CWGC Data Base Missing Information

[David_Bluestein]

Let me preface his by first saying I believe the CWGC is a good organization that has helped me in my research more times then I can count. The thing that really bothers me about the way the CWGC has presented its online information is by REMOVING some information from the original register and NOT including it in the new database. For example: The original register in one case, reads this way: “Killed in action at the Somme” This is entirely NOT transcribed into the database, and ALL that was REPLACED by “Died” In fact I have been frustrated to note that ALL entries read “Died on….” Why would they remove ANY information from the original text is my question??? If you don’t have access to the original register, you will miss these details offered by the family when the text was created after the war. I can site MANY, MANY, MANY examples of this. It is so important that any shred of information on these soldiers be cherished; there is not much left today, and anything in mind is of great value. WHY would they want to edit the information away?

[Terry Denham]

David

You are correct in saying that some information has been dropped from the Internet version of the CWGC database. However, it has not been dropped from their main database from which they access their records.

The Internet version is cut down presumably to save space (and therefore cost) on the servers etc.

If you apply to CWGC for any information or a computer print-out of casualties, you will still get all the information included in the registers. However, you will not get all the introductory historical information and plans etc which were also included in these invaluable volumes.

[jim_davies]

David,

You may want to check out this website, cwgc.co.uk it details some of the many errors with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, including the apparent loss of thousands of records of the fallen.

I heard that with the website (debt of honour) you could actually pull up cause of death as a search variable.

I also checked out the Canadian version (per your post) a really great effort-however they are probably better funded and have a fraction of the men to cover than the CWGC.

Jim

[Ralph J. Whitehead]

I have often wished that the various sites would provide more details on the individual soldiers but overall I am grateful they exist at all. My area of concentration is on the German side of the war and when I use the different sites for research I lack the resources at hand to determine if the information provided in the search relates to the issue being reviewed.

The German War Graves site is even less helpful in some ways. When a search is made the site only provides the basic details of the soldier, name and location of burial. There is no information provided as to unit, location of death, etc. This makes it even more difficult to determine if you have the correct person. If you write to them they will provide further details so I can assume it is a matter of cost, bandwith, etc.

In my case I have taken to ordering microfilm copies of the German casualty lists hat were published during the war in order to obtain further details and research leads. Unfortunately I doubt I will ever see a full copy considering the millions of names the list contains.

Hopefully in the future all of the details will eventually be made available the the average visitor.Until then I am glad the sites exist at all.

Ralph