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British Army WW1 Service Records

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  • British Army WW1 Service Records

    Having taken a break from genealogy for 6 months, I was delighted to see that Ancestry have been continuing to update their WW1 Databases.

    I have been looking at the records for my g-granddad's brother who died on 23rd August 1918 (Britain only declared war on Germany on 4th August 1914) Amongst his records are scans of letters sent by my g-g-grandmother (although in other documents, including one in this bundle, she signs with a mark, so I am assuming that one of her daughters wrote for her) requesting information on her son. There are about 7 or 8 pages, all with bits of the letters, and it is not obvious what goes where. It looks like she wrote twice - both in October, 1st saying she hadn't heard from her son since 21st August and then another one saying that she had had a letter returned to her by the War Office saying that they did not know his location. Poor lady!

    I have had a look at TNA but can't find them there. Does anyone know if this information is available anywhere else? (I presume I could send off for his service records but that costs about £30, doesn't it?)

    If anyone is interested, it is Frank Edward Gibbons, aged 18, b. Bermondsey.

    Thanks in advance for any ideas!

    Jo
    :D Charney Jo

  • #2
    (I presume I could send off for his service records but that costs about £30, doesn't it?)
    It's post 1920 army records that cost £30+ as they are held by the MoD.

    The records you are looking at on Ancestry ARE his army service record!

    Erm......I was going to say something else, but it's gone......I'll be back shortly, probably!

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    • #3
      Hi Merry

      I know they are but the letters are a bit muddled so I thought if I could get copies of the originals they might make more sense. I presume the letter didn't fit on one scan so they have added the scans of the sides of the letters (if that makes any sense to you)later. Perhaps it will become more clear if I print them out ... ?

      Thanks for the reply.
      :D Charney Jo

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      • #4
        Aren't they part of the burnt records? That's why they are so damaged. I think if you asked for copies from TNA you would get copies of the film not the actual documents (I may be wrong about that, so don't take my word for it!)

        They make very sad reading, don't they?

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        • #5
          Oh, I didn't know that.

          Yes, it's very sad. Amelia - his mum - had a very hard life. She was born and lived in the very poor streets in Bermondsey, got married at 21, and after having 9 children was widowed 17 years later. I have been lucky enough to have 'met' (online through genealogy research) another relative of hers - she is the eldest daughter, of the eldest daughter of Amelia so has lots of family stories and photos. Amelia never learnt to write (all the documents we have bear her 'mark' instead of a signature).

          I'm always amazed when these documents survive.
          :D Charney Jo

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