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Remembered Today:

War Diaries - Available Free UPDATED 1st July 2012


jainvince

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Please can all forum members be reminded that it is against forum rules to either request, or offer to send, copyright material downloaded from the NA or similar websites. The information can be shared, but not the images/PDFs themselves

Thanks

Alan

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Having sent out the latest version of the list I have received a few 'mail delivery' failure notices generally from the usual addresses. They may now have arrived but if you expected the revised list which accompanied my email on Tuesday 20th January but haven't received same, please email or PM me.

Bernard

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  • 2 months later...

Bernard, if you would care to add the diaries for the 4th Guards Brigade, and 42nd Brigade, I have just acquired them.

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I have transcribed a number of artillery War Diaries for Gallipoli, if you need a look up get in touch.

 

Regards

Alan

Edited by alantwo
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  • 4 weeks later...

I have updated the War Diaries Master List and will re-issue in a weeks time on return from the Battlefields. If any pal has diaries to list then please either PM or enter on the Forum. If you would like a copy of the Master List then please PM me.

Bernard

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Im not sure if its been covered above but I am working through war diaries from 95th Brigade Royal Field Artillery (21st Division) during April 1917 in the Croiselles area once I have transcribed them from copies of the originals I can post them here.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Bernard

Fantastic resource.

Wish I had seen it 4 years ago!!

Add these to your list if you haven't already got them.

Royal Scots Fusiliers 1/4th Bn April 1918 - March 1919

Royal Scots Fusiliers 1/5th Bn April 1918 - March 1919

Royal Scots Fusiliers 1st Bn April 1916 - Feb 1918

Royal Scots Fusiliers 1st Bn August 1914 - March 1916

Royal Scots Fusiliers 1st Bn Feb 1918 - May 1919

Royal Scots Fusiliers 6th Bn May 1915 - May 1916

Royal Scots Fusiliers 7th Bn July 1915 - April 1916

Royal Scots Fusiliers 6-7th Bn May 1916 - Jan 1917

Royal Scots Fusiliers 6-7th Bn Jan 1917 - Nov 1917

Royal Scots Fusiliers 6-7th Bn Dec 1917 - Jan 1918

Royal Scots Fusiliers 6-7th Bn Feb 1918 - May 1918

I'm looking to add to my Royal Scots Fusiliers Diary list if anyone can help. Particularly the 1/4th and 1/5th RSF in Gallipoli or Egypt and Palestine with the 52nd Lowland Division.

PM'd a couple of people.

Can't find "Master List" Bernard

But what a great topic.

Thanks

Regards

James

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I have today (Wednesday) sent out the updated Master List of War Diaries held by members. If you haven't received it then please PM me as some addresses can get rejected. If you would like a copy then please let me know.

I have again included a reminder regarding the GWF copyright policy as shown at the top of this sub-forum. As by now existing recipienst have been advised on at least a couple of occasions I won't add reminders in future.

Bernard

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Morning Bernard,

Once again, many thanks for all the time and effort you put in, well done,

Regards,

Graeme

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Morning Bernard,

Once again, many thanks for all the time and effort you put in, well done,

Regards,

Graeme

I'd like to add my thanks too.

Tom.

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Thanks Guys and also to those sending emails.

The following email addresses (part) were rejected:

mark r godwin

sdknox

keith edmonds

If they still want the Master List then please PM me

Bernard

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  • 3 months later...

Its coming to that time of year when an updated version of the War Diaries Master List needs circulating. I have added those diaries advised to me or included on the Forum. Those on Ancestry are beyond the reach of the Master List but i could include a page to list them if it was made available to me. I'm currently on FMP for Newspapers rather than Ancestry.

If any member has a recently aquired diary or wants including on the circulation list, please post or PM me.

Bernard

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Its coming to that time of year when an updated version of the War Diaries Master List needs circulating. I have added those diaries advised to me or included on the Forum. Those on Ancestry are beyond the reach of the Master List but i could include a page to list them if it was made available to me. I'm currently on FMP for Newspapers rather than Ancestry.

