Find Ancestors

To clarify, here's what the National Archives say about the WW1 Army service records for "other ranks"

What records can I see online?

Soldiers' records (1914-1920)

Search military records of non-commissioned officers and other ranks on Ancestry (£) including service records (WO 363), pension records (WO 364) and campaign medal cards.

These cover regular soldiers who may have enlisted as early as 1892 for 22 years' service as well as a small number of stray service records of pre-war soldiers who did not serve from 1914-1920.

You should find
soldiers discharged between 1914 and 1920
soldiers killed in action between 1914 and 1920
soldiers who served in the war and died of wounds or disease without being discharged to pension
soldiers who were demobilised at the end of the war

You are unlikely to find
regular soldiers who continued in the army after 1920
soldiers who transferred to another service, taking their service record with them

AND

Many army service records between 1914 and 1920 do not exist as they were destroyed by enemy bombing in 1940 - only about 40% survive.

Stone Wall

My post "Ancestry has all WW1 Army records for "other ranks" but not officers" was in reply to part of Sylvia's post , as follows

If they are not on ancestry, then I do not think they can be found anywhere, as I am under the impression that ancestry has digitised all the existing records for WW1 men.

Ancestry has all SURVIVING WW1 Army records for other ranks. You'll see elsewhere on this thread that I and others have said that a lot of them were destroyed, so unfortunately if you've searched Ancestry and his records aren't there, then they haven't survived.

was plain ann on April 24 2013 17:04 you stated

"Ancestry has all WW1 Army records for "other ranks" but not officers."

I have a great uncle who served and died in 1917. I have information from CWGC on his death but have been unable to access any records for his service.

If as you have said in the above quote that "ALL" records can be obtained through Ancestry will you be willing to guarantee me that, if I send you a PM with his details you can get those records.

Why would I say I've found records for men who died but others haven't? It's the same as saying that I've found records of men who survived but others haven't.

The fact remains that some have survived for those who died and some have survived for those who survived. Lots haven't, in both cases.

A simple statement that so many were destroyed so it's fairly likely that a record won't be found is enough, without putting ideas in peoples heads that if a man died his record won't be found. It's not important that YOU haven't found anything - it's what MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT BE AVAILABLE which counts.

was plain ann

you aay ............


"I'm not telling you off! I just want to make the point that perhaps you shouldn't be saying that you haven't found records for those who died/ who may have been "removed from the active file", because it's misleading."


BUT, it's the TRUTH


I cannot in honesty say that people will find service records for dead servicemen on Ancestry .................... because I myself have never found them.

I can only say that they MAY find them, if they are lucky, because others have found them, but I have not.


That is why I am pretty careful about what I say


I've told you what I say, and it is in my post addressed to Chloe on this very thread.


This is what I post, usually in these very same words ............

I have myself never found a service record for a dead serviceman on ancestry ........... others have done so, but I never have. I have in the past assumed that they might have been removed from the active file


What else do you want me to say?????

I'd be lying to say anything else!

You yourself are misleading when you say that you have found lots of service records for dead men on ancestry ............. without acknowledging that others have not been successful.


I see you as being misleading, because the way you posted that implies that everyone will.



does that make you understand why I do not understand why you are going after me.


I wouldn't care if I was doing what you say BUT I AM NOT


I have always been very careful about stating what applies to me, but that others have found differently.

Sylvia

You said this (referring to service records of those who died, and that you hadn't found any)

.......... so it would be very unfair of me to tell anyone that you "will" find those records on ancestry.

My comment , as follows, which is a perfectly reasonable thing to say

It would be unfair to tell anyone that ANY WW1 service record will be found on Ancestry, as so many were destroyed.

I'm not telling you off! I just want to make the point that perhaps you shouldn't be saying that you haven't found records for those who died/ who may have been "removed from the active file", because it's misleading.

was plain ann


BUT I do say that only about 30% of WW1 service records survived WW2 ......................


I gave you the reason why I did not add that to my post on here.


I NEVER say that all WW1 service records can be found on ancestry ............. I have not said anything else but that since the records first became availaable on ancestry.

