Hello, Not sure if this is the place to post? Google is driving me mad and the reviews for 'Find Ancestors Military Information' websites are not giving me much hope! I'm doing my family tree (Ancestry) which is a puzzle within its self, but I seem to be really struggling with connecting the dots within Military sections. Ancestry doesn't give much information and I don't have much additional information to add. I just wondered how to go about piecing this together? The best websites, forums etc. I don't mind paying an individual/ subscription and I know not all records are available. I just wanted to avoid places like the gov. websites, where you have to essentially, 'try before you buy'. I just have no idea how to go about it and I the information I have isn't enough for me, a novice, to do anything with. So, I wonder if anyone could help, or point me in the right direction, or just let me know if it will be impossible. So here's all the information I have and what I'm trying to find out, if possible. (My Grandad) Henry William Welch, born circa 1924 in Hoxton, London and is to believed to have been in the Rifle Brigade around 1944-1946. (Never saw action) This is all the information we have on him. I would like to know if I could find a picture of him and if its possible to get his numbers. Some sites I've been on give me some information, but nothing that seems like a definite link. (My Great Uncle) John Samuel Welch born circa 1919 in Hoxton, London. He was a POW in Germany. This is all the information we have on him. I would like to know if I could find a picture of him and if its possible to get his numbers. Some sites I've been on give me some information, but nothing that seems like a definite link.
Welcome to the forum Do not use pay for sites on the internet Other forum members will be along to offer advice The only place for info is in the link below You do not require their service numbers You require the below to apply Date of birth Death certificate £30 Get a copy of military service records
UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 Name: J S Welch Rank: Sapper Army Number: 2090630 Regiment: Royal Engineers POW Number: 9267 Camp Type: Stalag Camp Number: XX-B Camp Location: Malbork, Poland Maybe your Great Uncle England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: John Samuel Welch Death Age: 77 Birth Date: 15 Apr 1919 Registration Date: Jun 1996 Registration District: Hackney Inferred County: Greater London Register Number: A34F District and Subdistrict: 2301A Entry Number: 172 Need a copy of this certificate if you apply for his service records
Henry William “Ben” Welch 1922–2008 BIRTH 1922 • Hoxton, London DEATH 2008 • Hoxton, London, England UK, World War II Royal Artillery Tracer Cards, 1939-1948 Name: Henry Welch Enlistment Date: 10 Apr 1941 Regiment: Royal Artillery Military Unit: 623 Regiment Service Number: 1795445 623 INFANTRY REGIMENT RA(TA) 623 Infantry Regiment RA(TA) - The Royal Artillery 1939-45
Hey Tricky Dicky! Yes the photo is him, the ancestry account is registered to my dad. We done these search’s and have come across these before and we believe they could be them. That’s kind of what I was trying to do here, wondering if there’s anyway of getting any more information and “confirming” if it is him. I used the word loosely because I know it’s difficult to be 100% sure. Thanks so much for your help xx
Some National Archives have files you can download for free. The information from Tricky Dicky says your great uncle was at Stalg XX-B. Australian National Archives has a file you can download free which includes 14 pages of a report on conditions at Stalag XX-B. ( Note that the " Stalag XX-B" can sometimes be typed as "Stalag XX B" when searching for files. Rarely it can be Stalag 20B or 20 B) If you go to Australian National Archives, find "Record Search", then "Advanced Search" ( this is the bottom box "Items" ) then at the form that appears type in the barcode number or "Item ID" as : 6016779 you will find the file. There will be a symbol for a pdf of the file which click on, wait for a bit, and it will arrive. It is a 48 MB download. The report on Stalag XXB is at page 91 to 105. Screenshot from the Australian file.
you say it could be him re your first post details are they the details you know or are they details you have assumed from various internet searches ? just checking because you could go along the wrong path if you dont get it right at the start
Hi CL1, The only things we know for definite are what I posted in my original post, which isn't much. We've come across the things on Ancestry and 'saved' them. I wondered if there was another way to see if these documents were for my family. Thanks Annie x
Hello Annie you have all the experts on here who will be able to help if we assume your first posted details are correct then you have the info you need to apply for their service records which has been supplied by TD you have the birth dates you have the death dates with those you can apply for their death certs here General Register Office - Online Ordering Service - Login cost about £10 each cert then once you have them you apply here Get a copy of military service records at a cost of £30 each regards Clive
Will their death certificates give anymore information about the military? When/where he died, a 'definite' on his battalion etc.. If a letter was sent to his family, informing them of his passing, do you know if there is anywhere to view these? thanks xx
good luck with your research and keep us posted on how you get on if you have any other questions please ask on here and forum members will try to assist you you will only find their service records on the government link supplied you will not find them on the internet even if sites suggest they have them regards Clive
Annie they did not die in service so the death certs will only show what they died of your best bet is to apply for them first and then you might get other family details on them which will confirm if you are on the right track
Thank you. Sorry I’m getting confused with another forum. I have a John Q who died of his wounds at France and Flanders during WW1. John Welch was a POW and Henry Welch saw no action. Henry is my dads father, so we have his death certificate & John married but had no children. I was trying to find out if the Ancestry search’s we have done and the limited knowledge we know, could somehow be ‘more confirmed’ to be them & if there was any other sites/ forums of where I could do some more research and find out their numbers, stations etc. Annie xx
Find my past has 2090630 Sapper J.S. Welch, listed on the casualty lists as being with 218 Anti-Tank regiment, Royal Engineers when posted missing 16/5/1940.
Annie for WW2 and any other military search you are in the best place however re WW1 you can try Great War Forum whose focus is WW1 others will advise once you confirm his exact name
Annie, The UK National Archives is usually referred to on the forum as "Kew" because the building is there. It is short walk from Kew Gardens tube and railway station. You can park a car on site, but there is a booking process and a fee.The National Archives website explains the procedure for obtaining a Reader's Ticket and how to book a visit. In contrast to Australian National Archives Kew uses commercial firms such as Ancestry or Find My Past to copy or digitise files. These firms then put them online and you can view them for a fee on your computer. If you visit Kew you can see the Kew files which have been digitised by the above firms for free on computer screens. For a useful guide to files at Kew relating to POWs search for The National Archives- click on "Help with your research" at top left of the home page - Second World War - Prisoners of War Selected Records 1715-1945. The guide is here: British and Commonwealth prisoners of the Second World War and the Korean War - The National Archives The guide refers to POW "liberation questionnaires." It is possible your great uncle completed such a form after the war, but the file of collected forms has to be seen at a desk at Kew to discover whether such a form now exists. This is the file reference: Reference: WO 344/338/1 Description: WEDDELL - WELCH J John