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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Red Cross records to go online 4 August


David_Underdown

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Thanks Mike, I should have put that link up as well, though it only says August generally, the Belgian article is the first I've seen that gives a precise date.

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Thanks Mike, I should have put that link up as well, though it only says August generally, the Belgian article is the first I've seen that gives a precise date.

Right enough. Will these be free to view, would you know?

Mike

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One of the events I have been eagerly awaiting. I seriously doubt there will be any free viewing. I expect the ICRC to use these records as a source of revenue. Like to be proved wrong though!

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I wouldn't mind paying that organisation for access. The money would be well spent.

Dave.

I don't mind paying for material either. Obviously, I would prefer not to. Just wondering.

" The ICRC is funded by voluntary contributions from the States party to the Geneva Conventions (governments); national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies; supranational organizations (such as the European Commission); and public and private sources.

Each year the ICRC launches appeals to cover its projected costs in the field and at headquarters. It will launch additional appeals if needs in the field increase. The ICRC accounts for its work and expenditure in its Annual Report. "

Mike

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I wouldn't mind paying that organisation for access. The money would be well spent.

Dave.

Absolutely agree. I got a number of attestations from them in the past and don't even remember how much they cost. I was grateful for the information and happy to donate. I would prefer if it was on a subscription basis but I seem to remember a thread on the GWF where it was suggested that each individual request will incur a fee.

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Aren't we to get the location of all the "unknowns"? Most of whom were known but not thought worth commemorating until now. Poignant bit on news of a Hoonan who was a Hoolan, CWGC.

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Thanks for posting David. It's the first news I've seen with a date and I keep popping into the site to see if there is any update from them directly but I note today that there isn't anything visible. Interesting too that there is mention of maps, I hope to find a map which has been eluding me for some time regarding 4 POWs so fingers crossed I might find it when they release their records.

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Thanks for posting this David.

I think it should be taken as read that there will be a fee. IIRC, when manual searches were available there was a charge in hte region of 160-200 euros for each search. Automating it will obviously reduce the costs but as Mike's link points out "The Agency’s collections consist of some 500,000 pages of lists and six million index cards." so that is a need for some serious IT systems and we can't expect the ICRC to hold back funds needed for their main work for our hobby.

A subscription option would be nice but that requires a lot more IT, administration and support. Not really needed for the majority of people looking for Grandad or Great uncle John.

Roll on Monday!

Glen

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Have looked at a few cards and some give a soldier's Company and even Platoon - could be very helpful.

But they warn you they are not all in perfect alphabetical order [?!?!] which is a bit of a wory.

Paul

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Fair play to them,for the free downloading.

It's bit tricky to use,nonetheless a great resource

Thanks Jim for the link

G

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I am delighted to see that this is now on line - and for free!.

I have tried to find several names of known WW1 Prisoners of War, but have failed to find them so far, but as Paul and Don Don have stated, the cards are not in strict alphabetic order and it is tricky to use. No doubt it will reveal all with a little practice.

Sepoy

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And here they are: http://grandeguerre.icrc.org/ (not yet complete, more still to come over the next few years). It seems to be free

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Hard to figure out though - I can't quite understand what I'm seeing or how it all works!!

Scrub that. Just amanged to sss it out and found a card for the first of my men that I searched for.Whooppee !!

P296_RedCross.JPG

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Kind of getting it now. If you go to the second page of this record Click (for Peter Dewar) and add the references, you get the other pages.


For example PA + 29127 gets this page Click


I can see Mick and fellow translators getting some more work?


Mike

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There's another thread here Steven. It's a bit quirky, but you will get the hang of it, and there is fantastic information available, not just the cards themselves. Click

Mike

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I think you have to be fortunate enough to find a "communique famille" card to discover the POW camp. Sadly I have only found the register entry for my POW.

However, as only the PA reference number has led to a document maybe if I keep checking back the R reference will, in time, lead to a further document.

Fingers crossed.

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Words cannot express how happy I am to finally get more information on my great grandfather. I recommend online translators handy from German to English!

I know it has only just been released today, but two of the records listed on his maincard aren't accessable. They are for the ones listed R from 51k - 53k and I have inputted the correct numbers in each time to only have them say no records. The other two PA ones work fine!

And yes, I am happy this is free, but I really wouldn't of minded this being accessible for a fee!

Good luck searching everyone!

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Nothing on my great uncle, not even an index card. Hopefully YET can be added to that statement.

Steve.

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