British Military Records: Difference between revisions

'''1880–1902:''' [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-subject/boerwar.htm?WT.lp=rg-3068 Boer Wars]. The first Anglo-Boer War (1880–1881) led to South African independence in 1881. The second Anglo-Boer War (1898–1902) led to the unification of South Africa in 1910.  [http://www.boer-war.com/Military/British/TransportShips.html Transport Ships] has information about the ships and the Regiments.

*'''1914–1918:''' [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-subject/firstworldwar.htm?WT.lp=rg-3065 World War I]. About 6,000,000 British service personnel served in this war. Almost 1,000,000 died.  

'''1939–1945:''' [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-subject/secondworldwar.htm?WT.lp=rg-3073 World War II]. Just over 400,000 service personnel and civilians died in the war. [http://www.archive.org/details/TurnerPublishingHistoricPhotosofWorldWarII Historic Photos of the World War II].  

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-seamen.htm Royal Naval Rating's Service Records, 1853-1923]

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/french-muster-rolls-trafalgar.htm French Muster Rolls from the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805]

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/womens-royal-naval-service-ww1.htm Women's Royal Naval Service Records, 1917-1919]

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-division.htm Royal Naval Division Service Records, 1914-1919]

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-officers-service-records.htm Royal Naval Officers' Service Records, 1756-193]1

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-reserve-service-records.htm Royal Naval Reserve Service Records, 1860-1955]

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-volunteer-reserve-service-records.htm Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Service Records, 1903-1922]  

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/logs-journals-ships-of-exploration.htm Logs and Journals of Ships of Exploration, 1757-1904]

The Royal marines originally maintained military discipline on navy vessels. It has been a separate corps of the military since 1755, although under the control of the Admiralty and forming part of the Naval Service. Alphabetically arranged records of marines exist from 1790, some by enlistment date and others by discharge date. [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-marines-register-service.htm Royal Marine Service records, 1842 -1926] can be accessed online via The National Archives.  

Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed before the files were made available. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to on the covers of many diaries. Find the diaries at this link [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-war-diaries-1914-1922/ British Army War Diaries]  

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: $ [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/searchresults.asp?SearchInit=0&txtsearchterm=*&txtfirstdate=&txtlastdate=&txtrestriction=WO+338&hdnsorttype=Reference&image1.x=0&image1.y=0&image1=GO Officer's Papers]  

The RAF maintains its own records archive although officers papers are downloadable (£) from TNA here: $ [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/browse-refine.asp?CatID=43&searchType=browserefine&pagenumber=1&query=*&queryType=1 RAF Officers records.] Other ranks service records are not online but if service ended prior to 1920, can be accessed at TNA. Post-1920 records are dealt with in the same way as army & Navy records under FOI requests(see above).  

*[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C2132 Air 78: An index to airmen and airwomen's service records held in AIR 79.]  

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/combat-reports-ww2.htm Combat Reports, 1939-1945]  

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/raf-operations-record-books.htm Operations Record Book, 1939-1945]  

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/raf-officers-ww1.htm Officer's Service Records, 1918-1919]  

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/airwomen-ww1.htm Women's Royal Air Force Service Records, 1918-1920]

*'''[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-subject/medalsanddecorations.htm?WT.lp=rg-3067 Campaign Medals:]'''

WW1 Army medal index cards are available through $ [http://www.ancestry.co.uk/ ancestry.co.uk] - if you have a subscription they are free. Otherwise you will have to pay £2 fee to download it if you get it through The National Archives website: $ [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/browse-refine.asp?CatID=10&searchType=browserefine&pagenumber=1&query=*&queryType=1 Medal Index Cards] . These cards contain details of name, rank, service number(s), unit(s) as well as confirmation of medal entitlement. Some of the cards have additional information on the reverse such as theatre of operations, home addresses, next of kin and so forth. Only Ancestry have copied both sides of these cards. Information on how to decipher the Medal Index Cards available at [https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/campaign-medal-records/how-to-interpret-a-campaign-medal-index-card/ Ancestry and TNA] There is not an equivalent system for detailing medals awarded to members of the Royal Navy and RAF - medal details were recorded on the service papers and likewise, non-WW1 medals are only annotated on service records for all services.  

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/medal-index-cards-ww1.htm British Army medal index cards, 1914-1920]  

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/recommendations-honours-awards.htm Recommendations for military honours and awards, 1935-1990]  

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/merchant-seamen-medals-ww1.htm Merchant seamen's campaign medal records, 1914-1918]  

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/merchant-seamen-medals-ww2.htm Merchant seamen's medal records, 1939-1945]  

*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/victoria-cross-registers.htm Victoria Cross registers, 1856-1944]

Visit $ [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=13072&SearchInit=4&CATREF=wo+12&j=1 WO12 Series General Muster Books and Pay Lists] to learn more about these valuable records.  

An index to these records is available as part of the [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp online catalogue] of the National Archives of the UK. You may enter the name of a soldier in the 'Word or phrase' field and the 'Department or series code' of WO (for War Office) 97. See [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=3&CATID=13072&SearchInit=4&CATREF=wo+12&j=1 National Archives] for further information.  

*''Army List''. London, England: publishers and title vary, 1754–. (Family History Library book {{FHL|942 M25|disp=942 M25}}; films {{FHL|856427|film|disp=856427}}–452 and others.) First published in 1740, these lists have been published continuously since 1754 and are indexed beginning in 1766. They list army officers and are arranged by regiment. Half-pay (semi-retired) officers were not included in the early indexes. The listing for WO 65 is avaliable for free download Family History: Digital Microfilm Catalogue Description WO 65 [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/browse-refine.asp?CatID=32&searchType=browserefine&pagenumber=1&query=*&queryType=1 National Archives online ]  

*Colonial armies were forces raised in other countries. Records of these forces are usually in the country where the forces were raised. A notable exception is the Indian Army, for which many records are held at the British Library Oriental and India Office Collections, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB England. British Army in India information, [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/indianarmy.htm click here].  

Pre-1914 records for both the army and the navy are at [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/ The National Archives] - [[TNA]]