Wdragon Posted 29 April , 2011 Share Posted 29 April , 2011 Earlier this year I spent some time trying to understand the process used to declare 'missing' soldiers 'dead'. This process seems to be ill documented and to have varied regiment to regiment. I discovered to my amazement that it was simple to obtain a copy of a certificate of death, but these are undated and the issuing body cannot supply the date that the original certificate was created. I finally found a source of dating a declaration of death - the Register of Effects held by the NAM. It costs £10, the attachments show you what you get for it. It shows that my great uncle Pte Ivor Griffiths who was 'missing' at the Battle of Aubers Ridge on 9 May 1915 was finally declared dead on 4th September 1915. Despite the fact that there was at least one witness who saw him shot through the head on 9th May, it took almost four months for him to become officially dead. I post this to help anyone else who is seeking a source of the date a soldier was 'declared dead'. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelS Posted 29 April , 2011 Share Posted 29 April , 2011 David that's interesting, you've received scans of the original documents. When I got my grandfather's about 3 years ago I got a 'Word' transcript (I'm not complaining as it contained all the data given in the original). I wonder if the NAM now always supply a scan, or whether it still supplies a transcript if the original is difficult to get a decent scan from? If the former's the case, it must now be cheaper for them to scan than to make a transcript. NigelS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wdragon Posted 30 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 30 April , 2011 Hi Nigel, I made a special request to NAM that they photograph the page (I was hoping that I would find other 2nd Welsh casualties on the same page). I think the standard is still to issue a transcript. I prefer (if possible) to see the original document. Interestingly, in the e-mail that accompanied the scan the kind lady at NAM has misread the date that my great uncle was declared dead . She has misread the date as 4.9.1918 when in fact it was 4.9.1915. the perils of transcription. From the photographs the volumes are massive. They are stored off site at NAM and are not available for inspection. This is a shame, this unique data should be scanned and made widely available. Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madgarry Posted 1 May , 2011 Share Posted 1 May , 2011 Guys what is NAM,does it only hold lists of those missing assumed dead or lists for all ww1 dead . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perth Digger Posted 1 May , 2011 Share Posted 1 May , 2011 Garry The National Army Museum in Chelsea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madgarry Posted 1 May , 2011 Share Posted 1 May , 2011 Garry The National Army Museum in Chelsea. cheers Perth,does it list all combat/ww1 soldiers who died or just the missing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perth Digger Posted 1 May , 2011 Share Posted 1 May , 2011 Sorry, haven't a clue! This thread is the first I'd heard of this source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wdragon Posted 1 May , 2011 Author Share Posted 1 May , 2011 Guys what is NAM,does it only hold lists of those missing assumed dead or lists for all ww1 dead . National Army Museum in Chelsea London. Google it for contact details. My understanding is that the register covers all Army war dead. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madgarry Posted 1 May , 2011 Share Posted 1 May , 2011 National Army Museum in Chelsea London. Google it for contact details. My understanding is that the register covers all Army war dead. David cheers Wdragon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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