.

[Margo]

I have found my husband's great-uncle.
The records were badly burned but there was a scrap of paper from a soldier detailing how he saw great-uncle lying on his back by the side of a river, looking pale and dead, although the soldier could not get to the body as the Germans were close behind

[kiterunner]

That's so sad, though a great find, Margo.

[JayG]

While i'm pleased i've found some of mine i'm gutted the only 2 I really wanted to find aren't there, my great grandfather's & my great grandmother's twin brother.

[maggie_4_7]

I have found my husband's great-uncle.
The records were badly burned but there was a scrap of paper from a soldier detailing how he saw great-uncle lying on his back by the side of a river, looking pale and dead, although the soldier could not get to the body as the Germans were close behind


Dreadful. :(

But great physical evidence and testament to history!

[Fi aka Wheelie Spice]

Omgoodness, I have just been site surfing and decided to visit Ancestry where I saw they said about the A-Z of service records online. I thought I would have a go at my Richard Woods who was the chap who worked for Lever Bros and oh my goodness again, I have found service records for him. It is definitely him because his address is on them.

Wow, I am so happy and might even get myself to Kew on Tuesday (on my day off) to see the documents there.

I am now going to try and save the individual pages and there are a few of them to my pc.

I am so happy, I didnt think I could find anything more for him!!

Yippee!!!!!

[kiterunner]

That's brilliant news, Fi.

[FenTiger]

I was so excited to find my Grandfathers papers all 41 !! of them, he died aged 36 so nothing is known about him, now it turns out I know how tall he was etc, he was a naughty boy and was found asleep on sentry duty, so imprisoned for 2 years, suspended, he was then sent to France where he caught Diptheria,he was then gassed, caught influenza ( presumably in the pandemic years of 1917/18) he survived all of this to drown in 1933, falling off the coal barge that he worked on.

Walters signature sent shivers down my spine, it is so like his sons, my father Arthur Charles handwriting.

[kiterunner]

Wow, Julie, that's a great find.

[Margaret in Burton]

I'm going through them now. Jackie finding my GGF's on the TOGG game spurred me on.
I'm finding loads I didn't have.