Death registration of British soldiers in France (ie not in the GRO)

[dravin]

Someone has mentioned in a facebook group about the registration of British soldiers *in* France

Has anyone come across this? as its news to me

Why would a British soldier be registered in French records?

I can understand a British civvy who died in France being registered there locally but war deaths were registered in the UK and found under the overseas indexes

Has anyone come across it?

 

 

 

 

[Keith_history_buff]

I was reminded about the following post, making mention of soldiers who died of wounds in Calais.

 

[Keith_history_buff]

You may be able to search the records overall via MyHeritage. I am not a subscriber.

[Keith_history_buff]

Failing that, there may be a way that if you are researching a soldier who died of wounds on a given date, and you can determine where he died, the modern day departement may well have some kind of online search facility. I've never looked into deaths, just the matricules militaires that were compiled, as a statement of service, for each man from the locality that was conscripted.

[dravin]

2 hours ago, Keith_history_buff said:

I was reminded about the following post, making mention of soldiers who died of wounds in Calais.

 

Thanks for your input, I had a brief look at that link but not being a French speaker I had to give up

My question remains why are recorded at all? granted it was French soil but they were British soldiers, a civilian dieing in France I can understand but not Brit soldiers

Plus I have not heard mention of it previously, I would have thought it would have a mention somewhere

There are archives in France who do have searchable records but I tried and failed due to the language barrier

https://www.archives-departementales.com/

So I still don't know if or why British soldiers were recorded

 

 

[dravin]

2 hours ago, Keith_history_buff said:

You may be able to search the records overall via MyHeritage. I am not a subscriber.

No me neither, in the odd free trial I never found much of use on myheritage that wasn't available elsewhere, but didn't try French databases if there are any

[Keith_history_buff]

13 minutes ago, dravin said:

So I still don't know if or why British soldiers were recorded

I am of the opinion that this question is adequately answered in the other thread, and have nothing further to add.

I am aware of a French Able Seaman of the fusiliers marins who was medically evacuated to the UK, and died of his wounds from the Battle of the Yser, on 17 October 1914. It appears that he was interred in a pauper's grave in Woolwich. He appears in the GRO death register for England & Wales 4Q 1914, Woolwich registration district, Volume : 1D, Page : 1326. His name was recorded as MARCEL BEULLIN whereas Marcel Léon Alfred BELLIN was his full name.

[dravin]

17 minutes ago, Keith_history_buff said:

I am of the opinion that this question is adequately answered in the other thread, and have nothing further to add.

I am aware of a French Able Seaman of the fusiliers marins who was medically evacuated to the UK, and died of his wounds from the Battle of the Yser, on 17 October 1914. It appears that he was interred in a pauper's grave in Woolwich. He appears in the GRO death register for England & Wales 4Q 1914, Woolwich registration district, Volume : 1D, Page : 1326. His name was recorded as MARCEL BEULLIN whereas Marcel Léon Alfred BELLIN was his full name.

With respect, all that says is that there are the deaths of soldiers of various nations who died in Calais but not why

I would expect a French serviceman who died in England to be recorded there

I am not sure why I find the opposite to be unusual, possibly as despite years of research I have never come across it before

I may have to attempt an enquiry to one or other region in France

One reason for asking is that my grandfather died in France in 1918, I have his death certificate from the GRO and all other records available, but I would want to obtain a French certificate if one was available

 

 

 

 

[MaureenE]

I have a note that the GRO series RG 35/45-49  includes some Military Death records 1914-21 from various authorities in France and Belgium, of (mainly) British soldiers and officers and a few civilians. This is from https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/British_Births,_Marriages_and_Deaths_Overseas#Military_Deaths_1914-21_.28RG35.2F45-49.29

This implies that there are at least some French  and Belgian records for British Military deaths in French and Belgian archives.

I have a vague memory that I have seen a certificate from the above series and it was the copy of a French death certificate for a British Soldier who died in a French hospital.

For the grandfather who died in France in 1918, assuming he was British Military, I suspect ( but do not know definitely) for there to be a French certificate there would need to be some involvement with the French State such as Police (accidental death etc) ,  French hospital system (died in a French hospital etc). Edit: It seems to be more general,  as I see that that the Calais database linked above includes a certificate for a death in a British Hospital (in Calais).

Maureen

Edited 31 December , 2023 by MaureenE