Smith
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On this page a gunner Smith was wounded. When I search In Lives of the 1st world war I find 2745 gunners in the RFA with that name. Will anybody ever be able to find the right one?
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by cyngast moderator
Well, maybe if they have more information about him, like his first name, initials, his service number, or battery. The medal cards that are the basis of Lives seldom include the specific unit, such as the 35th Brigade, but there must be other sources somewhere.
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by David_Underdown moderator
It's one of the difficulties for research, especially in corps like the RFA as even their medal rolls don't show the exact units. It may be possible to pick him up in casualty lists which would normally cite the regimental number.
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by cyngast moderator
David, Where could one find casualty lists if they aren't attached to a diary?
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Cynthia I found a casualty list for the KRRC and posted it on the Mess Hall Board i.e.
This link is useful if anyone is tagging their diaries. It is a a Roll of Honour of casualties – Battle of the Somme. http://somme-roll-of-honour.com/Units/british/2nd_KRRC.htm
In their diary for the 1 Div. 2nd Inf. Bde 2nd Btn KRRC April 1916-Dec 1916 The author named 2 casualties who were either killed, wounded or missing but he did not state which but I found they were killed in action on this list.
I just made a google search by asking Casualty list for KRRC ww1 (may have mentioned the day/month/year) and this came up. I have tried doing this for a a few others, but without result but some others did come up a long long time ago.
As you say it would be useful if David could find a way of finding other lists.
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by cyngast moderator
That's great, Marie. Thank you.
My question to David is intended as a more general one as to where someone researching a particular person might be able to go.
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by ral104 moderator, scientist
David will be able to give a more comprehensive answer, but I believe for the most part it would be necessary to go through old microfiche newspaper collections. The odd list turns up in the diaries, as we know, but that's a bit hit and miss.
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by David_Underdown moderator
The official lists were printed in The Times, Telegraph etc for much of the war (the level of detail varies, the published version does not include battalion in the latter part of the war), relevant sections were often reprinted in local newspapers too, and the internal War Office lists are available on The Genealogist website.
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