Prisoners of WW One



 

worldwar1soldiersWars and the casualties they bring are never pleasant. Everyone has in their family tree, ancestors who served in times of war, not just in military service to the United States but many also for their native homelands in Europe or for Canada.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has worked for decades to be that helping hand during times of war and especially after wards. They kept records on civilians and soldiers from numerous nationalities and now those records are available online.

The ICRC site of Prisoners 1914-1918 during World War One could prove to be very helpful in learning more about a specific ancestor. Many of the records relate to soldiers and civilians of the British Commonwealth of Nations (England, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, etc), along with other European nations. WW I--Arthur Kershaw

Some of the records reveal a person’s full name, their military serial number, the date of birth, a reference number for the registry, and in some cases the different prison camps a person may have been in.  WW I--Walter Kershaw

At the top of the ICRC site is about the location of the interment camps across Europe and into North Africa.

In the search use either a surname or if the name is more unusual – use the full name. remember there can be variations in spelling. WW I--William Kershaw

Photos: Index Cards for Arthur, Walter and William Kershaw – three different British soldiers – some with a good deal of information provided on the cards.

Related FamilyTree.com genealogical blogs:

Ancestors of World War One

World War One and Sources

Polish-American Soldiers in WW One

 

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