RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: GrahamSimons on Wednesday 25 September 13 16:50 BST (UK)
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I am struggling – have struggled for some time! Knowing RootsChat as I do, I'm hoping that someone knowledgeable will be able to point me in the right direction.
My distant cousin Ruby Marian Barrett, daughter of Dr William Peard Barrett and Marian Elliott Watson, was b 7 May 1892 in Folkestone. She married, also in Folkestone, on 3 July 1914, Otto von Oettingen, son of Burchard von Oettingen and Anna von Wolff. The von Oettingen family were Prussian; Burchard was a horse breeder of some repute. I know most of the family details and am happy to share, but that's not really my issue here.
They moved to Germany and I believe that Otto served with the 155th Royal Prussian Infantry, though I don't know if he was posted elsewhere; I know he died during WW1. Just recently I have found a hint that he was killed in action in Flanders in August 1917. There is a poignancy here as Ruby's brother Lt Cecil Roy Barrett was killed near Ypres in June 1917.
There was a daughter, Zlota, born in Berlin 2 September 1915. Immigration cards and the Brazilian equivalent of the London Gazette have her arriving in Brazil in May 1939 as a governess and naturalising in 1953.
Immigration cards also have Ruby, her mother, visiting Brazil on a British passport in 1951 and 1956. In 1964 a solicitor's search, dealing with a family Will, found her still living in Cologne as a widow.
So – my questions.
1. How can I research the service or war grave of Otto von Oettingen?
2. Is there a way of locating Ruby von Oettingen's death or probate in Germany? This would have been between about 1964 and 1990.
3. Is there a way of locating Zlota von Oettingen's marriage (if she married) and death in Brazil? Her death will have been between about 1964 and the present.
My thanks to the experts.....
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You could perhaps make a start here:
http://www.volksbund.de/en/volksbund.html
Imber
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Thank you for the suggestion, but sadly he's not listed there. However I've had help from another researcher and I have this information:
"I found an entry in a regimental officer's list which includes Otto von Oettingen. Here is a translation of the original German entry:
Served as a one-year volunteer in 1. Guard Ulan Regiment and was commissioned a Reserve Lieutentat of that Regiment (1. GUR) on 27.01.1907.
At mobilization on 02.08.1914 he reported to the 1. GUR. Promoted first lieutenant. At the beginning of 1916 he was detached to the Guard Fusilier Regiment and then to Captain. He was killed near Langemark on 31. July 1917.
This is the source:
Eberhardt, Magnus von: Offizier Stammliste des Garde Füsilier Regiments von 1826 bis 1918, nebst Liste der Offiziere der Beurlaubtenstandes (Reserve und Garde Füsiulier Landwehr Regiment) sowie der Sanitätsoffiziere und Zahlmeister. Klasing; Berlin 1922 P. 391"
There is a big German war cemetery at Langemark; but if he's not listed by the Volksbund my guess is that he lies in one of the graves for unidentified bodies, or that his body was not found.
Thank you ever so much.
Graham
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His Guard Fusilier Regiment was in 3rd Guards Division.
3rd Guards Division
Guard Fusilier Regt, Lehr Regt, 9 Grenadier Regt.
They were attacked on 31st July by 38th Welsh Division and 51st Highland Division to the west of Langemark.
Buzancy18
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Thank you - it all adds to the picture. Otto has stopped being quite so much of an enigma.
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Do you know where in Brasil she was?
Buzancy18
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This is all I have from her immigration card - I can't read it!
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Hi there. Merry Christmas!
I've only just joined the rootschat site.
My friend is the great nephew of Ruby Marian Barrett.
He would like to correspond with you, Graham.
He has a lot of info you might well like to know.
Is it ok to ask for an email address?
Kind regards
David
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My friend is the great nephew of Ruby Marian Barrett.
He would like to correspond with you, Graham.
He has a lot of info you might well like to know.
Is it ok to ask for an email address?
Hello David - I have sent you a personal message through RootsChat which should land up in your email inbox as well (this avoids posting email addresses here for spammers to harvest). Would love to get in contact. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes
Graham
PS You won't be able to send me a Personal Message until you have made (I think) two posts on RootsChat; of course you can email me direct. G
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Here is another source for you:
The german Verein für Computergenealogie (CompGen) is transcribing various lists of Missing and killed in WW 1:
Verlustlisten 1. Weltkrieg
http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/6561591
"Verwundet und vermisst" = wounded and missing.
It's only a small view window, but if you hold the left mouse button down on the blue area in the list, then you can move the viewing window.
Bob
ps. search mask, if you need to find others:
http://des.genealogy.net/eingabe-verlustlisten/search/index
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Here is another source for you:
The german Verein für Computergenealogie (CompGen) is transcribing various lists of Missing and killed in WW 1:
Bob
Thank you for that - one source I hadn't discovered. Every small piece helps in the jigsaw!
His rank is given as Rittm d.A.; Rittmeister I can cope with as a cavalry rank, but could d.A. mean [in] der Akte, in other words acting rank? Any other thoughts welcomed!
Graham
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Just in case you haven't seen this for Zlota Ruby Dorothee von Oettingen (with links to her parents, a few photos, etc.)-
https://www.geni.com/people/Zlota-Ruby-von-Oettingen/6000000018358818787
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Just in case you haven't seen this for Zlota Ruby Dorothee von Oettingen (with links to her parents, a few photos, etc.)-
https://www.geni.com/people/Zlota-Ruby-von-Oettingen/6000000018358818787
Thank you - yes this one of the sources I have seen but as always every piece of the jigsaw helps!
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I thought perhaps you hadn't come across it since you didn't list the full names of the family but notice that some of the information is also available on Family Search which I'm sure you've already searched.