If any member has a recently aquired diary or wants including on the circulation list, please post or PM me.

Bernard

Bernard

I have never quite understood this seemingly altruistic thread. Is the purpose of this to highlight who owns copies of unit war diaries? Having in the past been on the distribution it became immediately apparent that most contributors were simply offering copies of war diaries held at The National Archives. It is in many cases rather blatant. The units and dates being exactly the same as those held at the National Archives. For example one member offers the 20 diaries for a series of units at Gallipoli - previously only available online via the National Archives and now (sadly) no longer available. The correlation of what was being offered and what TNA had was 100%. There were dozens more examples. All online, all being offered by named people using this Forum as the distribution..

Do you do any due diligence on who is offering diaries, or is it simply a leap of faith? If the latter I would suggest that you should do some of the former. The only exceptions are transcriptions, yet few appear to be offering this. If the offer is for copies of TNA diaries, the risk is that this is ticking time-bomb and at some stage the GWF gets prosecuted for acting as a medium for Copyright infringement. The reputational risk for the Forum is large. All British war diaries are Crown Copyright for 125 years unless published. 1914 to 1918 diaries are protected until 2039-2043. Since none have been published (online) until a few year ago (when a 50 year Copyright clock starts), all are still under Copyright. The only exceptions are transcriptions which still need to acknowledge the source. The idea that someone has a Great War unit dairy that is not under Copyright is an interesting concept. The ones in Regimental archives are typically carbon copies or written by serving Officers and therefore still Crown Copyright. If the aim of the thread is simply to highlight GWF members to offer look-ups, you might consider highlighting this and those offering transcriptions. My experience when contacting members via this platform has been (in every case) that pdf copies of TNA files are being offered.

I have several hundreds war diaries, all paid for by downloading via TNA. The reason I do this rather than ask for 'free' diaries is because the diaries cost ££££ to archive and maintain. Anyone offering 'free' copies of unit diaries (the vast bulk of what appears to be offered) simply breaches Copyright if they are sent from one user to another - as the blurb on TNA's downloads clearly highlights. It also undermines the revenue source to maintain valuable resources.

If I want to show a single page of a War Diary held by TNA on a website it cost me £40. I am therefore intrigued by the idea that the same material can be offered for nothing. Some clarification would be useful as the uninitiated might think this is simply an exchange for copyright material. I am sure that some are offering transciptions and some are offering look-ups, but it is not clear who is offering what.

Curious to know what exactly is being offered. The title of the thread suggests whole diaries are being offered 'Free'. MG

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MG,

I personally saw it as a look-up service.

Mark

I originally thought it was a list of transcribed diaries, but it doesn't appear to be. If it is a mixture of offers to do look-ups and people offering to share transcriptions it would be useful to know who is offering what. Is everyone on the list offering to do look-ups? If this is the case the title of the thread could perhaps reflect this. Just a thought. MG

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I originally thought it was a list of transcribed diaries, but it doesn't appear to be. If it is a mixture of offers to do look-ups and people offering to share transcriptions it would be useful to know who is offering what. Is everyone on the list offering to do look-ups? If this is the case the title of the thread could perhaps reflect this. Just a thought. MG

The original post states:

I have compiled a War diary Master List which includes those diaries which are held by members who share the information,

hence my belief it is an information share not an actual document share. If it has become different to that it is by not reading the OP.

Mark

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The original post states:

hence my belief it is an information share not an actual document share. If it has become different to that it is by not reading the OP.

