Find Wills of British Soldiers Who Died on Active Duty

The Probate Service for England and Wales have launched a new index to wills of soldiers who died while serving in the British armed forces between 1850 and 1986.

You need to enter at least a surname and year of death but you can add additional data in the advanced search. It's a pity that it doesn't allow a range of years to be entered but you can page backwards or forwards to see other years.

Note however that if the soldier for whom you're searching didn't leave a will or wasn't serving at the time, you won't find them.

However, I think I've found  a problem either with the search mechanism or in the index of soldiers in their database.

A search for Munro 1944 yields

Surname     First name     Regimental number     Date of death
MUNRO     LEONARD CYRIL     14241771     10 June 1944

A search for Munns 1944 yields

No results with the surname MUNNS and the year of death 1944

I think this is a mistake.

My info is that Leonard Cyril Munns died 10 June 1944 in France.

The details for Leonard Cyril Munns are on the Royal Leicestershire Regiment Online Archive but I also checked on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

I've queried this anomaly with the Probate Service for England and Wales.

Search the wills of British soldiers index.
There seems to be a problem with this link and for the moment you'll need to click on the Soldier's Wills tab.

Once you've found the person you want you can download the grant and or will for £10 per person.

New Commonwealth War Graves Commission Website

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has revamped its website.

Some of my great grandfather's family died in World War I and at least one in World War II, though so far, I've only found one casualty in one cemetery.
When I clicked on the cemetery plan link, it was unfortunately missing.

Also I expected to see a link to The War Graves Photographic Project but that has disappeared, too.

Unfortunately I don't like it as much as the old website but perhaps it'll grow on me.

I can't find the things I found before on the other hand I have discovered their information leaflets, which I never noticed before.

In providing more criteria to search on, they've made it more difficult - you need to enter the whole of a date instead if just a year. On the other hand, they're promising that the 'additional information' will soon be searchable and that will be a bonus.

Search the casualty database for yourself.

Also they want information from you, so complete their survey.

World War 2 Anniversaries

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission newsletter has advised that there are a number of events in commemoration of the liberation of the Netherlands in 1945, taking place from 3rd May to 9th May in Apeldoorn, Bergen op Zoom, Groesbeek, Holten, Voorthuizen, Wageningen. More details on the events.

There are also events from 27th to 30th May to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of Operation Dynamo - the rescue of service men and women from Dunkirk during the Second World War. More information.

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Burials of Fromelles Dead Begin

About 7,000 British and Australian soldiers were killed, wounded or taken prisoner in the July 1916 Battle of Fromelles, near Lille in northern France.

The BBC reported today that the remains of 250 World War I British and Australian soldiers, including several Scots, who were killed, and buried by German forces, have been recovered by archaeologists.

They will be reburied with full military honours at Pheasant Wood, a new cemetery built by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission close to the battlefield.

The burial begins tomorrow, 30th January and is expected to go on into February.

A special dedication ceremony will be held on 19th July 2010, the anniversary of the battle.

More information on the BBC and Commonwealth War Graves Commission websites.

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