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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Army Service Corps War Diaries on Ancestry


Dai Bach y Sowldiwr

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I noticed that Ancestry was free again this weekend and noticed that the War Diaries were available free also.

On browsing, I see that although Ancestry state that there are currently 402,770 documents in the

UK, WWI War Diaries (France, Belgium and Germany), 1914-1920 section.

However, this corresponds with the number of dates that have entries made on them, multiplied by the number of units that have had their diaries digitised and put on line by Ancestry.

Thus, (for example) if 15 Company ASC has a diary for the whole war, and has a daily entry, then it looks as though Ancestry indexes that as 1560 separate items (even though, if you ask for say 20th Dec 1915, you will get an image that also gives you Dec 21 and Dec 22).

I have an interest in the ASC, and Ancestry suggests it has 85,101 indexed items in terms of diaries.

As far as I can see, Ancestry have so far put diaries on for the Divisional Train Companies (usually 4 companies per division) for the following Divisions:

2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,

14,16,17,

20,21,23,24,27,28,29,

31,32,34,35,36,37,38,39,

40,41,42,46,47,49,

51,52,58,59,

60,61,62,66

1,2,3,4,5 Cavalry

1,2, Indian Cavalry

Guards

A total of 48 divisions, making the diaries of I guess just under 200 companies of the ASC available. So only another 1000 or so to go.

I haven't established in what sequence the diaries have been digitised, but I assume there is a logical sequence being followed.

Now, some of the ASC diaries are also now available on National Archives Discovery, usually £3.30 for a single company for the whole war.

Ancestry subscriptions vary, and I guess Pay as you Go would be quite expensive in this instance.but when they're free, such as this weekend, then they could be an option for some people who are interested in multiple companies.

I will continue to monitor Ancestry to see if other ASC diaries are being added.

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If only there were a knack to downloading the whole diary from ancestry without the page by page nonsense.

Like you Dai Bach I await many of the ASC (and RGA) diaries that will hopefully appear on ancestry before too long

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Two minutes past midnight and they closed the portal. I was just reading the 8th Battn Loyal North Lancashire Regiment diary, and coming to the July 1916 pages when it closed down. :blink:

Edited by tom bowler
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Two minutes past midnight and they closed the portal. I was just reading the 8th Battn Loyal North Lancashire Regiment diary, and coming to the July 1916 pages when it closed down. :blink:

Never mind Tom.

They have pretty regular free weekend's, usually on Bank Holiday weekends.

Not sure if it's all Bank Holidays (2 more coming up shortly, then August Bank Holiday it's usually free).

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