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G4EBT > HISTRY 18.11.04 10:56l 116 Lines 5147 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 443465G4EBT
Read: GUEST
Subj: War Records now online!
Path: DB0FHN<DB0THA<DB0ERF<DB0FBB<DB0GOS<DB0EEO<DB0RES<ON0AR<GB7FCR
Sent: 041118/0852Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:22262 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:443465G4
From: G4EBT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : HISTRY@WW
Genealogists will know of the excellent purpose-built National Archives
located at Kew, South-West London. It's where most of the nation's
important documents are kept, and includes such things as Shakespeare's
will and Guy Fawke's Confession.
It also houses records of those who served in WW1, whether they were
killed, injured, or survived unscathed. In recent years, there's been
an explosion in interest in genealogy, often from ex-pats or their
descendants.
Until now it's been necessary to visit Kew to view the records, but on
Remembrance Sunday, 14 November 2004, a new website was launched enabling
medal records to be viewed online.
The site's been deluged by those wanting to know the poignant past of
their forbears and had more than 1 million hits in the week before
before its official opening. 30% were from overseas.
For more than 80 years countless individual acts of outstanding bravery,
often by junior ranks, have lain forgotten because of the insurmountable
obstacles faced by people in accessing the records. The new website has
a list of medals awarded to more than 5 million soldiers and airmen that
served overseas. Naval records may be added later.
Among the medal records are those of Winston Churchill, Wilfred Owen
the war poet, and Ralph Vaughan Williams the composer. The database
also includes no less than 84 real-life privates called Tommy Atkins!
Medal cards reveal only basic details of service records. Unfortunately,
about 60% of the full records were destroyed during WW2 hostilities. They
fall into two categories - the "burnt records" and the "unburnt records".
Many ere salvaged, but many were destroyed beyond redemption so it's just
the luck of the draw.
The site can be viewed free, but there's a charge of 3.5GBP to
download individual cards. To access the website go to:
www.DocumentsOnline.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Rudyard Kipling's famous poem on the plight of the typical "Tommy", which
underlines the public's split personality where soldiers are concerned -
happy to laud their heroism and sacrifice on the battlefields - not so
happy to share their company, rough mannerisms, common accents and hard
drinking/hard fighting, uncouth behaviour back home:
"TOMMY"
~~~~~~~
I went into a public 'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican he up an' sez "we serve no red-coats here".
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed, an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
Oh it's Tommy this an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy go away";
But it's "thank you Mister Atkins" when the band begins to play -
Oh it's "Thank you Mr Atkins" when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the Music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord, they shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy wait outside",
But it's "Special train for Atkins when the trooper's on the tide -
The troopship's on the tide my boys, the troopship's on the tide.
Yes, making mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep,
Is cheaper than them uniforms an' they're starvation cheap;
An' huslin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
The it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red lines of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red lines of 'eroes" when the drum begins to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single en in barracks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why single men in barracks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy fall be'ind"
But it's "please to walk in front sir" when there's trouble in the wind.
O it's "Please to walk in front sir" when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk of better food for us, an' schools, an' fires an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations is you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face,
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck 'im out the brute",
But it's "Saviour of our country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's "Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please,
An' Tommy ain't no bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees.
Letters from "the Front" 1916:
Just one of countless thousands:
>'We were smelly, unshaven and sleepless. My uniform was rotten with other
>men's blood and partly spattered with a friend's brains. It is horrible,
>but why should you people at home not know? I cannot describe the horror.
>I honestly believe these men were murdered through the stupidity of the
>men in charge.' Lieutenant J A Raws.
73 - David, G4EBT @ GB7FCR
Eddystone User Group Member
G-QRP Club Member No: 1339
QTH: Cottingham, East Yorkshire.
Message timed: 08:50 on 2004-Nov-18
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