Fiona’s great-grandfather, Frederick Crouch, died in the First World War in mysterious circumstances. The family story is that Frederick failed to duck down when shells began falling nearby, despite everyone else around him diving for cover. A letter written by Frederick’s widow to her son’s school soon after the war reveals the sad truth behind the story.
Another family story about Frederick is that he joined the army to escape his parents. Hoping to understand the reasons, Fiona investigates the life of Frederick’s father, a seemingly highly respected Victorian photographer. It soon becomes clear that all is not as it seems with William Crouch. William emerges as a larger-than-life rogue and the star of celebrated court case.
Fiona next returns to the home of the Bruce family, the small Scottish fishing village of Hopeman where her family eked out a living for generations. Documents she uncovers in the local library reveal that some of the hardships her family faced were at least a little self inflicted.
There are several sources you can use to investigate your ancestors’ military history. You can search and download First World War medal index cards online and you may find the regimental war diary. Our podcast will also help you work out the sources you need for First World War ancestry (MP3, 7.8Mb).
The service and pension records of almost one million soldiers who fought in the First World War are now available to search and download from our partner ancestry.co.uk
The official government source of genealogical data for Scotland is ScotlandsPeople, which includes Scottish census records from 1841 to 1901. The General Register Office for Scotland and National Archives of Scotland may also provide useful resources.
You might also find these research guides useful:
British Army: Soldiers' Papers, 1914-1918, First World War
British Army: Campaign Records, 1914-1918, First World War
Collins Tracing Your Scottish Family History
