Researching your contacts

To any reader who plans to research a WW1 combatant… Perhaps I might offer suggestions based on my experience

A video guide:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJmvEOsgwQs&t=207s

The Beginning:

We started with a name, an inscription on a UK WW1 memorial and some family who had visited a cemetery some decades back. I have a computer and and am pretty proficient with web sites etc. There is a lot of information out there, but you do need a computer proficient person (or younger person to help you.) If you have this, I don’t suggest you pay for much until you have explored what already exists for free (and there is a lot.) Look at the sources I quote as this is invariably freely available (with a couple of exceptions.)

Of course, there may be a lot of information available in libraries, but I have no knowledge of that option.

Military Record

I started with the obvious bits: Forces War Records – this turns up useful information as in the Medal record, regiment but is of limited use due to the frequent re-organisations in WW1 (this was a continuous complication in all my research.)

CWGC Commonwealth War Graves Commission. My relative died during the war so this record confirmed his details at the time of his passing.

Maps and Visits

Google Maps then helped me pin-point the cemetery (despite some spelling mistakes.) We visited our (very small) cemetery in 2015, and it proved very difficult to find. Even though we had local maps printed out. In our case, the locals were friendly and helpful but lacked knowledge of local small hamlets. If your situation is similar, go well prepared. I would like to add something if you are attending the grave of a relative – there are often unmarked graves in these cemeteries – consider leaving something also at an unmarked grave – you may be the first visitor for that poor soul. Finally, can I say my experience of using sat navs in France is not good. Having spoken to numerous people, my experience is not unique on this.

Newspaper Archive

I found that the National Newspaper Archive was the most useful source of information. It is a chargeable service, but if you sign up at a time you can devote considerable time, it is well worth it. You may find out an awful lot more about your family than you expected(!) I found local newspapers more useful than national newspapers.

Reorganisations

Frequent unit re-organisations in WW1 was the most difficult issue I faced.

I had conflicting records - apparently the Medal record should keep a record of each unit (in case of a transfer.) This was not the case with our soldier. The CWGC Enquiries team were prompt and helpful but could not be absolutely certain either. The advised the record of the personal effects were very instructive of which unit, as was his grave.

Sick Leave

Our relative was sent home on sick leave, I am in the process of trying to identify any contemporary records of his stay. Very much a work in progress as I have only vague information to date. It was common practice for recovered soldiers to be sent back to a different unit. I have tracked the two units and they were in the same area up until the German Spring Offensive.

(Re)burial

Our relative was buried and then reburied in a different location. This was an apparently common occurrence, (without getting too graphic) recovering bodies, remains etc was an onerous activity

Best of luck with your search!

If you have any questions, you can email me at thosedistantechoes@gmail.com (pls include Frank Munkman in the email heading)

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With love to our Frank