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I'm trying to trace my great grandfather's WW1 military record. He was born William Whiting in Blaenavon, 1876. I have found a POW record (FMP) dated 1918 that appears to be him. I can't find anything else. Where's the best place to search as it seems most of the genealogy web sites have bits and pieces but no complete records.
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The POW record was for a man in the S.W. Borderers.
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Use this site for WW1 POW records - https://grandeguerre.icrc.org
This man was born in Blaenavon -
https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/List/2531036/698/37422/
Born 1.5.1876
NOK - Wife Staffordshire Row, Monmouthshire
His Service records may be amongst those that were lost in a fire during WW2
His medal card on Ancestry shows he was a Sgt with the SWBorderers, Regimental No. 24157. He was awarded the Victory and British Medals, but no other information
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Huge numbers of WW1 service records have not survived.
It's just luck if you happen to find records for a specific person.
Ancestry has all surviving records, as explained below. I expect FMP has, too.
About UK, British Army World War I Service Records, 1914-1920
Approximately 5 million men served in the British Army in World War One (WWI). This database contains the surviving service records of non-commissioned officers and other ranks who served in WWI and did not re-enlist in the Army prior to World War II. With the final release, this database now contains the entire service records collection.
These records contain a variety of forms, including:
Attestation forms - the form completed by the individual on enlistment
Medical history forms
Casualty forms
Disability statements
Regimental conduct sheets
Awards
Proceedings on Discharge
Cover for Discharge Documents
Index Cards
Information available in these records includes:
Name of soldier
Age
Birthplace
Occupation
Marital status
Regimental number
Date of attestation
Physical description
Historical Background:
The British Army World War One Service Records are War Office (WO) records also known as the WO363 records and the ‘Burnt Documents.’ In 1940 there was a World War Two bombing raid on the War Office in London where the records were held. During this raid, a large portion (approximately 60 percent) of the 6.5 million records was destroyed by fire. The surviving service records have become known as the ‘Burnt Documents’.
Although many of these records suffered water damage following the bombing raid, all surviving service and pension records were microfilmed by The National Archives, where both collections are held, as part of a major TNA conservation project.
Tips and Notes:
Some records may have been stored and/or filmed in incorrect alphabetical order.
Some records may appear to be out of order due to a misspelling or misreading of the name.
Some soldiers did not record their first names; some of them only used initials, and others used nicknames or diminutive names.
Browse this collection
To browse this image set, select from the options below.
First Letter of Last Name
First Two Letters of a Last Name
First Three Letters of a Last Name
Related data collections
UK, British Army World War I Pension Records 1914-1920
This database contains service records of non-commissioned officers and other ranks who were discharged from the Army and claimed disability pensions for service in WWI. These were also men who did not re-enlist in the Army prior to World War II. The type of information contained in these records includes: name of solider, age, birthplace, occupation, marital status, and regiment number.
UK, British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
This database contains the Medal Rolls Index, or Medal Index Cards. The collection currently contains approximately 4.8 million people, which is nearly all of the total collection. The records can be searched by first and last name and Corps, Unit or Regiment. These cards were created by the Army Medal Office (AMO) of the United Kingdom in Droitwich near the close of World War I (WWI).
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919
This database contains information extracted from 81 volumes of soldiers that died in World War I. It includes over 703,000 individuals. Information listed may include: name of soldier, birthplace, enlistment place, residence, number, decoration, rank, regiment, battalion, type of casualty, death date, death place, and theater of war served in.
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70% at least of all WW1 records did not survive....bear in mind for future reference ;-) ;-)
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1921 Census Of England & Wales
4, Staffordshire Row, Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales
William Whiting Head Male 1876 45 Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales Coal Miner Hewer Blaenavon Company, Out Of Work
Agnes Whiting Wife Female 1881 39 Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales Home Duties -
Ethel May Whiting Daughter Female 1907 14 Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales - -
Margaretta Whiting Daughter Female 1908 13 Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales - -
Wilfred Whiting Son Male 1910 11 Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales - -
Thomas Henry Whiting Son Male 1911 9 Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales - -
Melvin Whiting Son Male 1914 7 Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales - -
William Whiting Son Male 1916 5 Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales - -
Leonard Whiting Son Male 1917 4 Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales - -
Raymond Whiting Son Male 1920 1 Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales -
Plus a Boarder, named William Davies
Marriages Sep 1906 (>99%)
DAVIES Agnes Abergavenny 11a 122
WHITING William Abergavenny 11a 122
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Birth date 01 May 1876
Capture location Merville
Capture date 12 Apr 1918
Service number 15364
Wounded No
Rank Sergeant
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1911 Census For England & Wales
4 Stafford Row Blaenavon, Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, Wales
William Whiting Head Married Male 34 1877 Coal miner hewer Mon Blaenavon
Agnes Whiting Wife Married Female 29 1882 - Mon Blaenavon
Wilfred Whiting Son Single Male 1 1910 - Mon Blaenavon
Ethel May Whiting Daughter Single Female 4 1907 - Mon Blaenavon
Margarretta Whiting Daughter Single Female 2 1909 - Mon Blaenavon
William Davies Boarder Single Male 25 1886 Stoker engine Mon Blaenavon
1939 Register
No 4 Stafford Row, Blaenavon, Blaenavon U.D., Monmouthshire, Wales
William Whiting 03 Jun 1876 Male Collier Below Ground Married 31 1
Agnes Whiting 15 Aug 1881 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 31 2
Wilfred Whiting 07 Dec 1909 Male Collier Below Ground Single 31 3
Raymond Whiting 13 Feb 1920 Male Cashier Below Ground Single 31 4
David Whiting 16 Oct 1922 Male Collier Below Ground Single 31 5
A Joan (Agnes) Cometson (Whiting) 11 Jun 1924 Female At Home Incapacitated Single 31 6
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From Fold 3
Full Name: Whiting, William
Birth Date: 1876
Discharge Date: 30 Mar 1919
Service Number: 15364
Address Add: 4 Staffordshre RRow
SWB
Rank: Sgt
Service Branch: Military (Army)
1914 - 1926
Reference Number:
378/05MW
Document Number:
5/MW/No6614
It also says he had the disability of Bronchitis & debility
Commencement of pension 21/3/19
There is also a record saying death notified 3/6/18 to widow Agnes of 4 Staffordshre Row (same service number) but there is an added note 7/9/18 probably POW - man alive. I can't read the next bit other than the date 19/10/20
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