Genealogy Chat

I am trying to find out what happened to my great grandad, Ernest George Cole. He was born in Guildford Surrey in 1891, the son of Harry and Eliza. He married Elizabeth Alice Jackson from Barnby Moor, Yorkshire and had 2 sons Henry Earnest and Leonard. During the first world war he disappeared, allegedly desserting. He was never heard of again. we always wonder if he survived, possibly living in America. Is there anywhere I can find out about people who deserted during WW1 or American immigrants during WW1? The only record I have of him is in the 1891 census.Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Do you know his exact dob?? Have you tried looking on the U.S. Social Security Death Index on Family Search? It's a long shot, but would only take a few seconds!! Merry

I have a dob of approx 1891 from the 1891 census but I also have a dob 1 - 8 - 1888 from an elderly relative. I also have siblings: Alfred Frank 1886, Leo and Elsie (twins) 16 - 6 -1889 and Harry. Evidentally Leo emigrated to Canada. Thanks for suggestion - no luck I'm afraid.

How odd....I can't find him in 1891 nor a birth registration...... I don't see how you can be sure he isn't on the SS index if you don't know his exact dob? Mind you, he probably isn't on it........... Were all the children born in Guildford? Merry

On the 1891 census his name is spelt Earnest, yet on my grandad's birth certificate his dad is spelt Ernest. A bit confusing! Ernest?earnest and his Siblings were all born in Woking. Harry, Ernest's dad was born in Binstead, Hampshire about 1866 and Eliza, his mum in Soham, Cambridgeshire about 1866

Oh right.....got them now! Ernest is down ages 3months. No sign of the twins......??? Seems Ernest didn't have a middle name when he was registered for birth: 1891 Q1 Guildford 2a 67 Ernest Cole. Merry

Thanks for looking that up - I think my relative has some wrong dates - it's just odd how she had an exact date. I'd love to know what happened to Ernest - as a result of his desertion my grandad had to live in a home and had a lot of problems. I would like to think that ernest did survive - I know there was no coming back afetr desertion. Karen

These men must have been so frightened - I know it was considered a crime but they must have been desperate. If my great grandad did survive he would have spent all his life wondering what hapened to his family and knowing there could be no contact. What was even worse though was that there was no provision for the family left behind - they were left in disgrace really. Eventually my great grandma did remarry but what happened to my grandad has left scars in our family even to this day. Karen

Many soldiers went missing during WW1. You only have to take a look at some of the war diaries to see notes of how many men went missing in one day (hundreds!). Some of them became detached from their regiment during battle and became lost and were taken in by kindly Belgian folk and given false identities. Many of these soldiers lived out the war like this and even after war ended decided to stay on in Belgium. Some would call them deserters, but can you imagine how afraid they must have been to find themselves lost in enemy-occupied territory in British army uniform! The very same thing happened to my grt grandad but he managed to find his way to Ostend eventually (trekking from Mons in civilian attire and a fake ID issued by the Belgian officials) and made it back home to rejoin his Regiment and get sent back out again. Unfortunately, for those men who decided to stay on in Belgium and France things didn't end up too well for all of them. When some of these cases came to light many of these men went on to be executed because the Belgian government feared they were spies!

A deserter might have died anyway - shot or in a mine explosion or whatever - and not been identified. Alternatively he may have made a new home with a different name. Probably impossible to find, sadly. nell