Genealogy Chat

Please help have got some military records from NZ and in complexion it has Brown. Does that mean as it would nowadays african or does it mean tanned skin . I know its probably obvious but don't want to get familys hope up if the obvious is staring at me. Dawn

Hi Dawn I have records fro NZ also, complexion on mine says Fair, Grey eyes, Brown hair. Does yours have brown eyes, brown hair? Regards Sam

If you think he was Mori then its couler but as they are the same tan tones as a sun taned out door type eather could apply. do you have an ethnic oragins box in the info, or hair couler If he was blond, ginger or the like then its a Europeian Mori have blak or brown/red. And what about Tatoos Eroupe arms and chest/back Mori face arm+chest and back in other word all over as one tatoo not one on the arm one onthe back tipe thing

Has Eyes Brown, Hair Brown, Complexion Brown nothing about tattoos if makes any difference he religion was Presbyterian. Dawn

Mine was Presbyterian also, born Scotland

That could fit both even the religion. What about were he sighed up I beleve that there are some Mori only towns you will have to check. And the name might give a clue. think William, Jhon, simple names and biblical, Archebaled and the like or non biblical were rear for Moris. Surnames were taken from people who had been well known or famous when the brits came so that could be a small clue if you know were the family lived in NZ

I know nothing about him am trying to find my gt grandfather who gran never knew. As little girls do she was listening when her mum was talking to her dad about him and overheard a name. Gt gran was meant to join him in NZ and he sent the money and ticket but her mum found them and tore ticket up and kept money. Gran was always told he died 2 weeks before she was born in the war, she was born sept 1919 so he can't of been killed in the war for starters so maybe he didn't die then either. Gave the name and details to the archives and sent me a list back of possibles and this is the closest and he was over here at the right time and in the right area. Know I am clutching at straws but would of loved this to be him just so my gran could know for definite but now not sure. Dawn

Peter , Name was Henry Stanley Maslin was born Geraldine says Yes against British Subject living at Hawera. Haven't got a clue on NZ places i'm afraid could mean a bit of delving. Dawn

Dawn, don't see a name on CWGC that matches, and the period coverd by ww1 goes on into the 1920's. Ian

Ian, couldn't find any reference to him on the cwgc site so thought maybe he didn't die in the war. These records say he left the army in sept 1919 which is when Gran was born but he didn't die until 1955 in New Zealand. He has left me stumped. Dawn

Dawn, Sounds like the truth about him was 'adjusted'! As to complexion, I would guess it just means he had dark rather than fair coloured skin, not that he was of other than caucasian origin. Ian

Dawn, And I thought I had problems ... this is a knotty one! Thoughts: 1) Have you tried looking for pension records in NZ - most WW1 soldiers got some kind of pension, that's why UK records survived at least. 2) Have you tried looking for a marriage record for him in NZ? 3) Have you got his death cert and does it say who registered the death, there might be a clue in that? 4) Does it say on his papers where he was born? UK ones generally do? Regs Jane

Jane, both sides of dads family are giving me trouble so at the moment could quite happily swap families. I haven't tried anything in NZ yet as only got the records through today. Looks like I've got a lot of looking up to do. He died in the hospital of the town he lived in when he enlisted so hopefully that will make it a bit easier . Did try and rule him out as he was 5ft 6 and my gran is 6ft but have just looked at the photo I have of her and her mum and they are the same height so that threw that one out of the water as well. Oh well suppose had better start trawling. Dawn

Maureen, Thanks, He was in the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade. will try googling that. Dawn

I do not whant to make your life even more complex but you say that he could not of died in WW1 becuse of dates but when was your reele born early or late 1919 as WW1 did not finish untill late 1918. 11/11/1918 and even after that date soliders died owing to not hearing about the ceasefire. So she could of been born up till July and he still died in the war (Just) Also Is it the name MASLIN you are after as there are sevral in the London Gazette or is it the name HENRY MASLIN spasificly.

Have you cross checked with NZ records (enlistment rolls and so on) If you need help take a look at My 'contact ME for' thread some one on there might be able to.

Peter, My Gran was born 20/9/1919 so war had ended and he had already gone back to NZ by then. Name my Gran heard was Stanley Masculin but NZ archives had noone of that name in the forces so they did a search on soundalikes using Stanley as either first or second name and the one that is the closest is Henry Stanley Maslin. Have a few other possibilities but nothing that was as close. The records I got today had as far as I can make out him in the right area and he left england in march 1919 and arrived in wellington april 1919. Why aren't my family simple do you want to swap!!!! Dawn

You think mine are. One line ends in adoption another in a basterd birth and thers a line that did moon lights when they got in to debt (A LOT) And I'm not out of the 1900s with most of them.

Ok ok you win yours are worse than mine will still consider giving mine away though. Dawn

where there any army clubs in the area were your gran was born. working out the dates she must of been conseived just after the new year, a time for partys ect and guests might of had to book in and who with. Its a long shot but its worth a try.How you go about it is another thing. Have you also looked for embarcation ships and there passenger lists You would need to look from Jan/March I would say as it took sevral weeks to get to NZ. He must of been posted localy so find out What NZ troops were in the Area say with in a 10 mile radius or less, more likely they were in town as there was no transport exsept trains or bus. Find out who was there and cross match with what you have. I will keep looking.