New and updated armed forces records have been added to Ancestry.co.uk.
You can view a short video about Ancestry.co.uk‘s records on YouTube.
Ancestry has added:
Commonwealth War Graves records 1914-1921 and 1939-1947
Ancestry says: “A collection of cemetery and memorial registers from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is in this database.
“The Commonwealth War Graves Commission was established in 1917 by Royal Charter to honour the men and women of the Commonwealth who died in the World Wars. Cemeteries and grave headstones are erected by the Commission as part of that memorial. There are currently over 2,000 Commission cemeteries in about 150 countries. The registers of the cemeteries represented in this database only account for a small percentage of the total cemeteries in existence; this collection is by no means complete.
“The cemetery registers generally provide details on who is buried in the cemetery and where they are buried. The memorial registers list the names of individuals with no known grave. Some of the register entries have additional details as particulars given in the Registers of the Graves have been compiled from information furnished by the Record Offices and the next-of-kin. In all cases the relatives have been asked to furnish the personal information they wish to appear in the Register, and where possible this has been given in their actual words (Register Preface).”
Prisoner of War records (for officers) 1914-1918
Ancestry says: “This database contains a listing of World War I British Army prisoners of war (POW). Information provided about them includes:
- Name;
- Rank;
- Regiment;
- POW number;
- Date Missing;
- Repatriation Date.”
Memorial books for WWI and WWII
Ancestry says: “The three books in this database contain names of people from the University of London Officers Training Corps and the London County Council staff who served in World War I, and residents from the Borough of Croydon who served or were killed in World War II. The volumes typically provide some biographical details for each person mentioned. Information provided varies, but you may find the following details:
- name;
- birth date;
- residence;
- military unit(s);
- rank;
- dates of service;
- date, place, and cause of death;
- place of burial;
- prisoners of war;
- honours and awards;
- photograph.
“Each volume also contains some history of either World War I or II as it relates to its subject. Along with military personnel, the Croydon Honor Roll includes citizens killed during the war.”
In addition, Ancestry has updated its databases of:
- UK Navy Lists 1888-1970;
- British Prisoners of War 1939-1945.
