Part of the worldwide genealogy/family history
community
ISSN 2253-4040
Quote: “My ancestors wandered lost
in the wilderness for forty years because even in biblical times, men would not
stop to ask for directions.” Elayne Boosler
Contents
Adding your Scrapbook Items into
FamNet
DNA Testing for Family History
Lost
Trails – from the RSA Review
Whangarei
Family History Computer Group
Help Offered, Information Wanted
etc.
Have Your Say – Letters to the
Editor
From the Editor
I hope you all had
a nice Easter and the weather was kind to you wherever you went on holiday, or
if like me you stayed at home. This month I have made the main feature of
the newsletter ANZAC and the 100th ANNIVERSARY of the start of
WWI. I hope you find the following of interest and there is information
which may be of help to you.
If you live on the West Coast of NZ I hope you are all OK.
My daughter told me of a farmer next door to her who had a tree fall on a cow
which he then had to destroy, as the tree had broken the cows back.
We have a competition this month which I hope many of you
will enter. There is a prize. I love entering competitions, I hope you do
too.
I enjoyed the visit to
Enjoy the newsletter.
From the
Developer
Adding your Scrapbook Items into
FamNet
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We encourage you to load your trees into FamNet, and like
every other genealogy site the standard way of doing this is to upload a GEDCOM. Unfortunately
these don’t include scrapbook information, so to upload your pictures you
have to update the records on line. Open one of your own records and you’ll
see an [Edit] option. |
Click this and an edit page appears allowing you to update the record. You can upload pictures with the controls there, or click [Scrapbook] for more flexibility.
Scrapbook provides a dialog that
allows you to easily upload your pictures, documents, and videos and sound
files. Click
here to hear one of our family treasures, a recording of Mary’s aunt that
we discovered 17 years after her death. Pictures are often of
groups, and documents too may involve others, so when the object has been
uploaded you can easily link it to other people as well. A particularly easy
option is [Link to Family] where the dialog gives you a list of the subject’s
parents, siblings, partner(s), and children, i.e. the people most likely to be
with him/her in a picture.
We strongly encourage you to
upload your scrapbook items. You get extra subscription credits for this, and more
importantly your tree becomes more interesting to your family and everybody
else.
DNA Testing for Family History
Where Would One Begin?
This is the 2nd in
a series of 12 articles on the subject of DNA testing for genealogy purposes
by Gail Riddell (a popular
and renowned DNA presenter in
In the previous (first)
article, I finished by requesting that you focus on what it is that you wish to
learn from such testing. You see, if you are uncertain of what it is you wish
to learn then it is possible you may select the wrong firm and the wrong test and
result in an unsatisfactory outcome for your requirements. This is because no
two firms offer the same procedures nor the same tests. Even more sadly, not
all firms offer the same services. (Never mind what their publicity machines
state!)
So, should you decide to get
genetically involved, please spend time working out what you wish to learn or
what aim you have to ensure such an investment works for you. (Not for your
neighbour; not for your friend; not for your relative but for you).
Here are common reasons you may
have for considering such a test in the first place:-
1. I am curious as to what I would find.
2. I am adopted and wish to learn who my birth parents might
be.
3. My mother/father is adopted and has no idea as to her/his
parents.
4. I look nothing like anyone in my family – are my parents
really my parents?
5. I suspect a person is actually a relative but how can I be
sure?
6. I wish to learn who my UK relatives are.
7. Am I European or another ethnicity group?
8. My family history goes back hundreds of years but I wish to
learn whether this is genuine.
9. My surname is very common so how do I know for certain if I
am related to other people using the same surname?
10. I am curious as to whether I am (examples) English,
Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Flemish, Spanish, Flemish, Portuguese, Norwegian,
Danish, German, Italian, Indian, Maori, African, Jewish,
11. Turkish, Russian, Polish, Chinese, Asian etc. etc.
12. I am interested in whether my genes may show I am allergic
to certain things or I have a medical weakness. Can DNA testing help me with
this?
13. My parents were brown-eyed, as are my siblings so do my
blue eyes mean I am not a biological child?
14. My brick wall is when my ancestors arrived in New
Zealand and I cannot find the ship on which they arrived, nor where they
came from – will DNA testing help me?
Those were mere examples of
reasons I am given every day. On the surface, these all appear to be
straightforward. But once I dig a little deeper, the motivations and thoughts
in behind those examples give very real clues as to what test should be taken,
by whom and with which firm. The final decision usually depends on three
important decisions you must make.
