If you want to find out about an ancestor who served on the Somme during the First World War - during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 or at any time during the fighting in this sector of the Western Front - this book is the ideal guide. It provides practical information and advice on how to conduct your research. It will help you to discover when and where your ancestors served and give you an insight into his experience of the war. It is also a fascinating introduction to researching the Great War as a whole. Simon Fowler outlines the course of the fighting on the Somme, introducing the many historical resources that you can use to explore the history for yourself. He identifies the key sources for family historians, including at The National Archives and Imperial War Museum and the many online sites that researchers can turn to. There is also advice on the literature, archives, museums and monuments that may help you to gain an insight into your ancestor's story.
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vii | |
| Introduction |
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ix | |
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Chapter 1 Getting Started |
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1 | (12) |
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Chapter 2 Researching Soldiers |
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13 | (22) |
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35 | (20) |
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Chapter 4 Women in France |
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55 | (10) |
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Chapter 5 Researching Battles and Units |
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65 | (26) |
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Chapter 6 The War in the Air |
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91 | (10) |
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Chapter 7 Researching Dominion and Indian Troops |
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101 | (12) |
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Chapter 8 Battlefield Tourism |
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113 | (16) |
| Appendix 1 Researching War Memorials |
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129 | (3) |
| Appendix 2 The Men |
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132 | (2) |
| Appendix 3 The Timeline |
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134 | (4) |
| Bibliography |
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138 | (5) |
| Index |
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143 | |
Simon Fowler is a professional history researcher, writer and teacher with a particular interest in the First World War. As well as publishing many articles in magazines and journals, he has written several well-known books on military and family history, including: Tracing Your Army Ancestors, A Guide to Military History on the Internet, Tracing Your Ancestors and Tracing Your Naval Ancestors.
