A brief history of the British Fencible Cavalry with a list of Officers who served with the Regiment, covering years 1794-1800. by Jay Hall . A Register of the Regiments and Corps of the British Army. The Victoria Cross website lists the burial location for Victoria Cross holders world-wide. British Regiments at Gallipoli. British Battalions on the Somme. Last year saw the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Royal Air Force. Searches covering a unit or event are also available. Final pay warrants often mention a will or administration and the death date. It is run with the help of 70 UK staff including many from a military background or with a military history interest. Our main duties are to preserve Government records and to set standards in information management and re-use. There is a summary of his service and details of his discharge. London, England: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1988. See National Archives for further information. The National Archives holds Federal military service records from the Revolutionary War to 1912 in the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. See details of holdings. There is a Department code (ADM for admiralty, WO for War Office, etc) and a series number. With more than 25 Million Commonwealth military records and military history experts waiting to hear from you, we are the starting point for your UK military history research. These records include the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served in the military. A port where your ancestor landed on a specific date, search the List Books, a geographically arranged list of ship locations at the Public Record Office (class ADM 8). (Records prior to WWI are in Washington, DC.) In addition to the 2 million or so “Burnt Documents ” there are also 750,000 Service Records which survived the Second World War bomb damage. They are not typically available to view online. (Family History Library book 942 M23was.). Some soldiers were discharged early for disability (liberally defined) or age (often by age 40). Indexes to the Regimental Registers and the Chaplains’ Returns. The Guards depot (Grenadier, Coldstream, Irish, Welsh & Scots) also keep separate archives and can, on request supply information. (1996), Ray Westlake. Ordnance Records A. To find the papers for your ancestor, you must search in the period of his discharge. [1] Navy musters cover 1667 to 1878. (Family History Library 942 M2wdf; film 1441037.) NPRC (MPR) also stores medical treatment records of retirees from all services, as well as records "Birth certificates" submitted with widow’s pension applications may reveal an officer’s name. These cards contain details of name, rank, service number(s), unit(s) as well as confirmation of medal entitlement. Origins.net has a dataset that contains over 110,000 names of militia recruits in England and Scotland. BYU FHL book CS 415 .H36 1977. Royal Navy records online at the National Archives: The Royal marines originally maintained military discipline on navy vessels. Signed-in users can download digital records for free. Helpful guides to making the most of the information held in military records and medal rolls. Historic Photos of the World War II. Until 1853 enlistment was informal and lasted for the ship’s commission, usually three years. (, The Monthly Air Force list (Volume Aug 1919), The Monthly Air Force list (Volume Sep 1919), The Monthly Air Force list (Volume Oct 1919), The Monthly Air Force list (Volume Nov 1919), The Monthly Air Force list (Volume Dec 1919), Photo courtesy of National Archives at Kew, London, England, Photo courtesy of the National Archives at Kew, London, England. Before 1853 the source to use depends on what you know about your ancestor. Most military records are on paper or microfilm and you’ll need to request printed copies to be mailed to you. Some of these lists are available in the Family History Library. Forces War Records is the leading UK military genealogy specialist website. For suggestions on finding this information, see "Search Strategies" at the end of this section. These records (1790–1924) are available by correspondence from the Office of National Statistics (formerly Registrar General). After 1790, they were kept in bound volumes. VE Day. It is important to understand the "fonds" or the way records are grouped. To view them, you have to be there and view them in a special document room. These records have the National Archives designation of WO 25. Royal Navy personnel. About 35,000 Welsh servicemen died. There are more than 8 million records available. The RAF maintains its own records archive although officers papers are downloadable (£) from TNA here: $ RAF Officers records. The army description book for each regiment includes each recruit’s full name on "attestation" (enlistment), age when he joined, place where he joined, birthplace, previous trade, and physical description. A huge fount of knowledge resides on the forum and membership is free. Many officers are included in published biographies, such as: Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy, 1660–1815. See the sub-heading of "Lists of Officers" in this section for details. There are 13, 307 volumes of these records located at the National Archives. A brief explanation of musters and the location of available pre-1757 lists are given in: Militia units were generally raised on a county basis and kept their own records. 