CEFSG Sharing Resources with GWF, SAWGP, ANZAC, INDIA, etc.

[8055Bell]

Hi Richard,

Like many aspects of the Great War, Canada is wonderful and British aspects are not quite so good.  I must not develop that thread here and accept that most of our records were burned in WWI.

I know about Ralph Miller because of private correspondence I've read at his school and with his niece.  His Service Record survived but gives nothing extra.

I have a mate who closely identified his gt uncle's grave, on a similar basis to what we have for Lt Potter.  It wasn't accepted by CWGC because the records weren't specific enough.  Let's hope an Hants expert sees this thread.

Tim

ps Australia also has amazing records

pps Canadian Graves at Kemmel Chateau 11th November 1915

Edited 13 November , 2016 by 8055Bell

[laughton]

On the basis of the findings contained in the report submitted by Richard Laughton of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission approved the adjustment of the records and the placement of a new headstone for Corporal Martin Carroll. Subsequently, a rededication service was performed at the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery on 1 December 2016. In attendance at the service were Padre Norman Cholette, Lieutenant Colonel Adam Barsby, Master Warrant Officer Andy Baird and Chief Warrant Officer (the photographer) Geoffrey McTigue (NMR CWO - Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Canadian Armed Forces).

 

[8055Bell]

Richard,

I saw the photos the photos on CWGC Instagram and thought you may be behind the research.  Congratulations on a job well done.

Tim

[8055Bell]

Morning Richard,

I'm looking at body density maps for the Somme and can't find any of the registered burials in Square S27.d.  Your work with binders for local concentration cemeteries has been great.  Please can you magic Quarry Cemetery as well?  Any clue how to reconcile the lost burials?

Tim

Map

Thread on Maps

ps I just found down them all on Add-ons.  Will try Quarry myself

 

Edited 5 February , 2017 by 8055Bell

[laughton]

I have heard from a few GWF Pals that they are blocked from the CEFSG Forum here in Canada. We had to block some of the IP series due to the "Great BOT Attack" at the end of the year, so it is possible that some of the international users are blocked. I know for sure we locked out our Aussie friends, but that is now resolved.

 

We put our notices on a separate blog site when we have issues, so if there are ever problems you can check here:

 

http://cefresearch.blogspot.ca/

 

If you are blocked, I need your IP address to unlock that area. You can find that with a site such as:

 

https://whatismyipaddress.com/

 

or

 

http://whoisip.ovh/

 

Any questions, ask any time.

 

Richard

[chaz]

as someone who knows where his 3 great uncles are in France and Germany, you are doing a great job. we often say when walking around cemeteries and churchyards it must be possible with todays advances in science there should be more names to be put on headstones.

[laughton]

To update the work since this post was first made, a list of all the reports submitted to the CWGC can be found via this link on my corporate site:

 

http://laughton.ca/publications/unknown-project/

 

That page then links to two distinct lists:

• The Canadian Reports
• The Other Commonwealth Reports

What was a disappointing response a year ago has reversed track and now the CWGC are working on our reports and are in regular contact. The Canadian reports go to Dominique Boulais in Ottawa and then to David Avery in Maidenhead. The non-Canadian reports go direct to David Avery, where they are assigned a case number.

[laughton]

A number of new cemetery ZIP Files have been completed for the Commonwealth soldiers not specifically researched as "Canadians". The following shows all the cemeteries where I have collected the GRRF and COG-BR files (at least the ones I could find!) and put them into the collections. In some cases there are SPEC-EXH and HD-SCHD files as well, but not always.

 

The main folder on our shared CEFSG MEDIAFIRE site is here:

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/s4lil9lg5jkk6/F7_C2_CWGC_Binders

 

All the ZIP FILES are in this folder:

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/e6csl7gfp5jf8/1._New_Zipped_Files_-_Faster!

 

In the initial process, I made COMPRESSED PDF files for the binders, a process that worked but was slower and did not allow you to get the actual NUMERICAL ADDRESS for each file if you wanted to use that in a report or a post. With the ZIP files, you can download the file to your computer to a new directory (make them cemetery specific) and then unpack the file. I use the free image program "Windows Photo Viewer" to then open any file and the arrows and magnifier to examine the contents quickly and easily. There are many similar programs. If you do not have the program to zip or unzip the files, I did put that in the folder here:

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/hyg96c7rx28gd/A1_ZIP_%26_UNZIP_PROGRAM_YOU_MAY_NEED

 

That is for MICROSOFT, so if you have ANDROID or APPLE, you will need a comparable program or application. I use ANDROID on my tablet and phone and they both work well (ES File Explorer). Don't think I would ever buy another Microsoft product!

