Primary Research innovation, Sources and Case Study
(George Henry Jones Davies (1888-1917))

On 24th Jan 1916, my Grandfather’s cousin George Henry Jones Davies strolled up to the recruiting station in Coffs Harbour, diverting him from his chosen path as a Methodist Missionary towards an untimely and violent death only 18 months later. I have spent the last 2 years researching his time with the Australian Imperial Force’s 36th Battalion, and the circumstances surrounding his demise at the Battle of Messines on 12th July 1917, whilst conducting the battlefield burial service of a friend and comrade. This presentation explains the process, use of technical innovation (drones, 360 degree cameras, 3D mapping…) and the range of documentary sources which bit by bit brought my ancestor back to life. I cover the invaluable resources available at the Australian War Memorial Library, and the National Archives of Australia. In my case, George left a 180 page personal diary from which I could add his voice to the factual records which revealed his precise movements and the plans governing his battalions future: 1. ‘Unit War Diaries’ at Battalion, Brigade and Division level. 2. Trench maps for both the dates and location; the best source being the Western Front Association’s online ‘Trenchmapper’. 3. With its latest iteration you can use it live in the field to see where you are and which former trenches you are standing near. 4. Red Cross witness statements concerning battlefield deaths. Another vital source is the pool of immense knowledge held by experts in the Great War Forum. Certain Australian individuals from the Forum transformed my grasp of the information I had, and added documentary evidence I never dreamt of unearthing. Armed with all this information, I identified the precise location and circumstances of my ancestor’s death, and his precise movements in the days, weeks, months prior. In April 2024 I visited Flanders by bicycle and used a 360 degree camera and drone to gaze upon the last known locations of Private George Davies Signaller with the D Company, 36th Bn, AIF. I communicated my progress via Twitter, and was thrilled to have a descendant of a comrade of George’s respond and inform me where his ancestor fell on ‘Hun’s Walk’, in the same area. I was able to send up the drone and provide him with aerial footage of the location. The above involved a blend of methods/techniques both new and old. The results now sit in my family’s own online collaborative archive; itself an innovation in how to preserve and keep alive these special people for generations to come. Attached are two pdfs. The first details the evidential build up to understanding the last weeks of George’s life, the second is a short account of his life built around extracts from his personal diary. The talk will be a succinct combination of the two, and shine a light on the research sources as well as including drone and 360 degree camera footage.

Presenter: Simon Davies

Simon is the founder of WeAre.xyz, a collaborative platform for the recording and sharing of family and one place study histories, and heritage in general. He is also a trustee of the Shropshire Family History Society and a faculty member of the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy.

Previously, Simon helped create the mobile app platform Snaptu which grew to 42 million users before becoming ‘Facebook Lite’.

Born and raised just outside Cambridge, England, Simon’s ancestral heritage is predominantly centred on the Welsh border area, Cornwall, and the Manchester textile mills where his Irish ancestors eked out an existence post the Irish potato famine. He and his family now live in West London. Aside from his genealogy passion, Simon is a keen naturalist and cyclist.

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