Vivienne Simmons wrote: I'd like to be able to confirm the story, and to know why > my g-uncle died from what was, apparently, a non-life-threatening wound. > > My question is whether it's worth getting the death certificate. Is it > likely to tell me more about where and of what my uncle died? Vivienne In the insanitary conditions which prevailed in the trenches, all wounds were life-threatening. Death certificates of both serving men and civilians killed by enemy action or other war-related activities were, by law, not allowed to give causes of death. This is because death certificates were public documents and information about exact causes could aid the enemy. Civilian deaths were always described as "Due to War Operations" - military ones in equally non-specific terms. And I agree with Gail - why not tell us your great uncle's name and anything else you know which might be relevant? You never know - somebody might just happen to know the precise details you seek. Brian -- Brian Pears (Gateshead, UK) http://www.bpears.org.uk/ Joint List Admin NORTHUMBRIA Genealogy Mailing List GENUKI Northumberland Maintainer