1948 - 2004 British Casualties *NEW*

[Drummy]

Following my previous post:

'Just read this months issue of Soldier and was interested to see a new database has been created during a research project by a team of 3 who 'sifted through 85,000 boxes and 4.25 million records at the Hayes Archive in Middlesex to collect details of 23,000 deaths upto December 31 last year' this database begins from January 1, 1948 and therefore follows on from the CWGC cut off date of 31st December 1947.

The results of the project, the article states, will result in the name of every soldier killed on duty being recorded on the new Armed Forces Memorial at the National Arboretum, Staffordshire.

It goes onto state that the database will be a valuable resource for the Army's Casualty Branch. however, I have no idea whether it can be accessed by the general public etc, but at least we now know one exists!!'

I recently received a reply from the MOD to an email enquiry I made re this project and I thought I would update you all with the content as I believe some of you will find it of interest:

"In 2001, the Secretary of Defence announced that a memorial was to be constructed to provide postumous recognition for those service personnel killed on duty since the end of the Second World War.

in July 2001 the Ministry of Defence initiated the Armed Forces Memorial Project. The research carried out was to establish a complete record of service personnel who have died in service from 1 January 1948 to the present day. This research was completed in August 2004.

The Armed Forces Memorial will recognise all service men and women who have been killed on duty or as a result of terrorist action and so will include those killed in training accidents and on excercise as well as battle casualties. It will also include members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the Merchant Navy who have died in conflict zones while in direct support of the Armed Forces.

The new memorial will be located at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, which is under the control of the Royal British Legion and accompanying Rolls of Honour will be held at the Church of St. Martin in the Field for the Navy, the Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea for the Army and the Church of St. Clement Dane for the Royal Air Force.

In addition to the main memorial, a plaque will be placed in Westminster Abbey to commemorate service personnel killed in conflict since 1948.

The erection of the memorial is expected to take place in the summer of 2006.

The information held on the memorial database itself, covers all casulaties, irrespective of duty status, cause of death, or whether he/she died in a theatre of conflict or in peacetime. The causes of death range from killed in action and died as a result of terrorist activity to road traffic accidents and natural causes.

The information however, is for Ministry of Defence use, but it is hoped to publish the list of names on a website in a style similar to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Site"

Well done to the MOD for completing such a worthwhile project!!

I hope that consideration is given to also covering the dates 1900-1914 and 1921-1939 so that it covers the entire century. I appreciate that before 1900 it would probably be impossible to complete such a database for peace time casualties. I wonder if anyone knows if there is a database for all British casulaties sustained in the South Africa War?

Many thanks Neil.

[Glosters]

For pre-1900 casualties; there are already published casualty rolls for:

South Africa 1899-1902

Northwest Frontier, India 1895-1902

Egypt 1882

Afghanistan 1878-80

South Africa 1877-79

Indian Mutiny 1857-58 (British Regiments only)

Crimean War 1854-56

Punjab Campaign 1848-49 (British Regiments only)

Sutlej Campaign 1845-46 (British Regiments only)

Steve

[Drummy]

Just noticed that a searchable database of all post war british forces casualties 1948 to 2000 is now on www.forcesmemorial.org.uk