The original footage dating from WW1 is profoundly moving, not least because when I see the images of the Field artillery one of the soldiers could be a great uncle who lost his life in 1917. Another uncle died on the Somme aged just 17. My grandfather recounted stories of his uncles and said that as a boy he saw footage of a train exploding- he believed another uncle was on board this train and died. It isn't the Gretna train disaster and I've never seen footage of an exploding train. Where should I go to find out more?
My great Uncle wrote his will 11 days before he was killed. I have no photos of him, just his personnel file from the National Archive. In his will he leaves all to his fiance or girlfriend Ella Winifred Miles, of 215 Mount Pleasant Rd, Tottenham London N. I would love to know what happened to her.
The following is the detail from the will.
"19/11/17 In the event of my death I leave all moneys from every source such as – H.G. Building Socy, Cox & Co, 16 Charing X W.C. & all moneys which may result to my credit during this War or after the War for my services rendered to my beloved Ella Winifred Miles, 215 Mount Pleasant Rd, Tottenham London N. I take this opportunity of thanking her from the depths of my heart for all her splendid British loyalty to me during the whole of my grand acquaintance with her & especially for her true devotion during the past 3 ½ years. – she has been everything to me. Signed this nineteenth day of November in the year nineteen seventeen."
Finding out about your Great Aunt may not be easy. Most would suggest by starting to pinpoint the major events in your Uncle and Aunt's lives, i.e. births, marriages and deaths. Did they have children? Did your Aunt re-marry? You'll have to trawl the "Family History" websites. Making the connection across their generation to this can be done. One very popular site tries to reunite families and has millions of names recorded, and there is always the electoral roll.
Good luck with your quest, it can be a fascinating, if not at times frustrating journey.
