7 WWI Battles from 110 Years Ago & What They Mean for Your Family Tree
The 20th century in Europe was a turbulent one, with global conflict arriving in July 1914. The First World War saw over 11 million servicemen lose their lives, and in genealogy, we have a way to honor and remember those involved and better understand what they went through.
When you’re researching a WWI ancestor, certain place names might start appearing in military service records: Ypres, Gallipoli, Loos. At first, they’re just names. But they show you the battles your forebear played their part in, and once you understand what happened there, those names add vivid detail to their story.
This guide takes you through seven major battles from 1915. For each one, we’ll cover what happened, why it mattered, and — crucially — which records you can use to trace your ancestor’s involvement.
Key facts on WWI battles:
- 1915 saw the first use of poison gas at the Second Battle of Ypres, creating new types of casualty records
- The Gallipoli campaign involved troops from Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, and beyond — check multiple national archives
- Battle locations in service records help you narrow down which unit war diaries to search
- Casualty lists from these battles often appear in hometown newspapers from spring through fall 1915
- Understanding the battle timeline helps explain gaps or changes in your ancestor’s service record
The 7 major battles of 1915
Known in its time as the “Great War,” the First World War saw many battles across different fronts: Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. With Allied, German and Austro-Hungarian forces involved, you’ll find draft registrations and service records spread across multiple national archives.
1. The battle of Neuve Chapelle (March 10–13, 1915)
Britain’s first major Western Front offensive, fought in northern France over three days. Roughly 13,000 British and Indian casualties. This battle introduced the artillery barrage tactic, and shell shock started appearing in service records from this period. Check MyHeritage’s military collections for British and Indian Army records.
2. The second battle of Ypres (April 22–May 25, 1915)
Germany used poison gas on a large scale for the first time here. Around 70,000 Canadian, British, and French casualties over five weeks. Gas attack survivors have detailed medical records, showing respiratory damage, burns, and blindness.
The war diaries from Ypres go into unusual detail since commanders were still working out what this weapon could do.
3. The battle of Gallipoli (April 25, 1915–January 9, 1916)
This one lasted 8 brutal months. British, French, Australian, New Zealand, and Turkish forces all fought in what became a disastrous Allied campaign. For ANZAC troops especially, the losses were staggering, which is why Gallipoli became such a defining moment in Australian and New Zealand history.
If you’re researching an ancestor who served here, you’ll need to check archives from multiple countries: Australia, New Zealand, Britain, and Turkey all hold records.
4. The battle of Gorlice-Tarnów (May 2–September 30, 1915)
An Eastern Front battle between German-Austrian and Russian forces that resulted in approximately 750,000 Russian casualties. It’s less familiar to English-speaking researchers, but if you know your ancestor’s service mentions the Eastern Front, we recommend checking German, Austrian, and Russian records.
5. The battle of Loos (September 25–October 8, 1915)
Loos saw Britain use poison gas for the first time, with mixed results. The battle cost about 60,000 British casualties. Many Scottish regiments fought here, too, so check regimental histories and local Scottish newspapers from fall 1915 through MyHeritage’s newspaper archives.
6. The second battle of Champagne (September 25–November 6, 1915)
This was a French offensive that cost roughly 145,000 French casualties. French military records from this period include detailed casualty reports and burial locations, important for tracking ancestors who died.
7. The first battle of the Isonzo (June 23–July 7, 1915)
This was the first of eleven battles fought between Italy and Austria-Hungary along the Isonzo River. Italian casualties were around 15,000. This was Italy’s entry into WWI, so Italian military records often begin right before this battle.
What WWI battle records tell you about your ancestor’s war
Knowing which battle your ancestor fought in opens up records you might never have known existed. For instance, a mention of your ancestor’s battalion at Loos on September 26, 1915 tells you exactly what they were doing.
Medal citations also describe specific acts of bravery, while hospital records from the time detail the sick and wounded.
| Record type | What it can unveil |
|---|---|
| War diaries | Daily battalion activities, such as attacks, casualties, and weather. Gives context to your ancestor’s experience. |
| Gas attack records | Medical reports from Second Ypres describing respiratory damage, blindness, and burns. |
| Casualty lists | Names, ranks, regiments, and how soldiers were wounded or killed. Published in hometown newspapers and searchable through MyHeritage. |
| Burial records | Where soldiers were buried during or after battles. Gallipoli burial documentation is especially thorough since many were buried where they fell. |
| Hospital records | Documents wounds, illnesses, and treatments. Shows where your ancestor was sent after being injured at Neuve Chapelle or Champagne. |
| Medal rolls | Shows which medals your ancestor was awarded and why — sometimes with details about their specific actions during battle. |
| Regimental histories | Post-war books covering a regiment’s service. They occasionally name individual soldiers and describe what happened to them. |
You can also use battle records to figure out which units served together, which is useful if you’re trying to connect ancestors from the same regiment or track down relatives mentioned in the same war diary.
Discover your ancestors’ World War I experiences today
These 7 battles happened 110 years ago, but they left behind documentation that can change what you know about your ancestors’ war. When you spot Neuve Chapelle, Ypres, or Gallipoli in a service record, that’s your entry point into war diaries, casualty lists, and hospital records.
MyHeritage lets you search WWI military records, newspaper archives, and casualty lists to find which battles your ancestor fought in and what happened to them. So, why not begin your genealogy journey today?
Start searching and see which of these seven battles shaped your family’s story. The records are waiting to show you what your ancestor went through during this tumultuous time.
FAQs about WWI battles and family history research
How do I know which battle my ancestor fought in?
Begin by checking out their service record, as they usually show the battles they fought in. If you don’t have that, look at their unit’s war diary and check where the battalion was on specific dates. Hometown newspapers also ran casualty lists that mentioned which battle someone got wounded in.
My ancestor was at Gallipoli. Which country’s records should I search?
That depends on who they were fighting for. The British were there, along with Australians, New Zealanders, French forces, and Turkish troops defending. Start with whatever nationality they were, but don’t stop there.
ANZAC war diaries mention British units they fought alongside, so you might find them in another country’s records too.
What if my ancestor was gassed at Second Ypres?
Look for hospital records and medical discharge papers. Soldiers who got gassed have their own kind of paper trail — reports about lung damage, breathing problems, burns, and what treatments they got.
Are war diaries available for all these battles?
Most British, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand units kept war diaries that you can access. French and German records do also exist, but can be harder to access. Italian and Russian records vary by unit and can be a little patchy in terms of information.
Gavin Crawley is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience and a strong personal passion for genealogy. He combines his professional writing skills with a deep curiosity about family history, helping others explore their roots through clear, engaging content. Gavin draws on his own research experience to make complex topics more accessible to readers at all stages of their genealogical journey.
