Originally Posted by
langleybaston
Two footnotes if I may.
T'other is to remark that many [most?] Australian township memorials have complete lists of those who served, with the fatalities distinguished by a small + symbol. This I like, and we would have done well to do the same. As it is, my grandfather's, my father's, and two uncles' service in the wars is uncommemorated anywhere. Yes they survived, but years were stolen from their young lives, and they came home changed men.
That is the sad fact that those who died are far easier to research than those who survived. About the only complete list of those who served is the Medal Index Cards. But they just list the regiment and medals awarded along with the date into theatre in some case. Other than that, due to the bombing of the Public Records office in the Blitz, the service records of something like 2/3s of those who served were destroyed.
I have found some memorials in village churches do list the names of all those who served from the village or there is a seperate memorial scroll but these seem to be the exceptions.