1. The funds you are willing to outlay? (Meaning, it is not as
expensive as say “golf” but it can prove to be expensive. And if the correct
test is not taken with the correct firm, you will be wasting your money).
2. Who in your family is willing to test? And does that person
represent the one whose results will give you what is needed? (Meaning, is that
person being tested, in the correct descendant’s line?)
3. Do you want fast and cheap? Or do you want slow and
accurate? Do you want health and genealogy or just genealogy?
In my next article, the subject of
which is “what test should I take to give me the outcome I am seeking?” I shall
give an overview of test-type descriptions and what you will learn from each.
Here is a true
story regarding a soldier leaving behind a mystery finally unravelled by
the use of DNA.
© Gail Riddell 2014
Colleen’s Corner
Lost Trails – from the RSA
Review
With April being ANZAC month, and
this year being the centenary of WWI, I thought I would republish some material
from the RSA, the first about some items to be returned to descendants if they
can be found, and some requests from people wanting war photographs identified
and some information. If anyone could help with these the recipients would
be very grateful.
Items for Return to Family of
Alfred Martin
Items for return to family
of ALFRED MARTIN, 72075, a World War I soldier. The items include
an order to parade from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force; the army form dated
April 2, 1919, and is addressed Mrs E Mathews, North Head,
Papanui. According to the notification from the base records branch of the
NZ Military Forces in Wellington, Alfred Martin died at the front of
wounds on November 8, 1918. He had lived in
Alfred Martin was a retired
Colonel of the NZ Army. His last appointment was as Director and CEO of
the National Army Museum. In his retirement he conducted
military research for individuals and organisations. From a brief
examination of the files relating to this man – which included a copy of his
Will, Alfred Martin willed all his possessions to his brother a Harold Sidney
Bashford of
Are You the Owner Of These Kit
Bags?
Two kit bags to return to
families. Details on the kitbags are: Tpr. Connolly JP 45584 NZEF.
Pte Climo K.G. 49070,
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Missing Colleagues
Roy Green, 94, a World War II Veteran, seeks information on two colleagues from Italy; Snow Burling, Tank Transporters Regiment from Wairarapa, possibly Featherston, and Verdan Grey (nicknamed Hector), also from Wairarapa. Roy is feeling rather weak at the moment so hopefully we can find this information for him. Contact the Editor if you can help this old soldier.
Needing Identification
Can anybody help identify anyone
in the photos below? The soldier seated in both photos is Norman
Simpkin who served in WWI. The short soldier on the right of the
group of three and second from the right in the bigger is Pte Ernest Edward
Hughes. He and Simpkin were in the 39th Reinforcements.
The National Army Museum,
at Waiouru, has identified this as a private/studio photo, and has suggested
they could have been men from C Coy (both Simpkin Burgess and Pte Thomas Hansen
were in C Coy and from the same area, Dargaville. Simpkin, Burgess and
Pvt Thomas Hansen, all from that area, were in military training before
enlisting.
They were attested on October 30,
1917, began service on August 19, 1918, were in the New Zealand Medical Corp,
and embarked with the 39th Reinforcement. Hansen could be the
soldier on the left of the threesome and on the right hand side of the larger
group.
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The 3 soldiers in the left photo
appear to be the same as the middle 3 soldiers in the back row of the 2nd
photo. The only 2 that we know who they are: - photo 3861; - seated is Norman
Simpkin, 2nd in from RH end is Ernest Burgess (he is also the one on the Right,
in photo 3862)
Suggestions of who they could be
(from the Waiouru Museum) are:-
·
Private Allen, Horace George (b.
10/11/1891 son of George and Rosie Ellen Allen, Arapito,
·
Private Gray, Eric Stanley ( b. 12/7/1890 wife
was Eileen Florence Quinlivan c/- T.F.Quinlivan,
· Private Hansen, Thomas (b. 6/6/1893 - parents Carl Andreas and Lydia HANSEN nee Ford, Matakohe, Kaipara)
·
Private Smith, Herbert (born 4/6/1896 as Herbert
YEO, at East Moulsey, UK, - his father died and his mother
·
Private Ward, Edwin (born 10/1/1895 at
Northam,
Looking For
Relatives of a Soldier Who Was Saved By Rex Dakers
The Israeli Ambassador is looking
for relatives of a
Can You Help With the Date
These New Zealanders Were Photographed?
