Related Web Sites
A selection of links to assist with further reading, research & background reading:
Genealogy Research
UK Government Website: Directgov:Births, marriages, deaths, adoptions & further research links
The National Archives
Census returns, wills, military records
The Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS)
Aims are: to co-ordinate and assist the work of societies or other bodies interested in family history, genealogy and heraldry; to foster mutual co-operation and collaborative projects to help research; and to represent the interests of our members, and family historians generally, especially in the preservation and availability of archival documents
Genes Reunited
Research into: Census Records for England & Wales, Birth, Marriage & Death Records and Passenger List Departures
Ancestry
Covers UK & Ireland, Europe, Canada, Australia, NZ & USA. For the UK & Ireland: Census & Electoral Rolls; Birth, Marriages & Deaths, including Parish; Military Records; Wills & Probate; Immigration & Travel; Schools, Directories & Church Histories
BBC Family History
Help and resource information for family history research
See also: World War II People’s War – Archive of WW2 memories written by the public, gathered by the BBC – including adventures Far East Prisoners of War
Britain from Above
A new website launched by English Heritage and the Royal Commissions on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland and Wales, featuring some of the oldest and most valuable images of the Aerofilms Collection, a unique and important archive of over 1 million aerial photographs taken between 1919 and 2006. Access to Archives (A2A) Catalogues of archives in England, other than those at the National Archives.
Ancestors On Board
Passenger lists with over 30 million records from ships sailing to destinations worldwide
Cyndi’s List
A comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online. Genealogical information beyond the British Isles
National Library for Wales
Family History in Wales
ScotlandsPeople
Scottish ancestry – census records, wills, birth & death certificates etc.
GENUKI
Genealogical information service for the UK and Ireland: comprehensive collection of online information about family history
Findmypast UK
UK family history records – England, Wales & Scotland census collection; birth, marriage and death records; parish baptisms, marriages and burials dating from 1538; travel & migration records including 24 million passenger list records; armed forces & conflict records covering WWI, WWII; education & work records. See also USA site: http://www.findmypast.com/
Ellis Island
Migration to the USA. Between 1892 and 1924, more than 20 million passengers arrived at the Port of New York and were processed at Ellis Island.
Castle Garden
The USA's first immigration centre. The lesser-known precursor of Ellis Island in NY, Castle Garden was the first official US immigration station, located at the Port of New York. Officially opened in 1855, Castle Garden continued to process immigrant arrivals till 1890, when it was closed prior to the 1892 opening of Ellis Island. The website contains data on Port of New York arrivals (not solely arrivals through Castle Garden) from 1820 to 1913.
Rootsweb
Rootsweb is a major US genealogical co-operative with links to many other projects such as the Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild. The USA is covered extensively. It also covers: Australia-New Zealand; British/UK; Canadian; Dutch; German; Irish; Swedish & Italian records. Many other area are searchable such as Swedish census records. There are help functions like a message board facility.
kindredkonnections.com
A US family tree/genealogy search company
archives.com
A US family tree/genealogy search company
British Library
The British Library website
UK National Statistic Office
Includes information about births, adoptions, marriages and deaths with specimens of certificates
Society of Genealogists
Word War I
The Great War Archive
University of Oxford: Contains over 6,500 items contributed by the general public - see the digital image gallery.
World War II
Sinking of the Lisbon MaruOver 1,800 British Prisoners of War on a sinking ship who had been captured at the fall of Hong Kong nine months earlier
Escape from Hong Kong
Royal Navy history – the entire ships company of the 2nd MTB Flotilla evaded capture and escape from Hong Kong before scuttling their flotilla deep behind enemy lines, and they marched three thousand miles overland across Asia to freedom and to fight another day.
