RootsChat.Com

General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: mrnoble on Wednesday 25 March 09 15:24 GMT (UK)

Title: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: mrnoble on Wednesday 25 March 09 15:24 GMT (UK)
Does anyone know whether copying of these are now complete? Also is there any index as to which sections might be missing? I am trying to trace the name Weakner but get nothing at the moment. Many thanks for any help
Michael

Researching:
Noble, Keen, Dove, Sodo & Houghton (East London)
Weakner (Anywhere)
Stobbs, Wood, Farrow, Cunningham, Johnson (Durham & South Shields area)
Findlay, Milne, (Forfar, Montrose, US, Australia)
Mumford (Herts and East London)
Giles (Woolwich)
Crosby (Fenland area)
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: willow154 on Wednesday 25 March 09 17:15 GMT (UK)
Hi Micahel,
As far as I can see this seems to be the latest information with regard to ancestry.co.uk.
http://www.ancestry.co.uk/home/new.aspx
Not quite sure what the situation is with The National Archives - I will try to find out.
Kind regards,
Paulene :)
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: willow154 on Wednesday 25 March 09 17:22 GMT (UK)
Hi again,
It would seem, looking at this information, that the National Archives records are complete for what has survived, Michael.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-gb%3AIE-SearchBox&q=ww1+army+records+-+are+all+records+online+now+-+uk+national+archives

Hope this helps, - hopefully someone else will come long who can confirm this.
Hope you find him!
Paulene :)
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: mrnoble on Thursday 26 March 09 11:33 GMT (UK)
Thanks Paulene. I will keep trying.

While writing, can anyone tell me why the person I am looking for would have two army numbers? - he was in the RFA and a lead rider on a gun carriage - I would really love to find out more about his career in the army
Michael
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: willow154 on Thursday 26 March 09 19:40 GMT (UK)
Hi Michael,
This will explain it for you:
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=34030
Good luck with your research.
Paulene :)
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: PK2 on Sunday 19 April 09 05:41 BST (UK)
Michael

If you live close to a LDS  Family History Centre. They have the Burnt Records of the British Army WW1.

I have edited this from the search for you entering by "British Army" on the LDS site:Title search by title
British Army 
Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920 (surnames A-E) :  Great Britain. War Office

Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920 (surnames F)  Great Britain. War Office

Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920 (surnames G-I) :  Great Britain. War Office

Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920 (surnames J-K) :  Great Britain. War Office

Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920 (surnames L-M) :  Great Britain. War Office

Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920 (surnames N-O, Q) :  Great Britain. War Office

Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920 (surnames P) :  Great Britain. War Office

Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920 (surnames R)  Great Britain. War Office

Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920 (surnames S)  Great Britain. War Office

Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920 (surnames T)  Great Britain. War Office

Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920 (surnames U-Z)  Great Britain. War Office

As you probably know these records only represent just a small proportion of the total Records rescued. I have it on good authority that a lot of the S's survived.
Good luck,
Pat
p.s.
Family History Main Search Page
Blue Drop down Menu select " Library Catalogue"
Title Search: Enter "British Army",
From these Titles look at the British Army Military Records, say "S"
Select this and the then upper top right corner select view film notes.
You will then get a a range of  1-100 of 3371 Burnt Records in the "S" range. ( this is the same as the ranges in the NA)
Just work your way through until you get the range that cover your soldier, for example names beginning with Sy will be towards the end of 3371.
Ask the LDS centre to get the film for you. Sometimes common names will be over a range of names, so you will need more than one film.

For your names up to "N" these are on Ancestry, but who knows when they will list the remainder.
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: LoneyBones on Sunday 19 April 09 06:06 BST (UK)
Hi Michael,
I'm also interested in seeing the burnt WW1 files.
May I ask PK2 how to access them from the LDS web site, please?

I also have lots of NOBLES, mostly in Australia, but prior to that they're all from Durham & Yorkshire.
I have a Mary STOBBS, b. 1774, Tanfield, Durham.  Father,  John STOBBS. She married into my WALTON line.

We may have some connection here.
Leonie.
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: km1971 on Sunday 19 April 09 06:30 BST (UK)

I'm also interested in seeing the burnt WW1 files.
May I ask PK2 how to access them from the LDS web site, please?


You have to go to a LDS centre or to Kew to access the microfilms. The only online access to WW1 Service Records is Ancestry. As mentioned in Paulene's link, they have published only the A to Ns in the Service Records. The last batch was put online in early November 2008.

They are taken from the microfilms (WO363 in Kew). Any records already online, for men with surname starting O to Z, are miss-files from the microfilming. It follows that a few A to Ns are still to be found.


Ken

Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: forester on Sunday 19 April 09 15:12 BST (UK)
William Weakner, Driver 1485 and 765175 was a Territorial.
I don't have access to his MIC but he went overseas prior to early 1917.
In early 1917 six figure numbers were introduced for the Territorials.

His six figure number is one of a batch allotted to 253 Brigade (1/4 Northumbrian) and 318 Brigade (2/4 Northumbrian). 253 Bde was broken up in July 1916, however and 318 Bde was renumbered 223 Bde in July 1916. Both were Howitzer Brigades.

http://www.1914-1918.net/cra.htm

Prior to the war 4th Northumbrian (Howitzer) Brigade HQ was at Bolingbroke St, South Shields.

Unfortunately, the later the date, the more men have been moved around, so although the numbers indicate his origins, they do not necessarily indicate his movements.

Phil

Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: PK2 on Monday 20 April 09 00:01 BST (UK)
Leonie

Have added to my original post, hope it is clear as you probably know the LDS searches are somewhat convoluted, but the more you do the more find out just how much stuff they hold, but you need a Centre near to you.

Good luck,
Pat
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: mrnoble on Monday 20 April 09 10:59 BST (UK)
Phil
thank you so much - I have been searching for this sort of info for ages - where did you find it, from the LDS records?
Michael
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: mrnoble on Monday 20 April 09 12:11 BST (UK)
Hi Leonie
My Nobles are all in London. My Stobbs however are almost all in South Shields - in fact I think I am related to half the population of South Shields! However, I cant really get back beyond John Stobbs b 1817 but in Manchester - all the rest were born in South Shields.
Michael
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: LoneyBones on Monday 20 April 09 13:01 BST (UK)
Tanfield is only about 25 miles from South Shields, Michael, but a long way from Manchester.  :D Keep looking.
Unfortunately Phil, we no longer have an LDS center in our area.
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: Redroger on Monday 20 April 09 14:51 BST (UK)
Regarding the burnt records, I understand that everything which survived is now available. However, there is one thing puzzling me; I am researching a fairly rare surname Luffman, and find that some Luffman records have survived but not others. Does anyone know how the records were filed prior to their destruction; i.e. were they in regimental and name order, or just in name order? Knowing this could make the searches easier.
Title: Re: Burnt WW1 records
Post by: forester on Monday 20 April 09 19:57 BST (UK)
mrnoble,

The info has been gleaned from various sources over the years, including threads on the Great War Forum and extracting casualties with similar numbers from CWGC and SDGW.

For some inexplicable reason, I just have an interest in the Territorial RFA.

Despite there being an LDS Centre a couple of miles away from me, I have never used it, although I use Family Search for the IGI etc frequently.

Phil