Genealogy Chat

Top tip - using the Genes Reunited community

Welcome to the Genes Reunited community boards!

  • The Genes Reunited community is made up of millions of people with similar interests. Discover your family history and make life long friends along the way.
  • You will find a close knit but welcoming group of keen genealogists all prepared to offer advice and help to new members.
  • And it's not all serious business. The boards are often a place to relax and be entertained by all kinds of subjects.
  • The Genes community will go out of their way to help you, so don’t be shy about asking for help.

Boards

Quick Search

Single word search

Tools

Findmypast DNA Banner

Icons

  • New posts
  • No new posts
  • Thread closed
  • Stickied, new posts
  • Stickied, no new posts

where do i start

Login to Add Reply Watch This
ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Katherine

Katherine Report 29 May 2007 19:44

hi all, may sound stupid to you but have suddenly found a photo of my grandad William Sergeant Hill in what looks like an army photo, all it has on the back is taken between 1914-1918. How would i find out what uniform it is or is there a site that might be able to track his service life down. Any help would be gratefully appreciated. kathy Gellatly(Nee Hill)

Ivy

Ivy Report 29 May 2007 20:08

My father helped me with my grandfather's war career. It might help to know that the soldiers were recruited locally in the 1914-1918 war - so since my grandfather lived in Warwickshire, he went into the Warwickshire Yeomanry (they were lucky enough to be sent to Egypt and spent most of their time roaming the desert rather than being shot at in trenches). It may be more complicated in cities - have a look at the thread that Marilyn has just started about the help from Genuki on searching military records.

*~Lizbeth~*

*~Lizbeth~* Report 29 May 2007 20:11

You could try the Great War forum (type into google). They have a board where people help identify uniforms and badges etc. I would suggest having a look at that, they've helped me with a few mystery photos! Liz

Katherine

Katherine Report 29 May 2007 20:21

thanks Ivy and Lizbeth will try them both wish me luck.

Ivy

Ivy Report 29 May 2007 21:01

Indeed, good luck - I hope you do find his regiment. The regimental history makes fascinating reading even if your own ancestor is not mentioned. All the best, over and out!

Joy

Joy Report 29 May 2007 21:24

If you subscribe (free) to this site, I am sure someone will be able to help. MM Joy http://www.1914-1918.net/

Katherine

Katherine Report 30 May 2007 18:35

thanks all it certainly is an interesting sight will have fun on this. Kathy

Heather

Heather Report 30 May 2007 18:45

Have you been to the National Archives online documents site? You can enter his name and see if his medal card is on there. Ancestry is beginning to list WW1 Pensions but only got to 'B' initial so far. Im afraid its not strictly true about joining a local unit. At the beginning there were a lot of local units, boosted by the advertising campaigns - as the war went on and men were being killed by the many thousands then you went where you were sent. All wars are terrible, but that war was such an awful slaughter of young lives. A lot of WW1 records were burnt during bombing in WW2 so you have to be very lucky to find your ancestors survived that. They will be at Kew if they did - you can check on National Archives site for details.

Wendy

Wendy Report 30 May 2007 23:46

Two suggestions- Do you have a local museum who could point you in the direction of a military expert? If so you may be able to identify the regiment. Can you trace any medal that he received? If so, all WW1 medals had ther name, number and I think regt inscribed round the rim. With this info you can probably progress further!