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World War 1 Records

B

Bob

proper brummie kid
Hi There fellow History Buffs.
I have been on the Ancesty site checking WW1 Soldiers who Died in the First World War,my Uncle was in the R.A.M.C,and was taken prisoner of war at Messines Ridge,and died in a P.O.W camp at Charville,which I believe to be on the French-Belgian boarder.On the Ancestry website his Theartre Of War is listed as Aldershot , any suggestions,as I always thought it was France/Flanders. Also any ideas where I might find information about the Charville P.O.W camp,as other local soldiers must have been held there.
:)
Cheers
Bob
 
Re: WW1 Records

Bob, you have asked a question that I was wondering about also. My grandmother's brother was killed in Braisne in France in 1914, but on the Ancestry site WW1 Soldiers who died, it says his Theater of War was Aldershot as well. I would also like to know the answer to that one.

Judy
 
Re: WW1 Records

On their medal cards it will say when they entered France. If you post their names and regimental numbers, someone will look the cards up for you.

Barrie.
 
Re: WW1 Records

Thanks Barrie. I have already looked at the medal cards and have his information. John Martin entered France with the Expeditionary Force on 30 August 1914 and he was seriously wounded and died on 20 October 1914. I just wondered what was meant by 'Theater of War - Aldershot'.

Judy
 
Re: WW1 Records

Thanks Barrie.
I've checked my Uncles medal card, he entered France 15/7/1915,I'm wondering though ,when checking the Soldiers Died in WW1,on the Ancestry web site why it states Theatre of war Aldershot.
Thanks again for taking the time to reply to my queary,if you have any other suggestions I'd be pleased to hear.
cheers
Bob

Names resarching
Burns,Frampton, Grove:)
 
Re: WW1 Records

Just quickly read through you post here and my wife has suggested this:

As she lived 5 miles from Aldershot for over 20 years,
It was until quite recently a major army base in the Surrey Area,
could it be that as your uncle was seriously injured in France he was bought back to Aldershot for nursing care but sadly passed away.

"theatre of war" is just the place they were when the last indident took place.

Hope this may help in some way
 
Re: WW1 Records

Hi Sparkhill Lad
Thanks for your reply,which is quite plausable,unfortunatley in my Uncles case he was taken a Prisoner of War and died,and was buried at a P.O.W camp at Charville,which I believe is on the French,Belgian boarder.
Thanks again for your message,if you have any more suggestions please let me know.
Regards
Bob
 
Re: WW1 Records

The way i understand it is this, and i am no expert so -

There are a number of campaigns being fought at different locations but they are all under one command, General/ Major ? who was based at Aldershot and this is was is refered to as "The Theatre Of War". I think it must be the place they got their orders from, the people who had an overview of the battle field and ordered/moved troops etc around


bren
 
Re: WW1 Records

Hi folks

There are some major errors in Ancestry as regards the SDGW database. For some reason all the Theatre of War fields are wrong - whenever it gives Aldershot, it should read "France & Flanders". (Those given as Austria mean Palestine, Antwerp means Gallipoli, etc. Anyone who died at "Home" (ie in the UK) is recorded at the enigmatic "Brough - Sic"!)

Also, less obviously wrong, in most (if not all) cases the Residence and Enlistment places are the wrong way round.

Ancestry are aware of this as loads of people have reported it. It's very naughty of them not to have sorted it out by now, or at least to post a warning of the errors.
 
That is correct. Naval & Military Press, who produce the "Soldiers Died" in CDROM form, have obviously sold their database to Ancestry. Somehow the technicians at Ancestry completely b*ggered up the loading of the database and got the field headings wrong. It would take two minutes to correct. I know many people who have contacted Ancestry about it but to no avail. You pays your money ...
 
Hi Chris
Thanks for the information,you would think that our friends at Ancestry would get it right as they charge enough for their membership.
Cheers
Bob
 
Thank you Phoebe and Chris for pointing out the mistakes on the Ancestry website - Theatre of War shown as Aldershot should be France & Flanders, now makes sense. As with Bob's ancestor who died in Charleville, mine also died in France at Braisne. About time Ancestry sorted this out.

Judy
 
Thanks very much indeed Phoebe and everyone else in this thread for your sterling work in unravelling these mistrancriptions. You have no idea how reassuring it was to learn the truth and put this matter to rest. :)

I and my family had a bit of a surprise when I "learned" from the Ancestry transcribed records that my ancestor who I knew was buried in France, was apparently killed at Aldershot - and killed in action at that - the "theatre of war" around Hampshire not being one I remember studying at school. :shocked: I was also at a loss to imagine the mysterious circumstances where having been apparently killed not too far away from his family home, his body was then shipped overseas to be buried at a front line military cemetery near a small village in France. :boohoo:

RIP. James Jeremiah Scanlan, son of James and Harriet Scanlan, born 1/9/1899 Poplar, schooled at Bow Creek School, enlisted at Stratford, killed 12/8/1918. Buried Mont-Bernanchon British Cemetery. Postumously awarded British War Medal and Victory Medal.

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=121&GScid=2256861&GRid=26022399&
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Bob said:
my Uncle died in a P.O.W camp at Charville,which I believe to be on the French-Belgian boarder.
Click to expand...

Hi Bob

I might be off beam here but are you sure the POW camp was not at Charleville (now called Charleville-Mezieres), close to the French-Belgian border?

I'm afraid I can't offer any more than that!

Cheers
 
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