My Grandparents War

[Barsel]

Have any of you been watching this? I've found it really interesting to watch and it set me thinking about what my Grandparents did in the first world war.Do you know how I would be able to find out? Thanks.

[Barsel]

Tony where did you get all the info?

[Barmaid]

He told us all this. Sorry, I was thinking how to solve your problem and my mind wandered.

If you try ancestry (most libraries will have access) I think you can include birthplace.

Also you could try the British newspaper archive (On find my past again most libraries and do a search for them by geographical area).

[Barmaid]

Oh also try the national archive website. You might be able to find a medal card which will give number and regiment.

[Barsel]

Thanks Barmaid. I'm too tired now but will have a look tomorrow.x

[tonyav]

Some I already knew ( passed through the elder family members ) but service numbers, medals ext I found out on the site that emmie links to. Basically enter the name and year born ( or there abouts ) and you will get all the those with that name come up and what service they were in ( Army, Navy or Royal flying corps ). And then take it from there. You will find what you need to know if you put the effort in, barsel.

[THECORBYLOON]

You can use this site, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-united-kingdom-records-in-military-armed-forces-and-conflict

You need to join but it's free for fourteen days.
I must have used it for some reason yonks ago when it was free because I have access to it still but paid nothing.

[THECORBYLOON]

Meant to say you can narrow it down by date of birth on that site.

[10ClarionSt]

Barmaid, the senior American commander disobeyed orders and moved on Rome, so that the Americans could say they liberated it.

[zebo]

ancestry.co.uk has lots of WW1 documents, it's a website you need to pay for but most libraries have access to it for free, well well a couple of hours browsing.

[zebo]

Should have read well worth, obviously!
If you get a free 14-day access you can do it everytime, make up another email address.

[Peter Pedant]

My late father wrote about his war years ( Dunkirk and 5 y in a POW camp). Luckily it is written. Our younger generation is studiously ( or punctiliously) uninterested in it all.

(he mined out of a POW camp for chrissakes)[and I find the questions that are rarely asked: "how come he wasnt gassed and anyway what was he doing in a concentration camp if he wasnt a jew?" - actually too distressing to answer]

//Indeed, he was driving at the front, but they had to wait for Gen Mark Clark to get there (some of this may be inaccurate w/o consulting my notes).//

Churchill was always looking for a quick fix, and invading Italy and going up the soft underbelly of the enemy was one. It didnt work - like Gallipoli. Clark took Rome because he wanted a triumphal parade, and there were known difficulties with the English side ( they didnt like each other) which were not addressed. The delay allowed the Germans to fortify Monte Cassino but they might have done that anyway.
( done without notes as well) - not one of WW2's great triumphs