Historical Questions:

Soldiers Died in the Great War, the Army Roll of Honour and the Royal Naval Division are searchable on-line databases and only the information appertaining to the casualty you select will be displayed. Conversely the National Roll of the Great War is displayed as pdf files.

When you view or download the pfd files what is displayed is the whole page from the printed book that contains the record you chose. In addition to your chosen record there are generally many more that are visible. In consequence, and in accordance with the website policy of allowing unlimited access to previously paid for searches, you may see those other records at no additional cost at any time.

Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919

FAQ 1. Where does the data come from?

From the two lists of those who died during the Great War, published by His Majesty's Stationary Office on behalf and by authority of the War Office in 1921. These two lists consisted of eighty volumes of soldiers, one volume of officers. The Naval & Military Press (NMP) arranged for the original information data in both to be entered to a high level of accuracy. The original data has been extensively revised and corrected, and is now the best source of information available on those in the British Army who died in the First World War.

FAQ 2. Where can I find further information on an individual?

There are many sources of information, including the National Archive, the Imperial War Museum and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The Naval & Military Press offers a wide range of books on military subjects, and as you use the Military-Genealogy.com system you will be prompted to go to relevant publications they have available that may be of interest to you.

FAQ 3. When I view a record, why are some fields blank?

This is because the War Office recorded no information for those fields in 1921.

FAQ 4. Why are some records duplicated?

Apparent duplication or incorrect positioning of entries throughout this website mirrors the original 1921 printed works. For example, every battalion of the London Regiment was affiliated to another regiment of the Army. In some instances the names of soldiers who enlisted in the London Regiment, but who died whilst serving in units of affiliated regiments, will be found in the rolls of the affiliated regiments and vice versa. The regiments concerned are: Royal Fusiliers (City of London), King's Royal Rifle Corps, Rifle Brigade, Middlesex Regiment, Royal West Kent Regiment, East Surrey Regiment, Royal West Surrey Regiment, Gordon Highlanders and Royal Irish Rifles.

Officers attached to other units will often have an entry under both named units in Officers Died? It is noticed that this especially applies to those attached to the Royal Flying Corps, Tank Corp and Machine Gun Corp. The decorations shown in cases of duplication are not always identical, perhaps because either the parent regiment or that which the officer was attached to did not have up to date information.

FAQ 5. Can you correct or edit any errors in individual records?

Our aim with this web edition of Soldiers Died has been to produce as near perfect a copy of the original War Office works as humanly possible. Our basic editorial rule is that if it appears in the original 1921 records, then it will appear on this website without alteration.

FAQ 6. Are there errors in this database?

The original versions of both Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 - 1919 and Officers Died in the Great War 1914 - 1919 unfortunately contain many errors. They were made at the time. It is not possible to speculate on the number of original errors, even less to correct the majority of them on the website. This is primarily because of the destruction of the military records from which Soldiers Died was compiled in the first place by the War Office in 1921. It nevertheless remains a unique source of the most valuable information. The basic editorial rule I have adopted is that, if it appears in the original printed edition, it has been copied thus onto the website. In response to numerous requests it has however been decided exceptionally to amend, where appropriate, the dates of death of those 110 casualties recorded as dying either before the war commenced or after 1/1/1921. Additionally a small number of dates, which made no sense at all, have been corrected. The authority adopted for the amended dates of death is that published by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

FAQ 7. What are the differences between the data in Soldiers Died in the Great War [SWD] and the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission [CWGC]?

Both authorities give details about the casualty but there are considerable differences in the information available. Soldiers Died (in 80 volumes plus one for officers) was compiled, published and sold by the War Office in 1921 from various military records that no longer exist. Similar, but not identical information, was made available to the War Graves Commission and they used some of it to identify casualties for their registers, most of which were published and sold during the 1930s.

In summary, the most important purpose of the files of the CWGC is to provide information so that the next of kin may know the resting place or place of commemoration of their relatives. The CWGC records are therefore designed to identify the casualty and trace the cemetery or memorial. They give the location of the grave or memorial to aid a visit and thus provide a most valuable service.

The basic CWGC data is supplemented, in 60% of the cases only, with additional information that was provided by the family before the registers were published. The cause of death, decorations, details of former unit, together with places of birth, enlistment or residence is not given unless mentioned in additional information supplied at the time by relatives.