Can anyone help with the date
these
The contributor whose two brothers
(both now deceased) were on board, says she knows they had been at HMS Mayoma
and came home later, rather than earlier, in the year. The ship is
believed to have been an aircraft carrier designed for the United States.
I contacted the NZ Navy on Facebook and they have sent it to their museum. If
you can help please contact the
Editor.
Request for a Photo of an Aircraft
An RSA member asks if anyone possesses a photograph of
356Sqn Liberator VI. Serial KH161? This was his grandfather’s
aircraft. If you can help please contact the Editor.
Medal Requests
Where Are Nana and Granddad’s Medal’s?
· Do you know if your paternal and maternal grandfather (and grandmother) ever served during WWII and therefore may have some medallic entitlement?
· Do you know their service number and a brief outline of their service?
· Have medals been issued and who holds them now?
· Are they in good order?
With the growing interest in Anzac Day and Family History
Research, there are now many requests to the Medals Office from families
trying to locate these medals.
In the early 1920’s WWII veterans
had to apply for the medals of service, unlike WWI servicemen who had them
mailed out automatically. The service decided by WWII that the automatic mail
out was too difficult a task, so made the rule that all servicemen and
servicewoman (or the families in the case of deceased personnel) had to
apply.
Many WWII veterans did not agree
with this rule and refused to apply. Their medal entitlement is still
recorded on their personnel files and the NZDF Medals Office still holds a
large number of WWII medals.
More information can be found on
the NZDF medals website Also
available on the website are the new All Medal Entitlement application
forms for the Medal Office to check if the relatives medal entitlement has
been issued.
If you want to have additional
sets for your grandchildren – talk to your medal mounter to have some miniature
medal sets made for them to wear on the right hand side of their jackets on
Anzac Day. They are far easier to get and cheaper overall than full sized
medals plus having the advantage of being a lot lighter to wear. Orders,
decorations are worn on the left breast by a veteran in a line suspended from a
single brooch mount (swing mounted) or a rectangular frame (court mounted).
Australian War Memorial
The War Memorial’s collections contain a wealth of material relating to the
military service of individuals as well as units. If you are trying to track
down information about relatives who served in any of the conflicts in
which Australia has been involved since the 1860s, you can search
their collections. The photograph collection includes individual and group
portraits of military and support personnel, allied and enemy soldiers and
local civilians, and scenes of the Australian home front. The private records
collection includes private papers, letters, and diaries of non-government
organisations and individuals. And the film, sound, art, heraldry, and
technology collections are also useful sources to check.
How to Find Stolen Australian
War Medals
This
site is very interesting with a lot of success stories. You may find
your Australian Medals here.
Depending on where your family member
served; the date on which they actually enlisted and when they shipped out, a
number of medals may have been awarded.
Unless your family has been diligent
and kept these items together in the one box, chances are medals have become
lost or the medal group separated over the years. After all, not everybody has
military medal display cases taking up space in the loungeroom, in which to
store their family treasures.
The reasons WHY these medals have
gone missing are many and varied. After The Great War of 1914-1918 (World War
1) considering the carnage and massive loss of life, it was not uncommon for
certain family members to take offence at the Government’s offer of a War Medal
& Death Plaque (colloquially known as a “Dead Man’s Penny”) to families that
had lost a loved one.
Canadian Medals
To obtain an application
for awards through the Canadian
Dept of Veteran Affairs
Medals in the
The demand for both current and historic campaign medals has
risen sharply in recent years. In order
to cope with the demand, the Royal Navy, Army and RAF single Service Medal
Offices were combined into the "Ministry of
Defence Medal Office" in March 2005. The office now forms part of the
Service Personnel and Veterans Agency and since then, has dispatched over
200,000 medals.
Claiming for Campaign Medals
Service personnel receive their campaign medals during the
course of their service. These are issued as part of their Service dress. If,
however, after an individual leaves the Armed Forces and feels there is an
outstanding entitlement to a medal then they should contact the MOD Medal Office.
There are still many veterans who have not received the medals to which
they are entitled. By far the largest group of veterans were those who were in
the Armed Forces during the Second World War.
As a general rule, most Second World War Service personnel
were not issued with medals before they were de-mobilised at the end of the war
and consequently they had to claim for them after they had left the Services.
Brown prepaid postcards were placed at post offices around the country; the
intention was that ex-service personnel could complete the cards and send them
off to initiate the claims for Medals. Although the availability of medals for
wartime service was widely advertised at the time, many people, for a variety
of reasons, did not claim their Medals. Now, over 60 years later, hundreds of
veterans, or their next of kin, are making initial claims for Second World War
medals, every month. They were, and still are, issued in the first instance
free of charge for initial issue.