Hong Kong War Diary
A project that documents the 1941 defence of Hong Kong, the defenders, their families, and the fates of all until liberation – by Tony Banham
The Prison List
An excellent short film (17 mins) about the fate of some POWs who were captured in Singapore in February 1942. The film was made by the son of a soldier who kept a war diary & a list of his fellow prisoners. The final part of the film deals with their experiences at The Bridge over the River Kwai. It is based on the book by Richard Kandler
Wikipedia – WWII (POWs)
Further information & links, Wikipedia
World War II Multimedia database
Website with photos, videos, blogs & information about events & conferences
The Second World War Experience Centre
Their mission: to collect and encourage access to the surviving testimony of men and women who lived through the years of the Second World War, and to ensure that different audiences share and learn from the personal recollections preserved in the collection.
POW & Veteran Family Groups
Researching FEPOW History (RFH)This was established in 2005 with the aim of organising biennial conferences to aid those who are researching the experiences of ex-Far Eastern prisoners of war or civilian internees
Far East Prisoner of War Community
This site has been set up to promote August 15 as a day of remembrance for all those who were held as Japanese Prisoners of War during World War II, whatever nationality, colour or religion, whether service personnel, civilian or romusha. It has articles, roll of honour & research links.
COFEPOW
Dedicated to perpetuating the memory of the Far East Prisoners of War and advancing knowledge of the suffering endured and sacrifices made by them during their years of captivity in World War II
RHKR Volunteers Association (Ontario) Canada
2,200 volunteers mobilized into fighting the battle of Hong Kong See also: Facebook page
Hong Kong Veterans Association of Canada (HKVA)
Canada's soldiers association for those who served in Hong Kong at the time of the Battle of Hong Kong
See also their soldiers accounts of the battle & their treatment as a POW
London FEPOW association (1941-45)
One of over 60 clubs and associations throughout Great Britain. Each being autonomous but are amalgamated under the umbrella of the National Federation of Far East Prisoner of War Clubs and Associations (NFFCA)publishes a newsletter which is sent to members giving them information on various social activities and meetings, as well as information concerning war disability pensions and health matters, welfare concerns and any news of, or activities connected to, attempts to obtain compensation for the suffering endured whilst a prisoner of the Japanese
FEPOW Memorial Church
Bibliography of books written by FEPOWs. Also Roll of Honour for all those who died in captivity
National Ex-Prisoners of War Association
Includes link to historian Philip Chinnery who can help with research
The Java Club
'The Java Club' as it is now known in short, was started by a group of sixteen FEPOWs (Far East Prisoners of War), in the early 1980s, who had come together at the annual conference of the National Federation of FEPOW Clubs and Associations in Blackpool. They had all been captured in Java in 1942 but were later drafted to a camp in mainland Japan and had all been in 'Hut 4' of the camp known as the '3rd Branch Camp, Yawata, Fukuoka, Japan'. Consequently, the original club, known as the 'Hut 4 Club' was started with the objective of reuniting more old comrades.
Military & Civil Service
Royal Signals MuseumThe collection was formed in 1967 and dates back to before the formation of 'C' Telegraph Troop, Royal Engineers, in 1870
British Roll of Honour Memorial
This site is dedicated to those men and women who fell fighting for their country. Recorded here are various war memorials within a variety of counties
The National Memorial Arboretum
This is a special place that remembers those who have served, and continue to serve, the UK nation in many different ways. It is dedicated to the personal sacrifices made by the armed and civil services of this country
Imperial War Museum
Explore History Centre – a drop-in facility with access to digital resources and some published reference material. Research Room – a dedicated reference facility for accessing original documents, sound recordings, published items and digital resources. Other facilities: Photography Archive; Film and Video Archive
British Army History
British Army website
Ministry of Defence (MOD)
Navy, Army & RAF in the UK. Includes information on how to obtain service records
British Legion
British, Empire and Commonwealth Regiments
Badges and images from the British Empire & Commonwealth regiments
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Veterans-UK
Amongst other things: British Service Records, Records Medals and Badges & Service Records