Casualty records revealed at the Queensland Registry of Birth, Deaths and Marriages

A number of articles about the First World War are published in the Family History Newsletter on the website of the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM). The paragraphs below are excerpts from the article ‘World War One casualty records revealed’ by Adrian Harrison, which you can find in full in Issue 3 December 2013.

First World War registers

The Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (RBDM) holds comprehensive death registrations for a large number of service men and women who enlisted in Queensland and who died while on active duty during both world wars. In total RBDM holds close to 10,000 death registrations for World War One and a further 5,000 from World War Two. These records are available for the public to search for free in our online family history research service.

Register entries

The First World War registrations were compiled under the direction of George Porter, who became the Queensland Registrar-General in October 1921. The registers themselves were compiled between 1921 and 1924; separate registers were created specifically to record the war dead. Thanks to the meticulous research of the then Registrar-General George Porter and his staff, many of our brave service personnel who enlisted in Queensland now have their passing recorded at the Registry.

Register entries

To commemorate the ANZAC centenary RBDM has released two commemorative death certificates. The certificates each feature a different design (poppies and a soldier silhouette). You can search our records for free and order a World War One or World War Two ANZAC commemorative death certificate online.

State Library also offers a number of useful First World War resources to assist family historians.

Robyn Hamilton - QANZAC100 Content Curator, State Library of Queensland