war service/family search

[haldir]

Hey guys and galls - long time no pester.

However i have recently been given two packages of documents that have fired my interest and also left me stranded as to where to start.

Thought this might be the best place to start my quests.

Firstly - I have been given a war diary from WWI belonging to a Seargeant Cyril Fletcher of the 124th Canadian Pioneers. I have managed to find out that they were formed, at least in part from the Governor General's Bodyguard. I have located this man at or around Vimy ridge in April 1917. Any help would be appreciated.

Secondly I have been left the personal affects of my Great Unlce Private Robert Peacock of the Cameron Highlanders who were part of the sacrificial rear-guard action that enabled the evacuation at Dunkirk.

He was captured and was held as a POW for the rest of the war. He escaped 6 times but was always caught and I know he was held in Stalag IXc as I have numerous photos. I also know that he ended the war as a forced labourer inthe salt mines of Silezia as he was a right pain in the arse to his captors.

Again any help would be much appreciated.

Haldir

 

[Katyusha]

Firstly - I have been given a war diary from WWI belonging to a Seargeant Cyril Fletcher of the 124th Canadian Pioneers. I have managed to find out that they were formed, at least in part from the Governor General's Bodyguard. I have located this man at or around Vimy ridge in April 1917. Any help would be appreciated.

Not sure what kind of help it is that you're asking for, so I'll do my best. For this one, I would probably research the 124th Canadian Pioneers at the time of WWI; what part they played in the war and who their personnel were. If you're looking to actually find people to talk to these would be great places to start because you may find a descendant of someone who was one of Fletcher's commanders, peers or subordinates who talked about him a lot to their friends and family.

Then I would begin researching the history of people living around Vimy Ridge and the area itself, probably 1916-1918 or even 1915-1920...something like that. Research the area itself, find out its history. Find out when he came there and when he left (if he left). This could also help you find where he came from and you could maybe find friends and neighbors of his from earlier or later times. Trace his family history back if you don't know much about him before WWI.

Secondly I have been left the personal affects of my Great Unlce Private Robert Peacock of the Cameron Highlanders who were part of the sacrificial rear-guard action that enabled the evacuation at Dunkirk.

He was captured and was held as a POW for the rest of the war. He escaped 6 times but was always caught and I know he was held in Stalag IXc as I have numerous photos. I also know that he ended the war as a forced labourer inthe salt mines of Silezia as he was a right pain in the arse to his captors.

Again any help would be much appreciated.

Haldir

Now, for this one I would do research into Stalag IXc. One of the ways I learned so much about the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III was by researching as much about the camp as I could. See if you can find a list of prisoners who were there after Dunkirk, how many tried to escape multiple times and how big these escape attempts were. The POWs of WWII (and other wars) felt they had a duty to try to escape as often as possible and if they couldn't, then it became their duty to harass the enemy into having to use inordinately large numbers of troops to guard them. Same thing with the forced laborers, so it doesn't surprise me that he was a pain in the ass to his captors.

Also, again, research his unit too. Here, because it's WWII, you may find people still alive who knew him; talking to people with stories is often a better way to find out anything you need to know than research into documents and news clippings and history books is.

Hope this helps, if it doesn't, please feel free to post or PM more specifics.

 

[haldir]

Katyusha - many many thanks.

Great ideas for both probs.

The Canadian Archives are great and I have found his papers of attestment (enlistment papers) but cant seem to get any further.

As for Stalag IXc - I just got the stuff yesterday so all your suggestions are great for me.

Many amny thanks again.

 

[Katyusha]

Katyusha - many many thanks.

Great ideas for both probs.

The Canadian Archives are great and I have found his papers of attestment (enlistment papers) but cant seem to get any further.

As for Stalag IXc - I just got the stuff yesterday so all your suggestions are great for me.

Many amny thanks again.

You're welcome.

 

[Weird Harold]

The Canadian Archives are great and I have found his papers of attestment (enlistment papers) but cant seem to get any further.

WWI records may no longer exist, but you may need to make a formal, written, request to the Canadian army for their service records. I'm not sure if the Canadaians restrict such requests to next-of-kin as the US DOD used to do, but the public affairs officer of your nearest mititary installation should be able to tell you where to apply and what restrictions, if any, there are.

Don't limit yourself to the internet for your research -- although it will be of immeasureable value in finding hints to where else to look. There were a lot of small, local interest publications, after WWI and WWII, and local historical societies often have limited edition publications on local history (which might be for sale on local historicl society websites nowadays) but you need to track down those little local historical societies both in Canada and in Europe to find out what is available.

Geneological websites will probably be an invaluable resource for information outside of their military service.