4, 1694-1702 at, English Army Lists and Commission Registers, Vol. They only list officers who had children and they are in the same order as the names appear in the original returns (grouped by first three letters of the surname). About 20,000 Welsh servicemen died. Phillimore, p. 73. In 1806 the War Office compiled the first return of service, listing all men in the army. Alex Cox. Get military service records for the army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines or RAF from 1920 - who can apply, how long it takes, cost, how to apply Military records from WWI - present are held in the National Military Personnel Records Center (NPRC), in St. Louis, Missouri, See details of holdings. Ship logs exist from 1673. Obviously, this will not be an exhaustive study of the subject of British military records, nor even of all the record types discussed here. 1939-1945 - Second World War. F. W. First World War: The Essential Guide to Sources in the National Archives, The National Archives (2002). Muster records for the Royal Artillery are the earliest, beginning in 1708. Family History Library 928940-948947 and 1631540-1631549. You’ll find many of these Irish fighters listed in our UK military records. Some of the cards have additional information on the reverse such as theatre of operations, home addresses, next of kin and so forth. 1707: British Military history begins when the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland united forming the Kingdom of Great Britain. See Ruhleben Civilian Internment Camp Ancestors. Early militia lists and most militia musters contain only the men’s names. The files are arranged alphabetically, but many documents are missing. The diaries sometimes contain information about particular people but they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. Military records include draft or service records, pension records, prisoner rolls and histories. There is a good chance that you can find service records, pensions or discharge papers. Formed on 1st April 1918 by merging the aviation branches of the existing services, namely the Royal Flying Corps (Army) and the Royal Naval Air Service (Royal Navy). The National Archives is the UK government's official archive. From a family history perspective, knowing what medals a relative was entitled to can lead to fascinating journies of discovery as well as the medal themselves providing useful information. The Family History Library also has some pension records. You may also search military records by conflict served in or time period. The Navy Official List books, available from 1673, give ports of call for ships during each year. At the time of writing, these services were not complete although new records up to and including 1913 are constantly being added. The official archive of the UK government. Most books start about 1805 and continue to 1850. ), White, Arthur S. comp. The National Archives at Kew in the London area is the caretaker of most of the military records. We have listed the main sources but there may be others. I have created a page to help you decipher the documents: Abbreviations and Acronyms found in WW2 Service Records. The individuals’ rank, regiment and dates of service determine which set of records you need. The War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States confirmed the separate existence of the United States and the future Canada. Applying for Military Records of a Deceased Person. Pay lists give the name and rate of pay and sometimes ‘to whom paid’ (which may be a spouse or other relative). Helpful guides to making the most of the information held in military records and medal rolls. ), Swinson, Arthur S., Editor. Get FREE ACCESS* to Ancestry UK’s Wartime Records collection NOW through 11:59 pm (GMT) Monday November 11th. Similar returns of naval officers begin in 1817. Earlier armies were raised as needed, usually as county militia units. Army Museums Ogilby Trust Website has links to Search Military Records and Free War Record Search and others. US Army Personnel Records held at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis for the First World War American Expeditionary Force were destroyed by a devastating fire in 1973. The scope, content, and frequency of returns of service vary greatly. The individuals’ rank, regiment and dates of service determine which set of records you need. Be sure to use the correct one. They were assigned continuous service numbers and records were maintained for the duration of their careers. A service provided by, Great Britain, War Office Registers, 1772-1935, United Kingdom, Royal Air Force Officers' Index, 1918-1919, United Kingdom, Chelsea Pensioners' Service Records, 1760-1913, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, Militia Attestation Papers, 1800-1915. These records also include soldiers who were in the British Army before August 1914 and who were eligible for an Army pension because their term of service came to an end in or before 1920. Some mention his occupation before he enlisted in the service and show the assignments he had in the service. These records begin in 1732 and end in 1878. Article in Hel Achau, #3, Spring 1981, pages 21-24, Family History Library Ref. