GENEALOGY experts have uncovered real-life namesakes of the stars of the BBC's Blackadder series who served in the trenches of the First World War.
After coming across a Captain Blackadder while uploading records to a database, staff at website forces-war-records.co.uk set about uncovering other servicemen who shared names with the fictional stars of Blackadder Goes Forth.
It was discovered that most of the main characters really did exist and the stories of Captain Robert John Blackadder, Private James Baldrick, Captain John Clive Darling and Lieutenant George can now be told.
Dominic Hayhoe, CEO of Forces War Records, said: "As fans of the television show, we wondered if we could find the military records of the other fictional characters' namesakes. So we challenged our team of professional researchers and military experts to find them, which they did.
"We're keen to uncover more about them and would be very keen to hear from any living relatives who have additional information to complete their stories."
Captain Robert John Blackadder, from Dundee, rose up the ranks and served in the British Army before the outbreak of the First World War, completing his service overseas. Unlike his fictional namesake, he survived the war, winning the Military Cross for outstanding bravery.
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