Medals can be issued to the legal next of kin of deceased
ex-Service Personnel; however proof of kinship will be required. To claim
initial issue medals replace stolen/destroyed medals or find out if an
individual is entitled to a medal, please write to the Medal Office at the
address below. The following information (or as much as possible) is required:
Service Number, Regiment/Corps (Army/RM), Branch/Trade (RAF
and RN), Full Name, Date of Birth, Rank and date of discharge, plus, of course,
your current name and address. If you have access to the internet you can email the Medal Office with these details
All claims are dealt with as quickly as possible by experienced Medal Office staff however, finding files from archives and verifying individual's records can take time as every detail has to be checked and double checked to ensure eligibility. Whatever the outcome, you will be notified.
Replacing Campaign Medals
Medal’s for campaign service are supposed to be treasured
possessions, reflecting service to one's country and awarded by The Sovereign
on behalf of a grateful nation. While their market value is often only
superficial (though some can be quite valuable, particularly awards for
gallantry), the recipient is expected to treat them with care and be mindful of
their security. In view of this, once medals are issued they become the sole
responsibility of the original recipient, or his/her next of kin. They will
not, therefore, be replaced by the MOD if they are lost.
The only exception to this rule is if the medals are stolen or accidentally destroyed beyond the control of the owner, for example in a house fire. In these cases the MOD may replace the medal if proof of the loss is provided in the form of a Police Report or a claim to an insurance company. A charge is made for medals that are replaced to cover the cost of manufacture and a nominal charge for administration. It should be noted that in many cases the replacement medals will be stamped as such to avoid confusion with the originals should they ever be found.
Home Guard
Claims for medals for service in the Home Guard are also
dealt with by the MOD Medal Office, however when requesting medals for this
type of service, the address the recipient was living at when they signed up
for Home Guard service needs to be supplied
Contact: The Ministry of Defence Medal Office at the
following address:
Service
Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA)
(Joint
Personnel Administration Centre)
MOD Medal
Office
Building 250
Imjin
Barracks
Gloucester
GL3 1HW
Or contact the Veterans-UK helpline on 0800 169 2277.
Remember to have your service number, date of birth and full name and address
to hand.
Other sites to Visit Regarding WW1 and WWII
British Army Soldiers after 1913 Soldier ranks include Private, Lance Corporal,
Corporal, Sergeant, and Warrant Officer. The Ministry of Defense
website gives more detail.
Forces War Records
Forces War Records is the
sister site of Forces Reunited,
the leading British military community on the web with more than one million
members and reuniting veterans since 2001, part of Clever Digit Media Ltd. The
site was created in 2008 upon the request of some Forces Reunited
members who were looking for information on their ancestors but had come up
against dead ends with the usual genealogy sites. Since inception they have
gone on to add over six million individuals records and are currently
adding over 200,000 records a month.
They currently employ over 50
people in their
About
the British War Medal
The British War Medal was
instituted in 1919 to recognise the successful conclusion of the First World
War (1914-1918). Its coverage was later extended to recognise service until 1920,
recognising mine clearing operations at sea, and participation in
operations in North and South Russia, the eastern Baltic, Siberia,
the Black Sea and the Caspian.
The obverse of this medal shows the
uncrowned left-facing profile of King George V by Sir Bertram Mackennal. The
reverse of the medal depicts St George on horseback trampling underfoot the
eagle shield of the Central Powers, and a skull and cross-bones (the emblems of
death). Above, the sun has risen in victory. The figure is
mounted on horseback to symbolise man's mind controlling a force of greater
strength than his own, and thus alludes to the scientific and mechanical
developments and machines which helped to win the war.
Throughout the British
Empire about 6.5 million medals were awarded in silver.
Approximately another 110,000 were awarded in bronze, mainly to Chinese, Indian
and Maltese personnel in labour battalions.
Military
Genealogy
Irelands Memorial Records
The
City of
Military Genealogy
It is now
possible to find information on most of those from
Additionally,
over 400,000 particulars
including much biographical information of those who served is now available to
view in the form of the National Roll of the Great War, De uvigny's Roll Of
Honour, Men of The Battle of Waterloo 1815, Boer War Casualties 1899-1902,
Distinguished Conduct Medal Citations, Ireland's Memorial Records, Naval
Casualties 1914-1919 and British Prisoners of War (German Camps).
