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In your situation I would go with the Ancestry test and subscribe to Ancestry as well,

Build a Tree on Ancestry and once the DNA results are in make sure it is linked to the Tree.

Just leave your Mother's actual Father blank but do include her half siblings and their families on your tree even if you only just use Surnames.

Hints will come and DNA matches will be reported, but all DNA matches, not just those of your actual Grandfather.

You mentioned Ethnicity, do take the results with a huge pinch of salt.  My own Ethnicity bears no resemblance to what was presented by Ancestry when we originally had the DNA test undertaken, we presume that their Database has expanded considerably.  If Ancestry has formulated the Ethnicity using the Family Trees on its site then that gives me great concern as so many Trees are simply works of fiction with errors compounded from Tree to Tree

It all takes time so upload the DNA results to other sites as well

Thanks Biggles - I ordered my test yesterday so just have to wait now.  Meantime.. still lots of other research to get on with :-)

I have been on Ancestry for quite a few years and we did their DNA test, which btw is always worth looking out for when they have cut price offers if you plan on taking a test.

Initially we did not have much response but over time we got more and more matches.

I have not done anything for two weeks and in that time I now have 12 new matches which have a distant Common Ancestor.

I do have one close match but she has no tree.

Hence even if you get a close match you need them to respond to the contact message.

Having an online accessible Family Tree can help in that Ancestry will give you DNA hints of a pathway if others have trees.

Hence it can be hit and miss and a waiting game but it is the only chance you have of filling in the blanks.

Once you have the results uploading them to matching sites will improve the chances of a match being given, but do remember that a match can be along any branch.

Good luck with whatever action you decide.

Hi again Biggles... thanks for your response.

I've got my main research on Genes Reunited as I think at the time I seemed to prefer their format (and was probably cheaper!! ;-)  Would I be able to download Ancestry's results into that website? 

Hello there!

My mother was a warbaby and I'd love to know if there's a way to find out who her father may have been.  I've recently discovered she has two living half sisters but unfortunately, despite contacting the youngest, she is not very helpful with my enquiries.  I don't believe the sisters were ever told about my mother's father. 

Currently I'm aware that both Ancestry and My Heritage have offers on their tests - but which would be most beneficial for me.  Yes, I'd love to know my ethnicity, and whether I have relatives abroad but I'd also love to know more about my mother's family history. 

Then there's the FTDNA that does the mtDNA test...

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Well folks, there has been a few Whatsapp messages back and forth with my aunt and a total of four photographs from her, one of my grandmother, two of my great grandmother and one of my great great grandparents.  Meantime, I've provided her many of my mother, and several photographs of her great uncles (which I was able to find by trawling google), which was very interesting for her.  The only additional information I've learned from her is that my great great grandparents were both vets.  I did send a list of questions that I asked, that if she had time, would she be able answer, concerning my mother and GGparents as that would really help me with my research going back further which she said she would do but so far I've not received anything from her.

What's been disappointing for me has been the lack of interest in my mother, their sister - hardly any questions about my mother's life, who she was, what she did, etc. etc. but at the end of the day - she would have been their step-sister so perhaps this is why,  And for my aunt, I may be her niece yet I'm still a stranger .. might have been a completely different story if my mother were still alive.   It seems their initial interest in this family 'novelty' (aka me) has worn off and it's now just like.. meh. 

The main point is that I obtained closure for my mother and I shall simply get back to researching her family history purely as a hobby now.   I won't press to meet the family - that was never my intention, nor my suggestion - that came from my aunt, and to be honest, I don't quite see the purpose.  I have contacted her again today about the questions and to ask if she has a colour photograph of my grandmother but I'm not expecting a response.  I think the communication will just drift off now which is fine, I understand - she's busy with her own life and family. 

We all have different experiences and this is mine.  Perhaps this is not so unusual though?

Dear all,

Following my original post, I decided a couple of weeks ago, after months of nervous hesitation, to write and contact my 'aunt's' daughter via FB.  After waiting anxiously, and then feeling that she wouldn't respond, she finally got in touch and asked me for proof.. and left me with no choice but to blurt it all out.  Cutting a long story short, she confirmed that yes, I had found the family, she was my cousin and her mother, my Mum's biological youngest sister.  I have since been in touch with another new cousin, and just a couple of days ago, Mum's sister finally got in touch and we have been communicating each day. 

I have also found out that Mum's eldest sister is still alive at 81 and a few pieces of missing information has been found and I've been able to get closure.    The sad, though not unexpected, part is that Mum was the result of a WW2 liaison and they do not know who her father was.  Her mother's husband's name is on Mum's birth certificate though he is not the father.  He was aware of his wife's dalliance and sadly, forced her to make a very tough decision.  My mother was brought up by another family.   I think my mother was aware of this and there was talk in the family of who the father was although this information is not known to my 'new family'.  Perhaps in time I'll know more surrounding the circumstances.

Meantime, my 'aunt' is happy to know I've found her and even in the first contact, wants us to meet up so I'm very grateful for the positive response.

I have mixed feelings... initially upon finding the family I was very emotional as this is something I had wanted to get closure on for my mother (who died 21 years ago) and now I'm strangely becoming like , oh well - that's that then, especially, I think, surrounding the circumstances and I'm only 'half' a biological relative.  My father, I have to say, is completely uninterested and quite offish with me about it - perhaps he's just being protective still of Mum.

So there's the update!

I'm almost 99.99% sure I would never be able to find my real grandfather and it's not something I'm going to start as there's enough factual family history to continue researching anyway.

Best wishes!