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow and bring history to life for everyone. WW1 Records. Half-pay registers contain officers’ names, ranks, regiments, dates of first half-pay, rates of pay, and sometimes death dates. The earliest surviving navy records are from 1617, but the majority of the extensive collection date from the mid-1600s. They are microfilmed and held at the Family History Library 928940-948947 and 1631540-1631549. Army Officers. Naval pension records begin as early as 1617 and give the name of pensioner, reason for discharge, and sometimes next of kin, birthplace, age, and physical description. (Family History Library book 942 M2. Once you know the ship name[s] or the regiment name or number, the following records may help you trace your ancestor’s career, age, and birthplace. London, England: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1972. a husband, wife, or parent). The Internet Archives has some Air Force lists available online: The Internet Archives has some Army lists available online: There are a large number of records held at TNA that can be researched such as Station and Squadron record books; photo albums and so forth. Military Regiments. They are classified under WO.97. For officers these start in 1846. The application forms and guidlines can be found here: UK Veteran's Agency. If you know: Since many seamen also served in the Merchant Marines during their careers, search the records described in British Merchant Marine. It is a non-profit-making organisation that was founded by Sir Fabian Ware. Records of the Military Recruitment Department, 1939-1960 Description: Records relating to the administration of national service, including recruitment, medical inspections and enlistment, and subsequent demobilisation and civilian re-employment. A Guide to the Sources of British Military History. On the page of the FamilySearch Catalog that has the Notes you will need to click on the View Film Notes button near the top right portion of the screen to get the film numbers that apply to surnames in the different parts of the alphabet. Seamen often moved between the navy and the merchant marines. 1914-1918 - First World War. They represent about 8 percent of the soldiers who served during those years. London, England: Phillimore & Company, Limited, 1977. Aircrew and groundcrew; Ancestry.co.uk: military records (subscription) Army Personnel Centre; British Army Service Records 1760-1915 (Findmypast.com) Forces war records (from c1350) Imperial War Museums Fourth Edition. Medals indexes and records online at the National Archives. British Battalions in France and Belgium, 1915. Post-1751 a numerical system was adopted to name the regiments, with rank in order of precedence, i.e. Within the British Military and Naval Records (Record Group 8), the records were organized in series and sub-series, then sub-divided according to subjects (eg Indians, Canals, Telegraphs), types of records (eg letterbooks, order books, muster rolls) or responsibility centres (eg Military Secretary, Adjutant General, Commissariat Office). Women's Royal Air Force Service Records, 1918-1920, Casualty lists of the Royal and Dominion Navies 1889-2009, British Army medal index cards, 1914-1920, Recommendations for military honours and awards, 1935-1990, Merchant seamen's campaign medal records, 1914-1918, Merchant seamen's medal records, 1939-1945, WO12 Series General Muster Books and Pay Lists, incomplete list of all known POWs and internees, The National Archives of the United Kingdom, https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=British_Military_Records&oldid=4158060, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Indexes for births 1796–1880, for marriages 1796–1955, and for deaths 1786–1880, are available on microfiche at the Family History Library. Service Records. Officers papers are stored at TNA as above and an index of WW1 officers is available to download free of charge from TNA's website here: $ Officer's Papers. The Military Personnel Records Center was designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki, and opened in the fall of 1955 after three years of construction.The building was originally known as the "Department of Defense Military Personnel Records Center" and was designated as a joint military command housing three separate records centers for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. 3, 1689-1694 at, English Army Lists and Commission Registers, Vol. These pension papers provide a good insight into a soldiers career although they focus more on his medical history rather than his service career. Fencibles were usually classed with the militia, and records are kept with militia records. Ray Westlake. Whilst a staggering 231 different campaign or battle clasps were authorised, not all were issued. Sadly, about 60% of the records … You can usually find navy officers in the Navy Lists (1782 to the present) or in the Index to Commission and Warrant Books (1695 to 1742). Second Edition. 