Ancestry.com has put on a great First World War record set – Canadians who fought under the Imperial Army, Navy, or Air, and who were entitled to payment under the Imperial War Service Gratuities, 1919-1921.
You may ask - Why would a Canadian enlist in England? Why wouldn’t he enlist in Canada?
Yes, normally he would enlist in Canada. But what if he was in England at the time that the First World War broke out? What would happen then?
He would enlist in the British troops, and this is exactly where Edward Barcley, from Debert, Nova Scotia, found himself. He was in England visiting his parents at the time.
The record set contains letters. Many letters!
And if you are a descendent of Edward Barcley of Debert, Nova Scotia, you will know, as it is written in one of the many letters you can search at Ancestry.com, that he was sent as an ‘immigrant boy’ - from a Middlemore Home to Canada in 1906! He came with his brother and sister (although he doesn't name them).
This is incredible information – right from the immigrant’s mouth, so to speak.
It just goes to show you, that when you start to search records - you will never know what you will find!!!!!!!!!!
So if you can't find them in the Canadian records, but you know he or she was in the First World War, then check these records. They might be here.
The website is at http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9149
Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html
It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!
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