Access offered to WW1 service records

AUCKLAND: An online collection of World War 1 service records is being made available free to the public as part of Anzac Day commemorations.

Ancestry.com has made the collection available free of charge until Anzac Day. It includes 26 million military records from New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Ancestry content manager Jason Reeve spent years compiling the records of all New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel who served in France during World War 1, with particular interest in the service files of some of the New Zealand Victoria Cross winners.

Mr Reeve said the collection had come through a partnership with the Department of Internal Affairs and Archives New Zealand.

‘‘It can include anything from information on who they were or what they were doing when they enlisted, what they were doing when they went overseas for service, and then everything that actually happened throughout their service,’’ he said.

‘‘They are very detailed records that not only give insight into war service, but also who they were as an individual prior to signing up, and then afterwards.’’

The records include transfers, promotions, punishments, medals and honours received, health status and medical history, and other biological information.

A Go to Ancestry.com Military Records for free access to the New Zealand WW1 service records until Wednesday. — NZME