1939–1945: World War II. The Wooden City: A Journal for British Prisoners of War(Newspaper), Noyelles-Sur-Mer-Chinese Cemetery, Nolette, France, Chinese Labour Corps on the Western Front - Blog The National Arhives, Report - History of the Chinese Labour Corps used behind the lines in France, 1917-1919. Army service records for World War One are available at the National Archives, and many are online at www.ancestry.co.uk. Three Volumes. ), Records of Officers and Soldiers Who Have Served in the British Army. Payments to retired officers, called half-pay, were not considered pensions. Some of these men went on to use the training provided in the British Army to fight against the British in subsequent conflicts. You can apply for the service records of a deceased person if any of these apply: You are an immediate next of kin (e.g. Over 36,000 new additions from the National Archives in Kew are now available to search. Pensions were awarded for length of service, disability, or wounds to most individuals who legally left army service. These records vary over time and even between soldiers. There are also searchable on FamilySearch.org. Free Genealogy UK Military Records Search American Revolutionary War. etc. Other units can include local militia, fencibles, yeomanry and territorial units of the army. ). This chapter reviews the records of the army, the militia, the Royal Marines, colonial troops and the Royal Air Force. Find the war heroes in your family in our millions of service records, medal records, casualty lists and other Army records and Navy records. If you cannot locate the service papers of the soldier you are searching for, it is also worthwhile looking within the pension papers index as many men were entitled to pensions for prior service or due to injuries sustained during WW1. Several sources list navy ships with descriptions and the dates on which they were placed in service. In some cases 10 or more campaign clasps were earned. You may find evidence that an ancestor served in the military from family records, biographies, census, probates, civil registration, or church records. Some are also available on the subscription based sites such as Ancestry and Find My Past. Looking for your ancestors’ UK military records? NPRC (MPR) also stores medical treatment records of retirees from all services, as well as records The Family History Library has microfilmed copies, which are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under: GREAT BRITAIN - MILITARY RECORDS - ARMY - WORLD WAR, 1914-1918. Ogden, Utah: Manuscript Publishing Foundation, 1988. Thus, the category for records in The National Archives of England is labeled WO for locating all Army collections. 80 parts. These records identify individuals who served or were eligible to serve in the military. The leading provider of this service is $ Find My Past, but $ TheGenealogist.co.uk has army lists from 1806-1940. The Service Records will not include soldiers who continued to serve in the military after 1920. This page was last edited on 29 November 2020, at 13:48. Some men remained in Canada after the war, but most returned to Britain. These records or attestation forms were filled out at the time of recruitment, and in most cases, annotated to the date of discharge. UK and Ireland: Military Records UK and Ireland genealogy. 3. Sir Thomas Adams Regiment of Foot. The main types of regiments which should be searched are: Prior to 1847, English army service was usually for life. For information on twentieth century army records, see: Civilians were also captured and put in prison camps. Military records help prove military service when applying for jobs or government benefits. London, England: Imperial War Graves Commission, 1957. Hitler's Black Book. Because photopying these very large volumes would be extremely difficult, you can use a camera (without flash) to capture the images. See: Militia lists (beginning as early as 1297) contain the names of men eligible for military service. In addition, militaria such as headress badges, buttons, photographs of uniforms, soldier's trunks, paybooks, letters, colours, and medals with clasps can provide proof of ancestral links. Military and marine records provide interesting information about an ancestor’s life and any wars in which he took part, but also include vital genealogical material. There is a Department code (ADM for admiralty, WO for War Office, etc) and a series number. As we all are aware, the UK played a major role in world affairs for at least 200 years. ), Children of Officers on Full-pay, 1829. Military.com Buddy Finder: Do a military records search by name (only last name or email is required). See England Archives and Libraries for the address. Pay warrants are records of actual payment filed with the Exchequer records at The National Archives. There are many other pension-related records among those of the Paymaster General (Class PMG) at the Public Record Office. In Search of the "Forlorn Hope," 2 vols. New UK and US military records . A Division of The Everton Publishers [This article originally appeared in the September- October 1987 issue of Everton's Genealogical Helper. Many of records come the U.S. National Archives, The National Archives of U.K. and many others. UK, British Army Recipients of the Military Medal, 1914-1920 UK, British Army Records and Lists, 1882-1962 UK, British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 Free Exclusive Collections. Records transcribed in the UK for maximum accuracy; 1 on 1 Personal assistance from military photo and document experts ; Access to Orbats mapping tool, allowing you to trace your WW1 ancestors steps; Search.