Researching
100,000 New
Zealand men signed up to fight for King and Country in the First World
War. Their names were listed in the Nominal rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary
force, published by the government between 1917 and 1919. These rolls are available
through public libraries in their original printed form and on microfiche.
British Army War Diaries 1914-1922
“What are
these records? These records are the unit war diaries of the cavalry and the
first 33 infantry divisions of the British
Army in the First World War. They are part of a large series of records, WO
95, which contains many more diaries that have not yet been digitised. They are
not personal diaries (try the
Some
diaries record little more than daily losses and map references whilst
others are much more descriptive, with daily reports on operations,
intelligence summaries and other material. The digitised diaries cover
activity in
Useful Websites
This month we seem to have scattered the “Useful Websites” in other articles, except for this one, “The History Classroom”, that looks especially useful when we need to get our facts correct on NZ History.
Group News
Whangarei Family History Computer Group
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Contacts: Gloria: (022) 635 4161 barryandgloria33@gmail.com Wayne: (09) 437
2881 wayne@bydand.co.nz Pat: (09) 437 0692 whangareifamilyhistorygroup@gmail.com Venues Thursday evening Saturday meetings in SeniorNet
rooms in James Street. Rooms open at 9.00 and we finish by 1.00pm $2.00 each meeting or $20.00pa. The Whangarei Group have
made trips around the Hokianga area and to the Auckland Library and Archives.
They discovered searchable documents of land on the website. The full
Whangarei Family History Computer Group newsletter can be read here. |
News and Views
From Wayne
CamScanner
turns any Smartphone into a Scanner and
Document Management System. “Let’s say you are at archives looking at old land
records and you find what you have been looking for: the transcription of your
ancestor’s deed showing his purchase of property. Of course you need a copy but
the only available copy machine doesn’t handle oversized documents. Even more
important, you always prefer a digital image whenever possible as it’s easier
to store, copy and include in your reports. However there is no scanner
available. What to do?
The answer: use your cell phone’s camera.
(This article was originally from Eastman’s
Online Genealogy Newsletter, but has disappeared from there so we’ve linked to
the CamScanner site directly)
Other
Websites
Irish Wills index
which is online covering the years 1858 to 1920
Papers Past
This month I had a
session on using Papers Past and have
had some wonderful finds on my Matthews relatives. I did feel that some of the
family were rather overshadowed by The Reverend Joseph Matthews. Wonderful
events in the announcements such as marriages and births so often had the
mention that they were the descendants of Rev Joseph even if they were in-laws
of the said gentleman. However, for me looking for information it has been a
boon because I am able to build up more family stories about that particular
branch of my family.
More newspapers are
being added each week and World events, such as the death of the Albert, Prince
Consort are written up in our own newspapers so perhaps it is worth those who
say “I don’t have ancestors in NZ” to put in names and events they are
searching for. There may be a snippet found. The miserable wet night last week
I feel was well spent churning through these pages.
Find
My Past also has a wide range of smaller provincial
newspapers on their website.
In April many will be remembering those
who went to World Wars 1 and 2, and the more recent ones with sadness and
gratitude for those who lost their lives and those we were lucky enough to have
returned home to us.
Community
Ask an Expert
Question I have been researching my father-in-law’s (now deceased) father for
over 25 years and cannot find any of his family. I have the following
information only. My father-in-law was born on 20 August 1908. His
father was Thomas Wilson, occupation miner, aged 38, from Sydney. He was to
married Caroline Bartley at Broken Hill, Australia. Caroline married
three times. Thomas died in a mining accident in 1938 at Broken Hill.
Thomas Wilson
was from Sydney. From there the trail
goes gold. If you can help, please
contact the editor.
Help Offered, Information Wanted etc.
Remember that you can post photos for
identification, and information wanted requests:-
Click here to request help with some information
We’ll post the photos and information requests
in the next newsletter, and they’ll remain on display for at least a year.
There were no new photos at the time of sending
the newsletter.
Have Your Say – Letters to the Editor
Competition
Do you think unusual
spellings of common names and unusual names are going to cause confusion in
genealogy research in the future? Please email
the editor in 50 words or less and the best letter
will be published and will win a year’s free subscription with FamNet.
In Conclusion
A Bit of Light Relief
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a group subscriber then there will be a charge for advertising events and
services, which must be paid for before publication. Charges start at $NZ20 for
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else we need funds to help keep FamNet going. Fees are very minimal. If your
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