Soldiers Died in the Great War War has been computerised from the paper volumes published in 1921. In addition to giving basic information to enable identification it also shows, in a majority of cases, genealogical details of value to family historians such as places of birth, enlistment and residence. Often the former military unit is shown along with other useful information such as medal entitlement. The fundamental cause of death and theatre of war is also shown.

Neither Soldiers Died in the Great War nor the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission stand-alone. They compliment each other with similar, but generally different, information other than the basic military identification information.

FAQ 8. Why are the records in Soldiers Died in the Great War not amended when an error is discovered? The Commonwealth War Graves Commission sometimes updates theirs.

Both sets of records are different and thus are for different purposes. [See FAQ 7]

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is primarily a maintenance organization dealing with the graves, cemeteries and memorials commemorating those Commonwealth personnel who died during the two worlds wars. It also keeps and maintains records of the fallen. But only those records required for identification of the deceased and the location of their grave or memorial. The Commission does not have access to service details or records of the actions, which resulted in the deaths of those it commemorates. Their records are maintained to enable relatives or others to identify the grave or memorial of a deceased for whom they are responsible. As such any identified errors may be sometimes corrected provided sufficient relevant evidence is provided. It is not normally necessary to correct minor errors that have no bearing on the positive identification of the individual or their grave or memorial. The Commission is however not a repository of research and is unable to expend its limited resources on detailed research on behalf of the public.

Soldiers Died in the Great War is now a historical document originally compiled in 1921 by numerous clerks in the War Office. It is known to contain many errors but as the original records from which it was compiled have been destroyed, it is not possible to attempt to correct errors with any authority. Soldiers Died in the Great War is no longer used for official purposes for identifying the dead of the First World War. It is mainly used by historians or those with family connections. The information provided was transcribed from the original volumes with the greatest care. But mistakes can occur. If a transcription error is discovered it will be corrected. It is however not practical to attempt to correct original War Office errors made over 84 years ago. It is for the user to interpret the information provided in the same way as they would use any other secondary source of information.

Army Roll of Honour WW2

Reference to previous FAQ, may be of assistance in answering some of your general questions.

FAQ 9. Where did the data for Army Roll of Honour originate?

The original information came from a variety of sources within the War Office. Between 1944 & 1949 fatal casualty details were encoded onto cards and then printed via a Hollerith Machine. The original printout, a copy of which can be seen at the National Archives, is largely in coded form. All the data it contains was decoded and transcribed in 2000 by Naval & Military Press and published as a fully searchable CD-ROM. Identical information is now on this website.

Some general questions may be answered by referring to FAQ - Soldiers Died in the Great War, as similar situations arise for the Army Roll of Honour – World War II.

FAQ 10.What period do the records for Army Roll of Honour – World War II cover?

3 September 1939 to 20 December 1946.

FAQ 11. Are there errors in this database?

Unfortunately yes! The original records were kept and then copied by vast numbers of clerks, many of whom were insufficiently trained and motivated for the purpose. The primitive punch card system used did not, additionally, lend itself to accuracy.

FAQ 12. How many records are there?

There are 171,212 records with both officers and other ranks in one database.

FAQ 13. Why are double-barrelled names not written with a hyphen; why is the apostrophe omitted from such names as O’Brien and why are decorations not shown separately from initials?

The original records were all printed in upper case letters with no punctuation. Naval & Military Press transcribed the names as accurately as possible, but could not always differentiate between a casualty’s initials and decorations. For the website, upper and lower case has been used as it is more aesthetic but the original problem remains.

FAQ 14. In view of the problem with initials, decorations etc how are they shown on the website?

They are shown under “Initials etc” in this order: Initials, Title (where appropriate) and then Decorations.

FAQ 15. Why are some dates of death incomplete?

Because that is how the War Office showed them.

FAQ 16. Can you correct or edit any errors in individual records?

Sorry no. Our aim with this web edition of Army Roll of Honour is to produce as near perfect a copy of the original War Office works as humanly possible. Our basic editorial rule is that if it appears in the original version, then it will appear on this website without alteration.

