Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

War Diary Transcription Help


KatieJJones

Recommended Posts

Hiya I'm having slight difficulties recognising a specific word. It appears twice on one page and for the life of me i can't figure it out. Any help is much appreciated!

 

 

1.PNG

2.PNG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Katie, I wonder if it is a kind of shorthand for In afternoon? There appears to be an 'In' attached by the sweep to 'aft' with an 'n' as a superscript. But I should admit now that I am waiting for my new reading glasses so hopefully we can get a second (and probably third) opinion.

 

Pete.

 

Edited by Fattyowls
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe that both are slightly different short forms for "In afternoon". 

 

LOL! Last one posted, so Pete, here is your third opinion!

Edited by Keith Brannen
Link to comment
Share on other sites

And right on cue Howard and Keith come up with the goods. That makes me feel a bit more confident......

 

Pete.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Katie,

 

Agree with the other posters - but as a check did this come from the Battalion War Diary? It's just that sometimes it's worth checking out the copy that's in the Brigade War Diary for the same period as quite often these are typed rather than hand written and so will give you the benefit of a contemporary second pair of eyes.

 

Cheers,

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you, Gentleman. Your observations would correlate with the same word appearing in the next entry.

 

 

3.PNG

2 minutes ago, PRC said:

Katie,

 

Agree with the other posters - but as a check did this come from the Battalion War Diary? It's just that sometimes it's worth checking out the copy that's in the Brigade War Diary for the same period as quite often these are typed rather than hand written and so will give you the benefit of a contemporary second pair of eyes.

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

Ah thank you that would be very helpful. Where do i go about finding the Brigade War Diary? Same area ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, KatieJJones said:

Ah thank you that would be very helpful. Where do i go about finding the Brigade War Diary? Same area ?

 

The answer will depend on how are you sourcing War Diaries - Ancestry \ National Archive or somewhere else.

Ancestry - if the unit served in France & Flanders then the Brigade Diary should be there. I've never had access myself but there are plenty here that have.

National Archive - search is here http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-war-diaries-1914-1922/

Cost is £3.50 (currently)

 

The extracts for Brigades are usually for a shorter period than for Battalions, but then for Brigades you normally get both the Brigade Diary and a copy of the War Diaries for the units that made up the Brigade for each month.

 

What unit and period are you actually looking at,

 

Cheers,

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Katie, I'd be interested in the unit and period too; if they were where I think they were stationed I might have the odd photo of the area as it is now if you are interested. Can't promise anything, but I have a knack of taking the wrong photo for me and finding that it is some use to someone else.....

 

Pete.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In regards to the War Diary extracts you've seen in this post, they belong to the Somerset Light Infantry 1st Battalion. The period for my research is 1915 - 1918.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Long, Long Trail has the 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry in the 11th Brigade for the duration of the war.

Given the dates on your extracts are in April, the relevant Brigade War Diary are:

1 April 1915 – 30 June 1915 WO 95/1489/2 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14016972

 

1 March 1916 – 30 April 1916  WO 95/1490/2

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14053090

 

1 January 1917 – 31 August 1917  WO 95/1496/4

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14016999

 

1 April 1917 – 30 April 1917  WO 95/1491/3

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14016977

 

1 April 1918 – 30 April 1918 WO 95/1493/1

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14016985

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 01/04/2019 at 10:40, PRC said:

The Long, Long Trail has the 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry in the 11th Brigade for the duration of the war.

Given the dates on your extracts are in April, the relevant Brigade War Diary are:

1 April 1915 – 30 June 1915 WO 95/1489/2 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14016972

 

1 March 1916 – 30 April 1916  WO 95/1490/2

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14053090

 

1 January 1917 – 31 August 1917  WO 95/1496/4

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14016999

 

1 April 1917 – 30 April 1917  WO 95/1491/3

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14016977

 

1 April 1918 – 30 April 1918 WO 95/1493/1

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14016985

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

 

Thank you very much :) I cross-referenced these links to ancestry and I'm reading them their. Something I am curious about is the companies of this speific Battalion. I do not understand the Companies of the Somerset Light Infantry 1st Battalion if anyone is able to give a clearer explanation for me. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know anything specifically about that battalion but there may be something in A history of the 1st Battalion, the Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) : July 1st, l916, to the end of the war:by V H B Majendie 1921

 

If you haven't already got it it can be downloaded free from here:-

https://archive.org/details/somersettinfantry00majeuoft/page/n6

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...