Thank you to Jennifer Jones, Linda Teather, Ann Rockley, Jennifer Jones, Bill Butcher, Dr. Mary M. Marshall and all of you following along with this recording. Your thoughtful engagement in Emma Cox’s presentation today, the lively conversation that followed (and your comments below), are what make this such a special program. Your generous ❤️s, restacks, and shares have helped turn this publication into the supportive community we all want to see.
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Before our recording started, we had a lively discussion about the upcoming RootsTech conference and the related Relatives at RootsTech feature, as well as the ongoing comparison tool for the FamilySearch family tree at RelativeFinder.org, where Projectkin has created a private group. Just look for it under Groups and request access.
On the topic of RootsTech, take a moment to explore our GeneaBloggers partnership to produce a fun way to join the conference together, whether you’re on-site or online. Learn more at
In each of these programs, Emma generously shares both her slides and the resources she used to compile the presentation. You’ll find these a useful resource in your own research:
Because these notes can be so useful when searched from the web, I’ll detail each of the individuals whose stories she explored.
Whishaw family in New Zealand
She started with the eleven siblings of the Whishaw family from New Zealand and their heartbreaking loss of three family members of the four who served in WWI. These are links to the resources she mentioned:
Mabel Helen Whishaw 1883-1918
Recognized in the WWI Army Roll of Honour as a registered nurse.
* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu
* livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7189468
* findagrave.com/memorial/66921529/mabel-helen-whishaw
Harry Whishaw 1885-1916
He saw action in Gallipoli with the Wellington Infantry Battalion, Egypt, and Western Europe. Was killed in action near Armentieres, France, on 3 July 1916, aged 31.
* findagrave.com/memorial/15291614/harry_guthrie-whishaw
* nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/harry-guthrie-whishaw
Harry Guthrie Whishaw 1885-1916
Trooper, served in the New Zealand Mounted Machine Gun Squadron. Died at the 27th General Hospital, Cairo, on October 17, of malarial pneumonia.
* findagrave.com/memorial/245739692/bernard-guthrie-whishaw
James Henley Whishaw 1881-1959
Served in the WWI Military reserve in 1916, survived the war.
* findagrave.com/memorial/236496368/james_henley-whishaw
Japp family: Emigrated from England, Served for Canada
Frank Bradshaw Japp 1896-1918 (2C2R)
Canadian Infantry (West Ontario Regiment) and served in the 47th Battalion. Died of shrapnel wounds on 5 May 1918.
* ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/1973
* veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/567105
England: Father of the Royal Air Force
Hugh Montague Trenchard – Father of the RAF (4c3R)
Air Marshal, Knight Commander, DSO, suffered wounds in the Boer War, learned to fly by 1912, moving on to head the Royal Flying Corps, and by 1918 was appointed chief of the Air Staff of the newly formed Royal Air Force. Highly decorated and made a Viscount. Lived through WWII, passing in 1956, and was buried at Westminster Abbey in a public ceremony.
* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Trenchard,_1st_Viscount_Trenchard
* search-armed-forces-memorial-roll-of-honour.service.gov.uk
Videos on British Pathé
* britishpathe.com/search/?searchQuery=hugh+trenchard
* Wedding 1920: cutt.ly/3tmSgwzW
* Memorial: cutt.ly/stmSh0aE
* westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/hugh-trenchard
Requesting Military Service Records / other sources
In addition, Emma shared important bits of advice and terrific resources for military service records in general:
* Can take up to a year or so, some is available online
* Sensitive information may be redacted (hidden / blacked out)
* gov.uk/get-copy-military-records-of-service gives full instructions
* National Army nam.ac.uk/collections/how-research-former-soldier
* Army Personnel Centre army.mod.uk/army-careers/careers/army-personnel-centre
* CWGC cwgc.org/find-records/how-to-find-war-records-ww2
Emma also made reference to the work of Graham Brady:
* Graham Bandy (professional genealogist) livingmilitaryhistory.com
Further research:
In addition to the sites mentioned above, these are other sites Emma has used for this research
* Find A Grave
* Ancestry
* New Zealand Birth Index, New Zealand Death Index, New Zealand Cemetery Records, New Zealand
* Electoral Rolls and New Zealand Registers of Medical Practitioners and Nurses 1873, 1882-1933
* Wairarapa Heritage Site wairarapanz.com/see-and-do/family-war
* Auckland Museum aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C16713
* Genealogyinvestigations.co.nz/blog/archives/05-2021
* Armed Forces Roll of Honour search-armed-forces-memorial-roll-of-honour.service.gov.uk
* Web: Canada, Virtual War Memorial Index, 1900-2014 ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/70775
* Canada, CEF Commonwealth War Graves Registers, 1914-1919 ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/1952
* Canada, World War I CEF Attestation Papers, 1914-1918 ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/1086
* Google Searches
Recommending Reading & Coursework
Books by Simon Fowler. Available via Amazon
* Tracing your First World War ancestors
* Tracing your Second World War ancestors
* Tracing your Naval ancestors
Simon Fowler is running a course on Pharos Tutors starting in June 2026.
* pharostutors.com/your-military-ancestors
While I often talk about Emma’s other publication and her Journeys into Genealogy podcast, this time, there are two very relevant podcast interviews you may want to explore:
* Interview with Orders and Medals Research Society emmacox.libsyn.com/orders-and-medals-research-society
* Interview with Graham Bandy emmacox.libsyn.com/researching-military-history-with-graham-bandy-of-living-military-history
About Emma Explores
All of our programs are recorded and shared in the Emma Explores section of the Projectkin Substack, the Projectkin YouTube channel, and major Podcasting platforms like Apple and Spotify, and an RSS Feed for platforms like Feedly.
About Emma Cox
If you don’t already know Emma, you can find her here on Substack in two publications, first the one she uses to share research on her own family:
You won’t want to miss her second publication about the Journeys Into Genealogy podcast. It adds value to the ongoing podcast with references and a transcript:
I hope all of this is helpful, and I look forward to seeing you next month. Remember to register to get your free Zoom link to join us. See all past recordings at Projectkin.org/emma-explores.