 

The original PDF BINDERS are still there for the initial cemeteries, but I do not make those anymore, unless someone specifically asks.

 

At any time you need the files for a specific cemetery, or more components for a cemetery, just ask. The list started with those cemeteries where it was believed I would find the greatest collection of Canadian graves. This has now been expanded but it is far from complete.

 

[laughton]

I added two new sets of files today that may be of interest to GWF pals. They both relate to work to find the unknown of the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers. In the process of checking others that had known burial locations it became necessary to create the ZIP files (GRRF and COG-BR) for the following:

 

Noyon New British Cemetery

 

These are mainly men lost in the action of March and April 1918. A lot of those were Canadian Cavalry men that were attached at the time to the British 3rd Cavalry Division, such as those from the Lord Strathcona Horse, Royal Canadians (CEFSG Topic).

 

In the process of doing that, I found a large amount of documents for the Serre Road Cemetery No. 2 that were mixed in with Noyon. This appears to have happened when they were recovering bodies later in time, after Noyon was closed (but from that area) and concentrating them into Serre. You will see a separate file in this batch related to the find on June 7 2018:

 

Serre Road Cemetery No. 2

 

I am only just starting to look at these files for Serre. It appears a lot are related to High Wood, such as Captain Edgar Boase of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). I am not sure how many were identified, just starting the process.

 

 

[Becstar]

G’day all!

Having attended a Headstone Rededication Ceremony in July (at Villers Bretonneux), I thought I’d see if I could attempt to identify a soldier, albeit in between studies. I’ve now got three reports in final draft (I asked an academic friend at the Australian War Memorial to pick it to pieces & challenge any of the information/evidence provided - got the all clear) so they’re now ready to be submitted to Unrecovered War Casualties (here in Australia).

With much guidance from the Canadian website I’ve learn’t an incredible amount, thank you so much for what you have done & continue to do.

Cheers 

PS - I think the Canadian group don’t have a Cemetery on their list that I have a load of info about, would be more than happy to send the information as there’s a number of unknown Canadians. 

 

[laughton]

Thanks Becstar - that is my work. PM here or email rlaughton@cefresearch.ca anytime.

 

Not all the cemeteries are listed above, as I have done many more.

 

You can check here at any time.

 

https://www.mediafire.com/index.php#e6csl7gfp5jf8

 

Richard of Canada

Edited 20 December , 2018 by laughton

[8055Bell]

Hi Richard,

I've lost the ability to upload Registration Records. Please can you do me  a big favour and add St Julien Dressing Station to your files?

I'm looking a KORL relative & Sgt Percy Rothwell 2nd Manchesters

Tim

[laughton]

I just noticed this now - maybe I am not getting notifications? @8055Bell

 

I changed the settings

 

It helps speed up the process if you already know the name of a man in the cemetery that has a COG-BR - just one is all I need!

[Ken Lees]

Any chance of adding the files for Guillemont Road Cemetery, please?

 

I have started a project to map the bodies concentrated into this cemetery and the files would speed up my work greatly.

 

Thanks,

Ken

[laughton]

Ken:

 

NO PROBLEM!

 

If  you want this expedited, send me any CWGC page that has any soldier buried in that cemetery with a COG-BR document (concentration report).

 

Once I have that, the rest is easy.

 

Many times. other documents are found since not all of them are in sequence. Check multiple ones if you wish.

 

Richard

Edited 24 September , 2019 by laughton

[Ken Lees]

1 minute ago, laughton said:

\KEN\;

 

NO PROBLEM!

 

If  you want this expedited, send me any CWGC page that has any soldier buried in that cemetery with a COG-BR document (concentration report).

 

Once I have that, the rest is easy.

 

Many times. other documents are found since not all of them are in sequence. Check multiple ones if you wish.

 

Richard

 

Thanks Richard.

 

Will this suffice? https://archive.cloud.cwgc.org/archive/doc/doc2008502.JPG

 

Regards,

Ken

[laughton]

Perfect! 

[laughton]

Guillemont Road Cemetery, Guillemont

[laughton]

All done!

[Ken Lees]

Merci!