GREATWAR-L Archives

Archiver > GREATWAR > 2001-08 > 0997020386


From: Iain Kerr <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] CWGC ALIAS NAMES
Date: Sun, 05 Aug 2001 15:06:26 +0100
In-Reply-To: <003201c11d2b$bfe771e0$27929a8e@ppp.murcon>


At 14:23 04/08/01 -0700, murcon wrote:
>Hi listers
> Commonwealth War Graves site WW1
> When searching for some MURRAY names I found a lot of MURRAY entries
> with alias's in the listing. when I looked for more detail all these had
> the proper family name, none of which were MURRAY. Why were these
> soldiers listed this way? Curious for an explanation and how I should
> treat this information.
>Thanks
>Mary

Mary,

The use of alias entries on the "Debt of Honour" register is not confined
to the surname MURRAY. It was a device used by men who volunteered for
service in the Great War and wished to conceal something that may have
disbarred them (such as a serious criminal record) or that they had
deserted from an earlier peacetime engagement. Their true names were not
always discovered until after their death was notified to next of kin.

The man served under his alias and his death is usually commemorated under
that name.

Yours aye,

Iain Kerr in Windsor, Berkshire
Web Page at: http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/index.htm
RootsWeb Sponsor and Listowner for the KERR; McTURK and SOUTHON lists and
the WORLDWAR2 List.
Maintainer of the Ayrshire Surnames Index Database at:
http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/genuki/AYR/SID/indexsid.htm
Maintainer of the GENUKI Ayrshire pages at:
http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/genuki/AYR/index.htm

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