May your genealogy quests be successful, leading you to new paths to explore. And may your family’s story come to life on paper as you write and share your family history with your loved ones.
Happy New Year! Happy 2019! “We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day!” --Edith Lovejoy Pierce
0 Comments
As the cookies bake and the Christmas Cards arrive, the celebrations that surround the holidays begin. Each of us has special memories unique to our family…traveling to Grandma’s house or decorating the tree or sharing a special meal or a favorite tune with family and friends.
Holidays are a great opportunity to write down what you remember of past celebrations and to ask your family about their memories. Let’s look at ways to trigger those memories. As Americans, we joined WWI officially in 1917. By that time Britain and their allies had been engaged in battles since 1914. In British history WWI is referred to as the Great War and Britain paid a heavy cost in lives and domestic sacrifices.
Do you have a British ancestor that fought in that war? I was surprised to find that I did. However, he served in the British military early in his life, migrated to the United States and then found himself serving in the United States Army in WWI. The journeys of life are peculiar. This year as we mark the end of that war, let’s look at some records that are available to you online for your British soldier. The funeral for President George H W Bush emphasized the importance of serving whether in the military, in your community, in an elected office or at your local youth group. There is no doubt that the senior Bush lived a life of service throughout his lifetime, including his stint as a World War II pilot. With any war when our loved ones are called to fight, those who stay home serve in other ways. While their service might not be as glamorous or public, it is important.
Let’s look at the impact that World War II had on those who were called to serve at home. What documentation or family stories can you share about that experience? As we head into December and the anniversary of Pearl Harbor nears, we remember the sacrifices and loss of World War II. What was it like to live during that time? There have been thousands of books written on World War II. How can we personalize that event in our family story? For those of us who research our family, many more resources are available online and on location in libraries and resource centers.
Whether your ancestor served in the war or was recorded in the draft, there are records available that help tell you a bit more about them. Let’s look at these records from our story telling perspective. |
AuthorWith a lifelong passion for genealogy and history, the author enjoys the opportunity to share genealogy tidbits, inspiring others to research and write their family story. Archives
July 2024
Categories |