I tell people that they will very lucky if they find the record



so I do not understand why you are being so obdurate in telling me off for something I DO NOT DO

That is why I see you as being disagreeable.

I think it really is just luck if you find WW1 records - my grandfather and four of his sons served and I have found records for three of them (just over 50%) and one of those (as said in my post above) is for one who was killed. It's just the luck of the draw, unfortunately.

I have to add my experience to what Sylvia is saying.
My grandmother´s brother was killed in action 24.8.1914. I have his info from the Commonwealth Graves site & I have his medal, but his service record is not on Ancestry. Nor are those of his two older brothers who survived, but have found a record for his younger brother.
I just assumed that the ones I was looking for were among the ones which had been destroyed.

I'm not being disagreeable - just trying to put the record straight! Just because you haven't found records for any man who died, doesn't mean that they don't exist! I am right in that they do exist. Just think your statement might be misleading to inexperienced people, that's all.

I say what I said because I've never found any service man who is known dead that I have been looking for

I've found death records, I've found where buried, etc etc. I've found medal cards, BUT i have not found service records on ancestry

Now, I maybe am just plain unlucky, but that is MY experience.


That's why I normally say in full ..................

Only about 30% of WW1service records survived WW2, and many of those that have survived are badly damaged and / or incomplete. I myself have never found any records for dead servicemen, and have assumed that they were moved from the active file after death. I do know that other people have found them, but I have not.


On this thread, others had already told Chloe that there was only a small percentage of surviving records, and I did not wish to repeat that again.



As I said, as I have never found them myself, I can only say that, with the addition that "others say they have".


I don't quite know why you are being so in disagreement with me ......... I might even say disagreeable ................ it seems to me as though you are deliberately misunderstanding what I've written, and are determined that you must be right and I must be wrong.


very strange!

Sylvia

It would be unfair to tell anyone that ANY WW1 service record will be found on Ancestry, as so many were destroyed.

I've looked for thousands of WW1 records on Ancestry and on film at the National Archives before they were digitised and can only say that there are many service records for those who died. Don't know quite why people keep saying that there aren't.......

was plain ann ...................

I know others who say that service records for men who died are on Ancestry .............


I merely say that I myself have never found any, and I have looked for "lots", both for myself and for others.


.......... so it would be very unfair of me to tell anyone that you "will" find those records on ancestry.

There are plenty of surviving service records for men who died, on Ancestry.

Ancestry has all WW1 Army records for "other ranks" but not officers.

Chloe


I have to say that I have not yet found service records for a serviceman who died in WW1.

I know others have ............... but I have not, and I have assumed in the past that records for men who died were removed from the "active" file.


If they are not on ancestry, then I do not think they can be found anywhere, as I am under the impression that ancestry has digitised all the existing records for WW1 men,

thank you chris more info the better

Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919 - soldier details (FMP)
Name: Stephen SWATTON
Rank: PRIVATE
Initials: S
Birthplace: Wickham, Berks
Residence:
Enlisted: Hastings
Regiment, Corps etc.: Royal Sussex Regiment

Battalion etc.: 13th Battalion.
Raised at Bexhill 20.11.14 by Lieut. Col. C. Lowther, M.P. and committee. Subsequent record same as 11th Bn. to May 1918, then 23.5.18 reduced to training cadre. 17.6.18 to 118th Bde. 39th Div. 14.8.18 disbanded and personnel to 1/4th Bn.

Number: G/17975
Date died: 23 September 1916
How died: Killed in action
Theatre of war: British Expeditionary Force

Chris :)

Have sent Chloe George Swatton's WW1 images.

George, I think I have been quite lucky in finding WW1 records for my father's family. Of 4 brothers who served, I have found records for two, including one who died. That one included a list of all the family members made out by my grandmother, I presume for some memorial.

thank you so much for helping potty lt will make interesting reading

Forces war records will have details, but they are not his service records, these can only be found on Ancestry, if they have survived, it seems they have not, which is a shame.

Also what is strange only a very few service records of soldiers who died in WW1 can be found, personally i have only ever found one.

George