Established in Melbourne in 1991 Mostly Unsung provides a
unique research facility into Australian Military History from
the First Fleet to the present day. Headed by Lieutenant Colonel
Neil C Smith, AM, Mostly Unsung specialises in genealogical and
service aspects of former Australian and British Defence
personnel.
With over 24 years
Australian Regular Army experience, Neil
Smith understands military jargon, abbreviations and the various
organisational and recording systems employed by the Army, Navy
and Air Force. He has accrued a wide and useful experience in
examining publicly available records so as to optimise the value
of both personal and service details pertinent to individual and
groups of Australian servicemen and women.
Presentations often undertaken by Neil focus on understanding Australian
military history and provide guidance on obtaining information
required by family and other historians from sources located
throughout Australia and the United Kingdom. Mostly Unsung's
professional research service can unearth biographical and service data on
individuals in far greater depth than the usual detail to be
found in commonly available military records, Births, Deaths and Marriages records, Shipping Registers
and the like. Other aspects of Australian military history such
as honours and awards, internees, facilities, war crimes and the
Merchant Marine are random examples illustrating the diversity of
research available from Mostly Unsung.
Mostly Unsung typically charges AUD $30 (rising to $40 1st July 2009) for a detailed report on an Australian service person and where lengthy research needs to be undertaken, hourly fees are charged. Depending on the research involved, fees starting at AUD $40 (rising to $50 1st July 2009) per hour can be expected. Mostly Unsung also offers a Canberra and London based research service (Charge typically about $70) and is well known on TV and other media outlets. A half yearly catalogue is available on request and research on individuals is presented in a unique and understandable manner with all biographical and service aspects covered together with detail of medals, movements, sickness, promotions, troopship names, locations and battles regardless of how often a person served. Most research is completed in a week.
In addition to client initiated research tasks, Mostly Unsung also researches and publishes on a range of Australian and British military history subjects. Examples include regimental histories, tracking unit movements, medal rolls such as those for the Boer War, Crimea, Indian Mutiny, New Zealand Wars, Afghanistan 1878 and many more; Escapees From Singapore in 1942, Prisoners of War, Australians with Irregular units in the Boer War, Australians serving with Allied nations and the North Russian Relief Force, British Commonwealth Occupation Force (Japan) Army nominal roll, World War Two Army and RAAF unit movements, facilities, aliases, municipal honour rolls and unit nominal rolls.
Our Boer War holdings are unique and include computerised medal entitlements for Australian Contingents to the Boer War 1899-1902 (with many more than listed in 'Murray's'). Also copies of many service papers with stacks of Australians with Irregular units such as French's Scouts, Border Horse, Transport Stock Riders, Eastern Province Mounted Rifles, Orpen's Light Horse and the Kaffrarian Rifles.
British Military Research. Neil and Sylvie Smith undertake British military research at The National Archives, Kew, London on a regular basis. The next visit is planned for August 2009. Research tasks are welcome. The rate for a typical research task for a World War One or 19th century British service person is a very reasonable $70 maximum - payable on completion.
For information on publications which are currently stocked, most with detailed nominal rolls
Click here: Books
To find out further information, request catalogues or place orders, please contact Mostly Unsung:
E-mail to Mostly Unsung - milhis@alphalink.com.au
Telephone & Fax 61 3 9555 5401
or mail to LPO Gardenvale, Box 7020, Brighton, 3186, Victoria, Australia