New Ancestry files - updates

I was going to comment on your post Michael but I'd probably get banned.

 

Oh dear lies to draw them

put a name in
John smith
Great thats him
Lots of records for him
Sign up
Oh dear we only have his name nowt else

Money wasted

polite point of view as per above

 

As an Ancestry (and Findmypast) subscriber it would be great if this meant access to more records, but I can't see it - probably just increased price for implied records

 

I thought I would post this link about FWR as some of our newer members may be wondering about the comments on this post.
WW2Talk Has Absolutely No Connection To 'Forces War Records'.

Perhaps we shouldn't be posting any more about FWR -it just adds to their audience.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

This from VP 2013:
"WW2Talk continues to have no connection to that website.

We're also now choosing to ban all discussion of them here, as the Owner's response to questions posted on a now-removed thread on which they invited queries, was eventually an accusation of libel.

Sorry chaps, not our usual friendly style, but any further references to them will be deleted."

von Poop, Mar 15, 2013

 

I get miffed (polite version) because many people chasing info on their relatives time in WW2 believe they can just put the name of their relative into a browser and bang all their info dreams are met.
Then they see fwr and they promise the genie will be popped out.
They bang in the sovs and then the reality kicks in that nothing is available or they pick up the wrong path and dive down a sink hole researching the wrong person.

You realise the members on this forum who knock out stuff gratis for members new and old offer a free goldmine. If a small charge is levied for deep research it is well worth the money and you know you will get a good deal from a forum member.

 

Plus there does seem to be lots of padding - pictures of medals they "may" have been entitled too with very generic info on it and similar for "units"

 

loads of it

"Feel like I have been conned! Paid my yearly fee looked on site for information about my father's military service only to be told nothing on there about" him."

"Totally useless. Very little information on the individual I was researching and almost all of it was incorrect."

"Couldn't find my grandad on the site even when I entered his service number!"


we know this so the new buyer needs to sort it out

 

I would be amazed if Ancestry didn’t rejig, sharpish the FWR Modus Operandi to bring it line with the other titles that come under their umbrella.
I know people have a moan about having to pay extra for Fold3 or Newspaper info but they’ve never used FWR’s marketing strategy to hook people in.
Very professionally run, just don’t give them (or other sites like them) a sample of your DNA.

 

FindMyPast rather than Ancestry but they now have Royal Engineers Tracer Cards (added the first third or so of the alphabet a couple of months ago but have just added the rest) - also just added are RE Casualty Cards. The Tracer cards vary a lot in content - the casualty cards are good and seem to have more of a write up than the RA ones.

 

Available for free here - Home page | naa.gov.au
Put the mouse on Explore the Collection then click search
Note not many are online at the moment, only those that have been paid for by someone, but NAA is slowly scanning WW2 records and all will be available at some time.

regards

Robert

 

It begs the question of what's on FWR that Ancestry would want? Did they go after the information or the 'competition'?

 

Good point FWR was such rubbish that it’s probably getting rid of the competition

 

Caveat emptor!

 

Let me guess.

Like fold3, it will be "part of ancestry" but not available on my ancestry subscription.

They will have to work very hard to make me want to pay for another website.

Gus

 

Now that is interesting me Alistair thanks for this cheers.

Mike

 

Especially that one.

 

UK, Royal Navy Officer Patrol Service Cards, 1904-1970

Records - 8,632

About UK, Royal Navy Officer Patrol Service Cards, 1904-1970
General Collection Information
This collection contains records for those who served in the Royal Navy Patrol Service from 1904-1970. Records in this collection are Royal Navy Continuous Record cards, which were updated throughout the serviceman’s naval career. Records are handwritten in ledgers and organised by function and service number.
Using this Collection
The collection includes the following information:
Name
Rank
Service number
Birth place
Birthdate
Parents’ names
Next of kin name
Relationship to next of kin
Service dates
Names of ships
The records in this collection consist of two cards per record. Click the arrow to the right of the image to access the rest of the record.
The Royal Navy originally sorted the cards in this collection by function, then service number. This can give you insights into your ancestor’s role while in the service. Functions can be determined by an abbreviated identifier found before the service number. Common identifiers include:
F - Fleet Air Arm
J - Seaman and Communications Branch
K - Stokers
L - Officers’ Cooks and Stewards
M - Miscellaneous
SS - Short Service, Seamen and Stokers
SSX - Short Service Seamen
Pensioners - no prefix
Collection in Context
The Royal Navy Patrol Service (RNPS) was a branch of the Royal Navy which operated during both World Wars. Unlike other branches of the military, the RNPS has roots in the fishing industry. Officers in the RNPS were often recruits from the Royal Naval Reserve who started as fishermen during peacetime. Trawlers, a type of boat that operates by dragging fishing nets across the bottom of the sea, were found to be useful in minesweeping and anti-submarine operations. The small boats primarily worked on the homefront to keep supply lines clear of mines, however; the RNPS was also involved in convoy missions everywhere from the Arctic Sea to the Mediterranean.
The original collection was created by the Ministry of Food and is currently held at the Imperial War Museum. The images in this collection were created from microfilm held at The National Archives.
Bibliography
RNPS Association. “History.” Last Modified 2019. RNPS History – History
The National Archives. “Admiralty: Royal Naval Patrol Service (Trawler Skipper) cards” Last Modified 2020. Admiralty: Royal Naval Officers Patrol Service (Trawler Skipper) cards | The National Archives

