Researching Military, World War I ancestors and Police ancestors
It is likely that you will discover a relative with a military or police connection when researching your ancestors in Co. Kildare given its martial history. Throughout the ages Irishmen have served in the armies of Great Britain and the Commonwealth; and in the armies of other European nations like France, Spain, and Italy (the Papal Army), and the United States of America. There were numerous British Army barracks in Co. Kildare, one of which, the Curragh Camp, is used by the Irish Army today. The availability of the records for the different military forces varies.
Check out our guides here:
Researching Military ancestors
World War I, which began on 28 July 1914 and ended on 11 November 1918, resulted in over sixteen million military and civilian deaths. During this time, Ireland was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and service in the British Army had been a tradition in many families for many generations. Around 210,000 Irishmen served in the British Armed Forces during World War I, of whom circa 30,000 died. There are several websites and sources which can be accessed to locate relevant information.
The Co. Kildare Decade of Commemorations Committee supported the publication of Remembrance: The World War I dead of Co. Kildare in 2021. This book contains the biographical details of servicemen and some non-combatants who died, and who were born or lived in County Kildare for an extended period of time before the war. This list continues to be updated as new sources or information is provided. The latest update is World War I Dead of Co. Kildare Updated Nov 2021 Dr. Barbara Walsh, author of Irish Servicewomen in World War I: From Western Front to the Roaring Twenties has provided a biographical list of Kildare Women in World War I
These websites also contain great information:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission – Free access.
FindMyPast – Free access in Kildare Library Service main branches.
Karel Kiely, archivist
Kildare Local Studies, Genealogy and Archives, Kildare Library Service
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