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Should I get a War Diary from TNA?

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  • Should I get a War Diary from TNA?

    I just discovered last night that my grandfather's second cousin, Stanley Robert Bristow, was killed in action in WW1. I suppose when I last looked at the Bristows I must not have been so organised about looking each possible up on CWGC. He was in the 23rd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, and died 30th Jan 1917. Searching on TNA Documents Online there is a War Diary listed as follows:

    France, Belgium and Germany. 2 Division, 99 Infantry Brigade, 23 Battalion Royal Fusiliers.. Part 42 of 62. Whole document available.
    Date January 1917
    Catalogue reference WO 95/1372

    But it says there is only 1 page and it would cost £3.50. I'm thinking if there is only one page then it's not going to tell me much. What do you think?
    KiteRunner

    Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
    (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

  • #2
    I don't know the answer because I've never seen a war diary but your post prompted me to look on TNA. My great uncle was with 1st Battalion Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment and was killed in action in January 1917. There is a section of the war diary there covering the period October 1916 to March 1917 which is 6 pages long. As its only £3.50 I might well get it (certainly cheaper than going to Kew)

    Have you got yours yet or are you still thinking about it?

    Jackie
    Jackie

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    • #3
      Still wondering whether to bother. Six pages sounds more promising, though I suppose actually it's just one page per month all bundled together. Still, it works out much cheaper.
      KiteRunner

      Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
      (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

      Comment


      • #4
        OK I'm going to get mine. I'll let you know how it goes

        Jackie
        Jackie

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        • #5
          Update

          Successfully downloaded but a bit of a palaver. The order was straightforward but (I'm sure this didn't happen last time I downloaded from there) you get the option to download now from the site or later from an email. Luckily I did it straight from the site because when I checked the email later it was completely blank - not even sender's address, subject, or anything else. When I clicked on 'reply' the details came up but the download link doesn't work. I'll probably email them about it for future reference.

          I ended up ordering 2 sections of the diary - total cost £7.00. The first one which was supposed to be 6 pages long (so needed 6 separate downloads but still cost £3.50 for the whole lot) is actually 39 pages of diary. The 2nd one was 47 diary pages. £7.00 for 86 diary pages including maps seems like exceptional value to me!

          Its going to take me ages to read it but the bit for my G Uncle's death date describes the battle and casualties

          "Casualties were very heavy ....... Officers killed 4, wounded 9, missing 1, total 14. OR killed 59, wounded 109, missing 219, Total 387"

          It also describes conditions in the trenches etc. Its all quite moving.

          Hope this helps you decide whether to order your set.

          Jackie
          Jackie

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          • #6
            Thanks, Jackie. So it could be more than 1 page then.
            KiteRunner

            Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
            (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

            Comment


            • #7
              Can you tell me how to search for these war diaries, as my grandfather was killed in action, and I would like to find some information. I'm useless at searching on TNA.
              Wendy



              PLEASE SCAN AT 300-600 DPI FOR RESTORATION PURPOSES. THANK YOU!

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              • #8
                Have you read TNA's guide to War Diaries?
                Detecting your browser settings

                Part of it states,
                * Some diaries will record little more than daily losses, map references, etc: others will be much more descriptive.
                * It is unusual for diaries to mention the names of ordinary soldiers
                * You can sometimes find details in the diaries about awards of the Military Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.

                No individual names but it seems it will give you some background the battalion's activities.
                Phil
                historyhouse.co.uk
                Essex - family and local history.

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                • #9
                  Go onto the Documents Online home page instead and over on the right it says click here for a guide to the WW1 diaries and on the page you will get to, you can click search to get the search page.
                  KiteRunner

                  Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                  (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Thanks Kite, Will have a look and see if I can find anything.
                    Wendy



                    PLEASE SCAN AT 300-600 DPI FOR RESTORATION PURPOSES. THANK YOU!

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                    • #11
                      Bear in mind that your man probably won't be mentioned by name, unless he was an officer, and not necessarily even then.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Don't forget the Great War Forum

                        Great War Forum (Powered by Invision Power Board)?

                        Someone on there is bound to have researched the War Diary for your regiment, & could probably tell you how much info there is.

                        Speaking from experiance, I've looked at 2 War Diaries at Kew, one was for a Royal Navy ship, which had very little detail of the men ( no names mentioned ), the second was for a company of Royal Engineers and it was absolutely wonderful, & very detailed. It even had weekly lists of all the men transferred in & out of the Company( eg to hospital, or another company, or to England). Lists of men and their trade. Names of men that were killed or wounded.
                        ~ Louise ~

                        Researching Dalzell, Highmore & Sumpton in Cumbria, also Braidford & Chevalier

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                        • #13
                          Louise, I don't think anybody ever answered the last question I posted up on there. And the one before that, they spent a lot of time trying to tell me that what I said was wrong, so I think I'll get the war diary instead, but thanks. Hopefully it will at least say what the battalion was doing on that date which should give me a clue.
                          Last edited by KiteRunner; 10-07-08, 23:00.
                          KiteRunner

                          Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                          (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I've just downloaded it, and there are 6 pages though some of them are just title pages. It doesn't even seem to mention the 3 men killed on the 30th Jan but it does at least say where they were that day.
                            KiteRunner

                            Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                            (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I searched on there but couldn't find anything.
                              Wendy



                              PLEASE SCAN AT 300-600 DPI FOR RESTORATION PURPOSES. THANK YOU!

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                              • #16
                                Kite,

                                I'm sorry to hear you didn't get much help on the Great War Forum. Someone was able to help with an exact location for the place my OH's GGrandfather was wounded, and even supplied a trench map of the place.
                                Perhaps they were having an "off" day.

                                Searching the War Diary was one of the most rewarding areas of research I've done. Once I started I found it so fascinating I spent weeks looking at maps & reading books about WW1.
                                ~ Louise ~

                                Researching Dalzell, Highmore & Sumpton in Cumbria, also Braidford & Chevalier

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Kite,
                                  PS; If you're interested , do you want to post the details of the Company/Battalion/Division & the date & place, I can have a look in some of my books, it might give you a better overall picture of where they were & what they were doing at the time.

                                  My own grandfather was wounded on the first day of the Somme, & my Dad has been able to piece together exactly where my grandfather was that day, & we visited the area a few years ago with my children...you can't put into words the feelings it produced.
                                  ~ Louise ~

                                  Researching Dalzell, Highmore & Sumpton in Cumbria, also Braidford & Chevalier

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    I wish I could find some info on where my grandfather was when he was killed. Sounds morbid I know, but after visiting his grave in France, I feel I need to know where he was and what he was going through.
                                    Wendy



                                    PLEASE SCAN AT 300-600 DPI FOR RESTORATION PURPOSES. THANK YOU!

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                                    • #19
                                      Thanks for the offer, Louise. He was in 23 Battalion Royal Fusiliers and he was killed in action on the 30th January 1917 at Courcelette.

                                      Wendy, why not post up the details you have too and maybe somebody will be able to find something to help you.
                                      KiteRunner

                                      Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                                      (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        Thanks Kite.

                                        Arthur Richard Horne in the 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, died 26th April 1918. Buried at Sandpits Wargrave, Bethune, France
                                        Last edited by WendyPusey; 11-07-08, 18:08.
                                        Wendy



                                        PLEASE SCAN AT 300-600 DPI FOR RESTORATION PURPOSES. THANK YOU!

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