 

UK, World War II Index to Allied Airmen Roll of Honour, 1939-1945

Records - 129,017

About UK, World War II Index to Allied Airmen Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
General collection information
This collection comprises a comprehensive list of British, Commonwealth, Dominion, and Allied European air service members who lost their lives in service during the Second World War. More than 129,000 air service members are recorded in this index-only collection, which includes valuable personal information, such as aircraft serial numbers, details that may be hard to find in other collections.
Using the collection
The collection may include the following information:
Name
Service number
Rank
Which branch of service
Unit
Base
Nativity
Role while in service
Date of death
Age at death
Cause of death
Place of burial/memorial
Honours and awards
Aircraft type
Aircraft serial number
The service members in this collection represent anyone who died while aiding the Royal Air Force and the following locations are all represented:
Australia
Belgium
Bermuda
Canada
Czechoslovakia
France
Greece
India
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Poland
Rhodesia
South Africa
The United Kingdom
The United States
Yugoslavia
The information in this collection is very detailed; however, having background information about your family member will greatly aid your search. It may be helpful to search other records from Ancestry’s UK World War II military collections.
Collection in context
The Allied Airmen played a major role in defeating the Axis powers during the Second World War. Primarily led by Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF), the allied airmen came from all over the world. Many were trained by the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), a joint program between the UK and the Dominions designed to boost the number of allied pilots. In 1940, thousands more airmen from the European continent would flee to the UK. Further support came from the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) and Air Transport Auxiliary, a civilian volunteer group that ferried inactive airplanes. Throughout the course of the Second World War, allied airmen fought in every theatre of war; including the Battle of Britain.
Bibliography
BBC. “WW2 People’s War - Timeline.” Last modified 2005. BBC - WW2 People's War - Timeline.
Devitt, Peter. “Poles and Czechoslovaks in the Battle of Britain.” Royal Air Force Museum. Last modified 21 September 2020. https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/poles-and-czechoslovaks-in-the-battle-of-britain/.
History.com. “The Bombing Offensive.” Last modified 2021. The Bombing Offensive.
The National Archives. “Deaths in the First and Second World Wars.” Accessed 22 July 2021. Deaths in the First and Second World Wars - The National Archives.

 

UK, Military Records of Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages and Burials, 1813-1957

Records - 38,417

About UK, Military Records of Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages and Burials, 1813-1957
General Collection Information
This collection contains registrations of baptisms, confirmations, marriages, banns, and burials for individuals who served in the British military, including those stationed overseas. This collection is unique in that the original records were recorded by military chaplains. Because of this, the collection combines the level of detail you find in parish records with the uniformity of civil registrations.
While the Church of England is the official state religion of the United Kingdom, people of other faiths have been able to join the British military since 1793.
Using this Collection
The collection includes the following information:
Baptisms
Name
Birthdate
Baptism date
Baptism place
Names of parents
Gender
Marriages
Names of bride and groom
Ages
Marriage date
Ranks or professions of the couple
Regiment(s) of the couple
Names of fathers
Names of witnesses
Residence
Burials
Name of deceased
Date of death
Age
Rank
Regiment
Burial date
Burial place
Residence
The British military served all over the world, so depending on where your ancestor was stationed and how long they served, they may have multiple records from more than one place.
The original collection is housed in the National Archives of the UK in Surrey. Original records are not available to the public; however, copies may be purchased here.
Collection in Context
In 1534, Henry VIII split from the Catholic Church and formed the Church of England. By establishing royal control over religious concerns, the English state was allowed to access and regulate church records. The Church of England has kept records of baptisms, marriages, and burials since 1538. While not included in the original decree, confirmation records were often logged as notes in baptismal registers.
In 1812, George Rose’s Act called for pre-printed registers to be used for separate baptism, marriage, and burial registers as a way of standardising records. In a further effort to standardize and unify vital records, the General Register Office (GRO) was founded in 1836 to register births, marriages, and deaths.
Bibliography
Genealogy Supplies (Jersey) Limited. “A History of Parish Registers.” Last Modified 2020, History of Parish Registers
King, Echo. “UK Birth Index Update.” Ancestry.com. Last Modified February 9, 2009, https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2009/02/09/uk-birth-index-update/
The National Archives. “Birth , Marriages, and Deaths in the Armed Forces.” Last Modified 2020. Births, marriages and deaths in the armed forces - The National Archives
Waller, Ian and Swiford, Christopher. “Guide Two: Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates: A Guide to Using the Records of Civil Registration.” Society of Genealogists. Last Modified 2017, http://www.sog.org.uk/learn/help-getting-started-with-genealogy/guide-three
UK Parliament. “Roman Catholic’s Army and Navy Service Bill.” Last Modified May 4, 2018. ROMAN CATHOLIC'S ARMY AND NAVY SERVICE BILL. (Hansard, 5 March 1807)