Free Ancestry UK Military Records – November

[Currie]

Ancestry Freebie – All November.

World War One Medal Index Cards (1914-22)

British Army WW1 Service Records (1914-20)

British Army WW1 Pension Records (1914-20)

I read it here http://scottishancestry.blogspot.com/20 ... itary.html

Alan

[LesleyB]

A wonderful resource and some of the records are very detailed; I just downloaded 9 pages for one of my distant relatives who was a WW1 casualty.

http://content.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?ht ... 3a7858%3a0

This database contains the surviving service records of non-commissioned officers and other ranks who served in WWI and did not re-enlist in the Army prior to World War II. With the second release, this database now contains records for surnames beginning A-Q. Full surname range coverage will be realised with future releases. Names falling outside of this range that are presently included in the database come from records that were misfiled according to surname sequence.

However, ...I have a great uncle McNicol, whose records do exisit, as I have a copy of them, but, they do not seem to be available on Ancestry. I also note there appear to be no names starting McA, and I'm not clear if this is because they were all destroyed, or if perhaps they are not yet digitally available. At least there appears to be still hope for my Smiths if the current records only cover up to letter Q.....

Best wishes
Lesley

[Anne H]

Thanks Alan. I'll have a look to see if I can find some new records this time around.

Regars,
Anne H

[David Lang]

Doesnt seem to include any of my Lang's so dont if it the full range of records but hey ho there are other to search for !!!

[LesleyB]

hi David
As with some of the names I was searching for, it is unclear if these are records which were destroyed, or if they are just not there yet. Unfortunately, as I'm sure you know, there will be many records which will not be available:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/mili ... /step5.htm

However, there is only about a 25 per cent chance of finding a soldier's service record in WO 363, as most of these were destroyed by bombing in 1940. The records that do remain are known as the 'burnt documents'. For further information, check our research guides.

There is a better chance of finding an officer's record as they were stored elsewhere.

So, I suppose we just need to be grateful for any we do find, and philosophical about those which we will never find.....

Best wishes
Lesley

[AileenA]

Hi everyone
A few months ago I could only find part of my Grandad's records in the WW1 pensions, I tried again last week and found the complete records including his records from way before ww1. It's worth waiting and trying again at a later date, they must still be adding to it.
Hope you are as lucky as I was

[LesleyB]

Hi Aileeen
Thanks for giving us some hope!

Best wishes
Lesley

[keewik]

Yes, thanks indeed. I've hunted high and low for my grandfather's records. I know he was there (have a medal) and that he was a gunner, but he has a very common name. Nevertheless I know enough about him to overcome that, but no luck. I thought maybe they'd been destroyed but I'll try again in a month or so.

[maceill]

Tried for ages to find war records for my grandfather Oliver Blackburn who was killed in France 1st JULY 1916.Tonight tried ancestory again and bingo found him.Had to switch computers so i could print record off.
Now it says no record of Oliver Blackburn, am i going mad,would value any comments
thanks
maceill

[speleobat2]

Quick, go look again! There are two Oliver Blackburns showing on the Medal Rolls list--one for the Durham Lt. Infantry and one for the Lancashire Fusillers.

Carol