Military – International Institute of Genealogical Studies

Remember to Honour and Be Thankful

Our students at The National Institute for Genealogical Studies are ready to start another round of online courses on November 1st. As 2021 is winding down, there still is time to complete one more course on our Educational Goals List for this year. Professional genealogists and family historians recognize the need to learn all we can about our research topics of interest. We just don’t know what we don’t know. Online courses allow us to explore new subjects relevant to our projects and refine those research skills needed to succeed in our endeavours. November means Remembrance Day is coming soon. This is a time to Remember those who fought, and made the ultimate sacrifice, and to Honour our veterans for their service. We are Thankful for all they have done. Military conflicts are not a new phenomenon. There is not a generation that has not witnessed some sort of conflict and many have family members who participated at some level. If you want to investigate your family’s military involvement, here a few suggestions to explore and document their service. Current scheduled start dates are given – check for additional scheduled dates to register for these courses. Australian: Military Records (Dec 6th) Australian: Other Sources for Births, Deaths & Marriages (Nov 1st)Canadian: Military Records (Dec 6th) Eastern European: Austrian-Hungarian, German & Russian Empires: Chronology (Nov 1st) Eastern European: Other Records…Including Census, Land, Military & Tax (Nov 1st)English/Scottish: Occupations – Military and Services (Dec 6th) German: Chronological Considerations (Dec 6th) Irish: Military, Naval and Pension Records (Dec 6th) Italian: Introduction to Research Outside of Italy (Nov 1st)Italian: Military & Conscription Records (Not Scheduled) Research: British India Ancestors (Jan 3rd)Research: South African Ancestors Including Military Records (Dec 6th) Research: The National Archives of England (Nov 1st) Research: United Empire Loyalist Ancestors (Jan 3rd)Research: U.S. Colonial New England Ancestors (Jan 3rd) Research: U.S. World War II Ancestors-Part 1 (Jan 3rd) Research: U.S. World War II Ancestors-Part 2 (Feb 7th)US: Military Records (Nov 1st) We also want to Remember and Honour our family members and their contributions to our family’s legacy. We are so Thankful for their cultural heritage and traditions, but also for the memories and current opportunities to celebrate our family’s history. As we prepare for upcoming holidays, make sure to interview family members and ask to see those family photos! Whatever your plans are for November – continue to pursue your families’ stories! Document your discoveries…

Identifying Military Uniforms in Photographs

Military Uniforms in Photographs To correctly identify military uniforms in photographs, it is necessary to read reference books and related websites about the particular branch of the military in its specific country during the correct historical time period. There are absolutely no rules about how a military designed its uniforms over time, although there are a few observations that can be made about military uniforms in general. A country did not always automatically give uniforms to its military personnel. In some cases, a soldier or sailor had to supply his own uniform, as was done in the case of the Confederate Army during the U.S. Civil War. Uniforms, like other clothing during the early years of photography, were often handed down from father to son. More often than not, the higher the rank of the individual, the more ornate the uniform was. The uniform almost always included headwear, so the style of the hat or helmet is a further indication of rank. The insignias worn on uniforms provide further information about the individual. It’s easy to miss clues when viewing the photograph of an ancestor in military uniform. With our “Photography: Clues Pictures Hold, Editing, Digitizing and Various Projects” course you will learn more about locating and identifying some of those clues within your photographs.