A faded photograph of my Uncle Arthur’s grave had been in the family for more
than 80 years. But it was only after a trip to France five years ago that I
found out more about his death, aged 19, on the first day of the Somme.
I had expected a long search for his grave, but, thanks to the efficiency of
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Holts, the specialists in
battlefield tours, finding it was surprisingly easy. And, since then, such
searches have become easier still.
If you’re trying to trace the grave of a relative who died on active
service, these are your first contacts:
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (01628 507200, www.cwgc.org)
maintains 2,500 war cemeteries in 150 countries commemorating 1.7 million
war casualties. The Debt of Honour Register on its website is a database
listing the men and women from Commonwealth forces who died during the two
world wars and the 23,000 places where they are commemorated. With even just
a few facts about a relative, it can produce results at impressive speed.
National Archives (020-8876 3444, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk)
houses Army Lists, usually organised by regiment, and the Medal Roll Index,
listing servicemen’s and women’s medal entitlement, rank and unit and
possibly their postings. The Archives also has battalion war diaries and
census records.
Specialist tour companies cater for a growing interest in war and
family history, often as personal pilgrimages to relatives’ graves. Holts
Tours (0845 3750430, www.holts.co.uk)
has trips to the major battlefields and cemeteries of Europe and beyond,
including the biggest British and Commonwealth war cemeteries, at Tyne Cot
near Ypres in Belgium (First World War), and Reichwald Forest, near Kleve in
Germany (Second World War).
Leger Holidays (0845 458 5599, www.legerbreaks.info)
features Europe, the Falklands and Gallipoli and uses experienced
specialists who can research servicemen’s histories.
Also offering a research service are Battlefield Tours (0121 4305348, www.battlefieldtours.co.uk)
and Western Front Battlefield Tours (01492 576726, www.wfbt.muon.org.uk),
both of whom run escorted tours and individual, bespoke ones. Kingshead
Adventures (01689 837736, www.kingsheadadventures. com) offers a research
service and specialises in bespoke tours for a maximum of six people.
First World War websites include www.ww1battlefields.co.uk,
which has details and photographs of battlefields, and www.19141918.net/home.htm,
which has plenty of helpful information, including tips on research. The
Ancestry database of four billion names (www.ancestry.co. uk) includes First
World War pension records, with personal information on individual soldiers.
Other useful sources of information include the Imperial War Museum
(020-7416 5320, www.iwm.org.uk for
general information, maps and military documents. Plus regimental museums,
local newspapers and, most visibly, war memorials and church Rolls of
Honour.
Other battlefield tours:
Crécy and Agincourt in France, with In the Footsteps (01989
565599, www.inthefootsteps.com),
a small group leaving on August 26 for two nights, £395pp.
Little Big Horn and Wounded Knee in the American West, with
Holts Tours (0845 3750400, www.holts.co.uk)
for 13 days, leaving on August 10, from £3,195pp.
The Zulu and Boer wars in South Africa, including a reenactment
of Rorke’s Drift to coincide with the 129th anniversary, with Battlefield
Tours (0121-430 5348, www.battlefieldtours.co.uk).
Eight nights from January 17, from £1,650pp. All tours are in 2008 and
include escorted travel, accommodation and most meals.
