Casualty Records FMP/ FWR/ Genealogist

[charlie962]

I wasn't sure where to put this thread but with the current offer of a free month's Diamond sub to the Genealogist I thought a number of Forumites might have a go at the Casualty lists and it would be useful to compare results and understand exactly what is and isn't available.

 

I have had a look at some 50-100 servicemen and compared 'hits' on the three sites. A few initial observations:

 

FMP.  Not a lot of records but if one does get a hit it is very helpful for an exact date of wounding or even illness and gives the unit at this time.

 

FWR. Not a lot of records but if one does get a hit there is similar info to FMP and often the additional bonus of info on years of service and years with Exp Force as well as age. FWR don't provide a scan of the original record so one must rely on FWR's interpretation.

 

FMP and FWR cover both wounding and major/minor illness.

 

Genealogist. Only covers a proper 'Casualty' (I don't know the correct definition); Not infallible in that I find several known wounded (from Service Record or FMP/FWR) not coming up on Genealogist lists. I believe also  there are still some 1918 records missing ? The Casualty list comes out 2-5 weeks after the event. There is no hard and fast rule?

 

Given the destruction of Service Records, these Casualty sources can be invaluable. All three sites have their exclusive contribution. Unless there is a special offer it can be an expensive exercise! Make the most of Genealogist's offer!

 

I would be interested to hear here other members views.

 

Charlie962

 

 

 

Edited 2 December , 2016 by charlie962

[TEW]

The Genealogist casualty lists have gaps, they use The Times up to about May 1917 then you get nothing for ORs until Aug 1917. For some reason they stopped transcribing the lists from about April 1918, no idea why. Officers seem to be listed to 1920. They do seem to have Naval casualty lists through 1918.

 

There must be a criteria for appearing on the WO lists, sadly I've not been able to tie it down other than hints in various FA diaries along the lines of duration of stay. In other words a man with a GSW who can be patched up and returned to duty within x days will not show on the list but another man who exceeds x days will do.

 

I think FWR's transcriptions are good, there was one thread which dealt with a FWR record that listed 36 CCS which is not included in MH1016 but it turned out that all the SIW were transferred from 36 to 39 CCS. Timbo58 (FWR) clarified how this issue occurred and I think changes were were made to the transcription process.

 

Having worked on lists of men admitted to or dying in various CCSs and having found a link for the individual through FWR & The Geneologist and the FMP 'casualty lists' it is amazing how a man's injury can be tracked, sometimes from ADS to CCS. But of course, that means 3 or more subscriptions.

 

It did occur to me that as FWR have A&D books for;

3 Casualty Clearing Station
11 Casualty Clearing Station
31 Casualty Clearing Station
34 Combined Casualty Clearing Station
39 Casualty Clearing Station
82 Casualty Clearing Station

 

And some of the diaries for the above give other details of injury, treatment, FGCMs and even absconding from the CCS that to combine the MH106 records with the dairy information to form a kind of double record story would be fantastic.

 

There must be cases where a diagnosis by a FA (with a MH106 record) discharge the man to a CCS who then change the diagnosis, in which case the original MH106 record needs tempering against the CCS information.

 

TEW

 

 

[timbo58]

Hi Charlie, JIC it helps you personally, although we (FWR) can't show the original scan on the website, I'm happy to provide your our image if you PM me for anything you'd like to verify.

 

[charlie962]

Thanks very much Timbo58 for the offer which I would like to follow up on a couple of examples to help me understand the interpretation. charlie

 

ps By the way, how many casualty names do you have on the website as at today?

Edited 9 December , 2016 by charlie962

[petestarling]

You can find some information in war diary entries for general hospitals. That is how I found out what my Great Uncle died of (GSW Femur) in the 6 General Hospital War diary. Trouble is it would take a lot of going through to extract them.

 

[rolt968]

It is also worth searching online newspapers for casualty lists. I have access to British neswpapers online through my findmypast subscription. I have no way of quantifying what I have found, but I have found 1918 casualties not in the genealogist casualty lists.

 

Roger M

[timbo58]

Hello Charlie, I don't know exactly overall, but in the case of MH106, as of today 1,161,078, probably another 300k ish to go unless we include the near illegible, foreign troops (including German POWs) etc which have been, left largely, to last of course.

 

I can't give a time frame for this as we are, as usual, working on lots of different things!

Let me know of any specific records by PM and I'll get the data department to pull the images you need.

 

 

Edited 22 December , 2016 by timbo58

[charlie962]

Thankyou Timbo58

Charlie