Let us tell your family's Anzac story...
Established in 2012, Battlefield Investigation Branch is a dedicated Anzac Great War research service that ensures that all available resources and avenues of enquiry are accessed and exhausted to the best of their ability.
Researching and investigating your ancestor’s movements during the Great War can be a daunting task. With so many online databases and sources of information to not only discover, but sort through and compile into a format the whole family can access and enjoy, it is easy to see why so many people are turning to a professional like Battlefield Investigations.
Adam Holloway, is the author of Duty Nobly Done (2018), has a Bachelor of Justice (Investigations & Policing), over 25 years’ experience in the field of professional investigation. He has been an avid student of Australian military history since 1989 and this passion has led him to the battlefields of Europe on numerous occasions, where he has walked in the footsteps of the Anzacs, including 11 members of his own family.
If you are planning to travel to the Western Front or just want to know more about the medals in Great Grandad’s tin, Battlefield Investigations can gather the available information, provide basic advice or prepare a full Military History Report about your Anzac, which can include;
o A summary of their relevant Service History;
o Unit Details and campaigns, including extracts from the Unit War Diary;
o Citations for Honours & Awards (if applicable);
o Official Red Cross (Wounded & Missing) Records (if applicable);
o Photographs, Trench Maps and Newspaper Articles; and
o The approximate location of where they fell.
- OUR SERVICES -
Complimentary Review - All enquiries include 15 to 20 minutes of initial review time to determine what is available and confirm some aspects of service. This will uncover photographs and references in newspapers of the day. We will advise you of the result of this review and generally, will “take the case”.
REPORTS
Basic advice (unit details, activity at time of death, general area of death etc...) will generally take the form of an email with attachments ($44.95).
A Last Action report includes how, where and when your Anzac made the ultimate sacrifice. This will be accompanied by marked trench maps, Red Cross record and newspaper articles, where available ($119.95).
A Military Service report will involve extensive research across a wide range of sources (some more than others), depending on the length of service and the soldier’s participation in significant events and battles (from $189.95).
Preparation of a Battlefield Tour report is a tailored report with battlefield mapping and battlefield travel advice to enable you to walk in their footsteps on the Western Front. This is essential to ensure a thoroughly rewarding experience (from $259.95).
Simply provide the soldier's details (Full name, regimental number and Battalion) to adam@dndbattletours.com.au.
Let Battlefield Investigations assist you in finding out – What YOUR family did in the Great War!
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COMPLIMENTARY TOUR RESEARCH
We provide a complimentary research service for all tour guests who are following in the footsteps of a relative and want to know more about where he fought, and perhaps died.
The tour is sufficiently comprehensive that our itinerary will cover all Australian battle areas on the Western Front. We are mindful that this is a 'Group' tour; however, in the unlikely event that it does not cover a specifically pertinent battle location or cemetery*, all efforts will be made to ensure a guest can get there (even if briefly separated from the tour group).
*If your soldier 'Died of Wounds'. Depending on the place of death (Rear Aid Post, Casualty Clearing Station, or Base/Stationary Hospital) he may be buried further back from the front. Many of the CWGC 'Concentration' and smaller cemeteries are in our line of travel; however, the larger CWGC cemeteries close to established hospitals are not. Eg. 1st Australian General Hospital was located in Rouen (Normandy - 120km from Amiens), and 2nd Australian General Hospital was located in Wimereux (Pas-de-Calais - 120km from Ypres). We can provide advice on how to access these locations prior to or after the tour.
N.B. We can attend St Sever Cemetery located next to 1AGH as part of our Exclusive 'Normandy Adventure' Add-On tours.