FAQ 17. Why are the records in Army Roll of Honour not amended when an error is discovered? The Commonwealth War Graves Commission sometimes update theirs?

Please see “Historical Questions: Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19.” A similar situation applies to the World War II records.

FAQ 18. Less information appears on the Roll of Honour than is available for Great War casualties. Why is this?

It was a War Office decision to restrict the amount of information it was prepared to make public for Second World War casualties. All that was available has been transcribed and published.

The National Roll of the Great War

Reference to previous FAQ, may be of assistance in answering some of your general questions.

FAQ 19. How did the National Roll originate?

It was originally published by the National Publishing Company, which attempted, shortly after hostilities ceased, to compile a brief biography of as many participants in the First World War as possible. Alas, after completing fourteen volumes covering various areas around the country, the company ceased trading.

FAQ 20. How was the National Roll compiled?

By subscription. The contributors were charged 7/6d [37p] per entry in one volume. It seems people were invited to submit a personal biography of themselves or another in a certain format.

FAQ 21. What is special about the National Roll of the Great War?

Genealogists long ago realised the enormous value of the National Roll for the information it contains is virtually unique. It gives a pen picture of the war service of well over 110,000 men and women. Included is the unit the person served in, their address, their medals and a brief biography of their service. In addition to those from the Navy, Army and Air Force many civilian war workers are included. Each entry runs, on average, to over 100 words. Many areas of the country, in addition to London, were covered. Some volumes extend well beyond the named area. For example ‘Southampton’ includes villages and towns many miles from the city. Other areas covered include: Manchester, Leeds, Portsmouth, Bradford, Salford, Birmingham, Luton, Bedford and Northampton.

FAQ 22. Is the database on-line easier to use than the original books?

Yes. Aside from locating a set of the books, which are not readily available, your on-line search gives a rapid index check of all 14 original volumes. It then links straight to the required page and displays it in a very convenient form that can be downloaded onto your computer for future reference.

FAQ 23. If it is considered factual errors are present in the record I have displayed can they be corrected?

Sorry no. Errors discovered in any published book cannot possibly be corrected unless it is re-published as a second edition. No second edition of the National Roll has ever been published. What you are viewing is a copy of the original and only edition.

The Marquis de Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour

Reference to previous FAQ, may be of assistance in answering some of your general questions.

FAQ 24. Who was the Marquis de Ruvigny?

He was Melville Amadeus Henry Douglas Heddle de La Caillemotte de Massue, the 9th Marquis of Ruvigny and Raineval. He was heavily involved in genealogical research and published several books on genealogy – mainly on the nobility of Europe. He died in 1921.

FAQ 25. Is there anything special about the Roll of Honour?

Very much so. It was originally published in five volumes. It is a compilation of over 26,000 biographies of casualties of the Great War of 1914-1918. Each page of the original book was published in two columns of small yet clear test. The biographies vary in length from a couple of lines of basic information to well over 1000 words of text detailing the pre-war life and exact circumstances of death.

FAQ 26. Does it only cover officer casualties?

No. Unlike many Rolls of Honour this one combines both officers and other ranks. All arms of service are included.

FAQ 27. Does it cover the whole War?

Whereas some biographies relate to casualties in 1917 and 1918 it is noticed that the majority relate to deaths in the earlier years.

FAQ 28. What else is so special about this Roll of Honour?

It includes nearly 7,000 photographs of the deceased soldiers, sailors and airmen. Like all old photographs taken from printed books, some are of a higher quality than others. Indeed some were taken from newspapers at the time of original publication.

FAQ 29. If it is considered factual errors are present in the record I have displayed can they be corrected?

Sorry no. Errors discovered in any published book cannot possibly be corrected unless it is re-published as a second edition. No second edition of the Marquis de Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour has ever been published. What you are viewing is a copy of the original and only edition.

Naval Casualties

Reference to previous FAQ, may be of assistance in answering some of your general questions.

FAQ 30. How many ‘other rank’ naval casualties were there in the Great War?

Almost 44,000 sailors perished during the course of that war and its immediate aftermath.

FAQ 31. Where are the original records and can they be consulted?

They are at The National Archives at Kew and are in a very distressed condition and difficult to read through years of use.

FAQ 32. Were not most of the sailors who died lost at sea and have no known grave?

