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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

POW death certificates


gnr.ktrha

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Hello,

Just a quick question. If a man was to die as a POW, in German hands in France, Belgium or Germany, would there have been a ''Local'' death certificate produced for him, or would there only be a British one in existance? By that I mean, a soldier dies in France, would the French authorities have registered his death details etc?

If they exist :unsure: , who or where would you write to to get copies?

Thanks for looking

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Hello,

Thank you very much for the reply. Are the certificates likely to give details of the cause of death, or will it be a simple case of ''Died of Wounds''.

Do you happen to have an example that you can post to show what details are recorded?

Many thanks,

Stewart

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Terry

I know that we discussed Overseas DCs at length last year

but just curious about the process for issuing a DC for a POW. What would have been the notification process employed and what would have been the time period involved?

Rgds

Andy

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I suspect that they were issued en masse after the war when the names of PoWs who would not be returning were known or when details of a death were received via the Red Cross etc.

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Hello,

Thanks for all your help.

I knew I had read something about it somewhere and I think I have just found it. It is in the PRO readers guide No 2, Army Records for Family Historians by Simon Fowler. It sates that

''French and Belgium death certificates for British soldiers who died in Hospital or elsewhere outside the immediate war zone between 1914-20 are in RG 35/45-69. They are aranged by first letter of surname.''

Has anyone accessed them and have details of what they contain?

Regards,

Stewart

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