Mark

I am sure that is the intention. Perhaps because the title of the thread states:

War Diaries - Available Free

rather than

War Diaries - Lookups Free

It is understandable why some people offering Free war diaries might get the wrong end of the stick. If someone offers Free Books for example (as occasionally happens on the GWF), one might reasonably expect someone is offering to give books away rather than look something up. Regardless, my experience on making direct enquiries has been that whole TNA pdf war diaries have been offered, presumably by people who didn't read beyond the title. So I am still curious to know if there is any clarity in the very long list of who is offering what. For example I would be very interested in knowing who is offering transcriptions of diaries within the list. Presumably not everyone. MG

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  • 2 weeks later...

Martin

See Post No 1

Members may recall a rather ad hoc listing of War Diaries held by members. I took it on the listing of the relevant diaries in a more convenient form which was posted on updated lists on the forum. The latest upgrade prevented this so I made the list available via a spreedsheet. I believe it helps members who are researching numerous soldiers to find out where soldiers were without buying numerous WDs. I know I have some which provided a few snippets but are now of little use to me but may be of use to others.

The spreadsheet doesn't purport to be anything other than a list of War Diaries held by members plus it does include links to other areas of relevant. The current lists takes time to compile and circulate. If others wish to note transcriptions as well then I will pass the whole task over.

Bernard

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I have now circulated the latest version of the War Diaries Master list which provides a list of diaries held by members who have offered to do look-ups. Increasingly, it includes links to websites where War Diaries are available on-line. A member recently advised where some such diaries are now available and this site is now in the diary as is the accompanying one which covers ebooks. I have also listed some free books I found on Project Guttenberg.

The Master List does not include transcriptions.

If you know of other sources of on-line War Diaries or ebooks then let me know as the Master List is capable of listing them all via included hyperlinks.

Finally, if you would like a copy of the Master List then PM me. Alternatively, if you would now want to be deleted from the circulation list please reply to the email sent out this evening (22:00 - 22:10 Greenwich time) and will oblige.

Bernard

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I originally thought it was a list of transcribed diaries, but it doesn't appear to be. If it is a mixture of offers to do look-ups and people offering to share transcriptions it would be useful to know who is offering what. Is everyone on the list offering to do look-ups? If this is the case the title of the thread could perhaps reflect this. Just a thought. MG

I only offered one thinking that I could maybe help someone looking for a couple of dates. My reply would have been a transcribed version of the original.

But with the availability of WD's on Ancestry I doubt I will be troubled!

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Good Evening to you All.

I don't know if my 2 war diaries are on the list. The first one is the 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers City of London Regiment, and the other one is the 24th Battalion (2nd Sportsmen) Royal Fusiliers City of London Regiment., they are always available to help members research.

Kind Regards Andy.

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  • 2 months later...

To all who have contributed to this post and/or have received the list, health (including hospitalisation) and personal needs to undertake WW1 researches regretably means that updated copies of the Master List will not be circulated in future.

I am on the recovery road but time is limited.

I would like to express my appreciation to members who have made this consolidation of available diaries so much more effective than the haphazard posts of hold. I do believe it has been of great value perhaps now being overtaken by additional media.

Bernard

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Good morning all

As someone who is on the war diaries mailing list, I for one would like to thank Bernard for masterminding this idea and providing us with regular updates. I have found it most useful in my own researches, but do understand that recent developments have caused some challenges. So, a huge thanks for all your hard work, Bernard - and to all those who have made contributions.

I wish you a speedy recovery and all the very best for the future.

Luke

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  • 5 months later...

I find myself still searching the whereabouts of local soldiers when they were killed in action. I know i can buy the War diaries from the National Archives, find them on 'Ancestry, or even on a disc. Unfortunately, I don't know which diaries are on either the disc or on Ancestry.

It leads me to think that a list of what is available from these additional sources would be helpful as it could save me buying Ancestery Membership or the disc.

I could actually update the popular master list and add the details of which WDs are listed on ancestry and the disc but still wonder if the effort is worth it or of interest.

I still have the relevant emails so could easily send out the information but is it worth it and more importantly does anyone still need a War Diary Master list of diaries held by members or available (some at cost) elsewhere?

Bernard

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