That is true and yet around 36% do have graves around the world. Aside from seamen who actually died on land, many bodies were subsequently washed ashore after their ship sank. Additionally thousands fought as ‘sea-soldiers’ in support of their chums in the army at Gallipoli, Russia and the Western Front. Those who died on land will often have named graves. For those whose grave is the sea there is still considerable information available.

FAQ 33. So what information can I get by looking at these records?

A lot. Aside from their full names, rating, number, branch of service, name of ship or unit, decorations etc, other valuable information is usually available. The date and cause of death, location of their cemetery and reference of grave (where applicable) is shown, together with the name and address of the relative notified of the death. This last item will be especially useful to genealogists.

FAQ 34. Is there anything unusual to be gleaned from these records?

There are many surprises, such as submariners buried in Baghdad and men in the Armoured Car Division buried in Russia. One gem, noticed among the records describing a grave, is “Buried [in] East Africa on a small knoll marked by blazed tree, R. bank Kaibiga River, 100 yards W. of Ndyimbwa-Ungwara.” For those lost at Gallipoli there are often detailed descriptions rather than traditional locations for the grave.

FAQ 35. What about naval officers who died– why are they not included?

The casualty records for officers are contained in card indexes at The National Archives and it is hoped will be included in our database soon. In the meantime details can be gleaned from The Cross of Sacrifice (volume 2) by S.D & D.B Jarvis, which is obtainable from Naval & Military Press.

Distinguished Conduct Medal Citations

Reference to previous FAQ, may be of assistance in answering some of your general questions.

FAQ 36. What is the Distinguished Conduct Medal?

Although the history of the Distinguished Conduct Medal, instituted in 1854, is complex; it prestige is simple. It was awarded ‘for distinguished conduct in the field’, and, ranking just below the Victoria Cross, is most highly regarded. During the First World War over 25,000,including nearly 500 first and second bars (additional awards) were given to army ‘other ranks’.

FAQ 37. What did the recipients have to do to get one?

In short, perform an act or acts demonstrating extreme levels of courage.

FAQ 38. How was this first publicised?

By an entry in the London Gazette, the official newspaper.

FAQ 39. What did it say and can we access this information?

Most entries for the Distinguished Conduct Medal are in the form of a citation, which typically gives the man’s name, rank, number and unit as well as a summary of the act of heroism that resulted in the award. Very often the soldier’s hometown is shown. The date it appeared in the London Gazette is also given. And the entire entry is available to be seen on this website, Military-Genealogy.

FAQ 40. And what does all this tell us about our ancestors?

It typifies the sheer grit, determination and raw courage of some of our forebears who fought, in often appalling conditions, in a hideous war that lasted over four years. If your ancestor was not decorated for bravery that does not mean he was not brave. Many valiant acts were simply not officially witnessed to qualify for an award. Many others went unrecognised among the mêlée of ‘modern’ warfare. Perhaps your ancestor, serving alongside the recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal were also eligible for a bravery award that for some quirk of fate was not recognised at the time.

Irelands Memorial Records

Reference to previous FAQ, may be of assistance in answering some of your general questions.

FAQ 41. How did Ireland’s Memorial Records originate?

In 1923 one hundred luxury volumes, with beautiful symbolic borders, detailing Ireland’s 49,000 war dead were printed on behalf of the Irish National War Memorial Committee under the direction of Lord Ypres (Field Marshal Sir John French). They were primarily intended for distribution through the principal libraries of the country.

FAQ 42. Who is in these records?

The men and women commemorated either served in Irish Regiments etc or were born or resident in geographical Ireland at the time of their death with other units from Britain and the Dominions.

FAQ 43. What do Ireland’s Memorial Records contain?

The principle information given for each person, whereas being similar to Soldiers Died In the Great War, quite often contains additional facts such as age, and elaboration on how killed etc. For example, the entry, ‘died of wounds received in Sinn Fein Rebellion’ has been noticed. Details of pre-war medal entitlement and other odd facts occasionally occur. This is almost certainly the only publication to bring together so many of the Great War dead from all over Ireland in order that they may be individually and collectively honoured and remembered. Kitchener of Khartoum is probably the most senior officer commemorated.