War Diaries Talk

Hi - Ive just joined

  • judy_jeffries by judy_jeffries

    Is there a way to search for a particular Regiment? i.e. both my grandfathers ones? The Oxford & Bucks LI and the East Hampshire - or do I have to go through all the pages?

    Posted

  • HeatherC by HeatherC moderator

    The purpose of this project at this stage is not to allow people simply to look at diary pages they want to see I'm afraid. Only certain diaries are currently available for tagging here (you can see on the front page what is available) and once you select one you need to go through it in order tagging as you go, not just reading!. If you really want to read certain diaries properly then the best way is to download them from the National Archives. Search page is here http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/war-diaries-ww1.htm

    First however, you need to know which Battalion your relatives were in, Oxs and Buck LI for example had about 10 battalions and they each have a separate diary...

    Posted

  • marie.eklidvirginmedia.com by marie.eklidvirginmedia.com

    Hello there, Wonder if I can help you with this information about your Grandfathers in WW1. The one in the Hampshire Regiment.
    Try this:
    Go onto the Google Search Engine. Put in Hampshire Regiment WW1.
    Go down their page until you reach 'The Long Long Trail - the British Army in the Great War.'
    Go right down the page until you come to - On the Right Hand Side - . 'On The Trail of Tommies'
    It will show 'How to research a Soldier.
    Click on 'How to find a Soldier'.
    It will have a category for 'A Soldiers Service Records'.
    You will probably have to put in more of his information, i.e. His Number, if you have a Medal for him - his number will appear on it.
    You will probably have to give his Name, Regiment and Service Number. Take it from there. If you can access his Service Record it may or should show his Btn. Then you can Google again an maybe put in 'The such and such Regiment in WW1. This may give you more information of where the Btn was and what Battles they were in.

    You can also telephone the National Archives - Army records at Kew - lot of records were destroyed though. Ask their advice - give them all the information you can.

    The National Archives at Kew
    Richmond
    Surrey
    TW9 4DN
    Tel: 0120 88763444

    Or try contacting the Hampshire Regiment with all the information you have they should be able to hep you.

    By the way if anyone was killed in a war - The Commenwealth War Graves site also, is easy to use.

    If I can hep you more my email address is marie.eklid@virginmedia.com

    Goodnight for now, Marie

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  • HeatherC by HeatherC moderator

    Thanks Marie that's great. Judy sorry if I didn't come over as very helpful in my first response. My point really is that this project isn't the place to start looking for information on individuals - not yet anyway. Once it is linked up with the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War though it certainly will be!

    I'd echo what Marie says about the Long Long Trail - an absolutely fantastic resource for finding out about how to find out more! Especially good with its information about Units. http://www.1914-1918.net/

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  • judy_jeffries by judy_jeffries

    Thank you Marie and Heather for that information. I wasn't looking for individuals as such, just that it would have been nice to say that I helped to tag the two Regiments my grandfathers were in. I will try the websites you suggest. Alas I have no medals for either grandparent and the NTA has no records for my mother's father. I have been researching my family tree/s for a few years now, on Ancestry and other sites. I will keep tagging! thanks again.
    Judy

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  • HeatherC by HeatherC moderator

    Judy

    Do keep an eye out on the front page for new diaries - you may well get to classify one of them yet. I do completely understand the idea of a personal connection - I too got interested in WW1 some years ago via family history and am also looking out for certain diaries to come onto the site!

    Heather

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  • judy_jeffries by judy_jeffries

    Will do Heather, thanks. Had to shut down the other night, I don't know which wrong button I pressed but everything went strangely diagonal! lol alas im not technically minded and have no one to ask. Anyway I hope I have more luck today. Judy

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