Genealogy Chat

Good morning everyone, why would someone go into the army for WW1 and not use their right name thankyou
Margaret

Margaret

I had a similar situation with my grandmother's brother he changed his name to enlist in WW1. He ended up in Australia and I received documents from family in OZ where he admitted his alias. Perhaps running away from problems, police or too young. I haven't found the reason why yet ,........
Irene

Someone on my tree was known by an alias in Navy records.

Although his birth was registered in his mother's married name, I know that her husband died many years before his birth. The child's surname was sometimes shown as what was his middle given name, - thought to be the surname of his father.

Gwyn

Age was another possible reason to do that. Many young men lied about their true age or used false identities when they answered the call to arms.

I have also come across a person who when he enrolled for the Boer War he signed in his real surname then crossed it out and used the name he was known by. He did the same in WW1 and when he remarried in 1919 he used his real surname,but the children of this marriage were all registered in the name he had been known by

Thank you he used his correct surname but used his middle name as his first also he got married in that name. His first name was Albert middle name Walter but as I said he used his middle name to enlist and get married
Margaret