When history mixes with personal stuff

[Tamas]

My mother recently learned that one of her great-grandfathers died in WW1. All the family folklore knew was that he was beheaded by an artillery shell, but nobody knew the year, not even the front.

So she requested information, and eventually got it from Vienna.

So now I know that one of my ancestors died (aged 43 IIRC) on the 29th of June, 1916, in one of the countless battles over Monte San Michele in Italy on the Isonzo Front.
The significance of that battle is that it was the first time gas was used on the Italian front. It was the Austro-Hungarian forces who managed to achieve some level of surprise with it.

Apparently this was a strategic location, fiercely contested. The Italians got it first, then the Austro-Hungarians got it in 1915, after horrible losses, including 80% casualties to the 20th division, where my great-great grandpa was (or would be sent to). Then in 1916 the Italians got it back after another fierce fighting.

RIP great-great grandpa.

[MadImmortalMan]

You should do a Soca Valley trip.

[Caliga]

Neat, Tamas.  I didn't have any relatives killed in WWI but my great-great Uncle Jerry sustained brain damage from a nearby shell burst in 1918 on the Western Front and was kind of screwed up the rest of his life.  He managed to live until 1955 though.

[Monoriu]

I am amazed that they keep records about how each soldier died. 

[Valmy]

My Great-Grandfather was injured in WWI but his service went up in the fire that destroyed the records of my WWII ancestors as well. So I know very little of where he served and where he got injured. When he was alive he used to discuss how eerie he found the fact that in the destroyed French villages the spires of the church would remain. I guess he found something spiritual about that.

It is kind of sick that I have all the records of ancestors from all the 19th century wars but the two freaking world wars are a genealogical black hole. Thanks US for putting all the army service records in one building.

[Valmy]

I am amazed that they keep records about how each soldier died. 

Um isn't it standard procedure to do a roll call after each engagement to find out who is killed and missing?

'How many men do we have in the 19th division? Not sure sir, we have never checked.'

If 200 guys deserted or got captured that is also kind of important information. And if they know how men are getting killed that can aid in development of gear and/or tactics.

[Ed Anger]

My family skipped most 20th century wars. 

Except for the fellow that fell out of the guard tower at Dacahu

[Monoriu]

I am amazed that they keep records about how each soldier died. 

Um isn't it standard procedure to do a roll call after each engagement to find out who is killed and missing?

'How many men do we have in the 19th division? Not sure sir, we have never checked.'

If 200 guys deserted or got captured that is also kind of important information. And if they know how men are getting killed that can aid in development of gear and/or tactics.

I don't think they bothered in the Nationalist armies/PLA 

[Admiral Yi]

Um isn't it standard procedure to do a roll call after each engagement to find out who is killed and missing?

'How many men do we have in the 19th division? Not sure sir, we have never checked.'

If 200 guys deserted or got captured that is also kind of important information. And if they know how men are getting killed that can aid in development of gear and/or tactics.

Mono was talking about the specific cause of death.  I.e. high explosive to head.  I found that unusual as well.  There are usually records of type of wound suffered, but I've never seen anything about type of weapon used to kill someone.  At least nothing systematic.

[alfred russel]

RIP great-great grandpa.

Crap your family has quick generation times. My only great great grandfather I know about was in the US Civil War.

[Caliga]

It is kind of sick that I have all the records of ancestors from all the 19th century wars but the two freaking world wars are a genealogical black hole. Thanks US for putting all the army service records in one building.

Yeah, my grandfather's WWII service records went up in smoke in that fire also, which is a damn shame because after he was a bomber radioman, he next did ATC duty, and then he did some secret thing at SHAEF.  I would have liked to have known what it was, since he hated talking about the war and never told his kids or wife much in the way of details.

[Eddie Teach]

RIP great-great grandpa.

Crap your family has quick generation times. My only great great grandfather I know about was in the US Civil War.

(insert crack about gypsy breeding)

[PDH]

My grandfather was wounded in 1918 on the Western Front - he was in a machine gun battalion of (I think) the 1st infantry division.  He eventually was one of the first people successfully to have most of one lung resected due to (again, I think, the effects of gas).

He lived until 1967 when I was a year and a half old.

My family also has long generation times - he was born in the 19th century, my brother's youngest were born in the 21st century.

[Tamas]

Um isn't it standard procedure to do a roll call after each engagement to find out who is killed and missing?

'How many men do we have in the 19th division? Not sure sir, we have never checked.'

If 200 guys deserted or got captured that is also kind of important information. And if they know how men are getting killed that can aid in development of gear and/or tactics.

Mono was talking about the specific cause of death.  I.e. high explosive to head.  I found that unusual as well.  There are usually records of type of wound suffered, but I've never seen anything about type of weapon used to kill someone.  At least nothing systematic.

No that wasn't in the records, it was the story in the family. How they learned it I have no idea, but probably from a returning friend, as these reservist divisions had people from the same area.

[Tamas]

RIP great-great grandpa.

Crap your family has quick generation times. My only great great grandfather I know about was in the US Civil War.

Well he was 43 :p my other two ww1 veteran family members were great-grandpas, so this guy was sort of the exception generationally I guess.