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The first permanent naval fleet was formed during the reign of King Henry VIII (1509–1547). For many years Britain had the strongest navy in the world. The earliest surviving navy records are from 1617, but the majority of the extensive collection date from the mid-1600s. Many records are available only at The National Archives. | The first permanent naval fleet was formed during the reign of King Henry VIII (1509–1547). For many years Britain had the strongest navy in the world. The earliest surviving navy records are from 1617, but the majority of the extensive collection date from the mid-1600s. Many records are available only at The National Archives. | ||
Several sources list navy ships with descriptions and the dates on which they were placed in service<br> | Several sources list navy ships with descriptions and the dates on which they were placed in service<br> | ||
The Navy Official List books, available from 1673, give ports of call for ships during each year. Some of these lists are available in the Family History Library. | The Navy Official List books, available from 1673, give ports of call for ships during each year. Some of these lists are available in the Family History Library. | ||
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Post-1751 a numerical system was adopted to name the regiments, with rank in order of precedence, i.e. Queens 9th Regiment of Foot. | Post-1751 a numerical system was adopted to name the regiments, with rank in order of precedence, i.e. Queens 9th Regiment of Foot. | ||
Originally the responsibility for directing the British Army fell under the command of the staff of the National War Office. Thus, the category for records in The National Archives of England is labeled WO for locating all Army collections. Now the army is run by comissioned officers.<br> | Originally the responsibility for directing the British Army fell under the command of the staff of the National War Office. Thus, the category for records in The National Archives of England is labeled WO for locating all Army collections. Now the army is run by comissioned officers.<br> | ||
=== <u>'''Available Records'''</u> === | === <u>'''Available Records'''</u> === | ||
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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] | 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] | ||
Individual regimental archives may also hold limited records and it is well worth writing to the relevant regimental museums. The Guards depot (Grenadier, Coldstream, Irish, Welsh & Scots) also keep separate archives and can, on request supply information. Bear in mind though that some archives, quite reasonably, request payment for such services.<br> | Individual regimental archives may also hold limited records and it is well worth writing to the relevant regimental museums. The Guards depot (Grenadier, Coldstream, Irish, Welsh & Scots) also keep separate archives and can, on request supply information. Bear in mind though that some archives, quite reasonably, request payment for such services.<br> | ||
'''Post-1920''' | '''Post-1920''' | ||
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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). This merger created the totally independent Royal Air Force (RAF), and is the oldest air force in the world. | 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). This merger created the totally independent Royal Air Force (RAF), and is the oldest air force in the world. | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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). | 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). | ||
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The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has a searchable internet website: | The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has a searchable internet website: | ||
[http://www.cwgc.org/ www.cwgc.org/]<br> | [http://www.cwgc.org/ www.cwgc.org/]<br> | ||
Lists of British army personnel who died during '''World War I''' have been compiled from official casualty lists and published in: | Lists of British army personnel who died during '''World War I''' have been compiled from official casualty lists and published in: | ||
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The Royal Navy instituted its own equivalent, the Naval General Service Medal, also in 1847 but covering the slightly longer period of 1793-1840. Whilst a staggering 231 different campaign or battle clasps were authorised, not all were issued. The most clasps issued to any single recipient was 7. As the medal was authorised some considerable time after most of the campaigns and battles had taken place, and also due to widespread illiteracy, a large number of men did not claim their medals. In total just over 20,000 medals were actually issued. | The Royal Navy instituted its own equivalent, the Naval General Service Medal, also in 1847 but covering the slightly longer period of 1793-1840. Whilst a staggering 231 different campaign or battle clasps were authorised, not all were issued. The most clasps issued to any single recipient was 7. As the medal was authorised some considerable time after most of the campaigns and battles had taken place, and also due to widespread illiteracy, a large number of men did not claim their medals. In total just over 20,000 medals were actually issued. | ||
These two medals started a precedent of issuing campaign medals that still continues to this day, with the RAF joining the process in 1918 by following the lead set by the Army. It is a widely collected field and there are many resources on the subject. 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. <br> | These two medals started a precedent of issuing campaign medals that still continues to this day, with the RAF joining the process in 1918 by following the lead set by the Army. It is a widely collected field and there are many resources on the subject. 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. <br> | ||
==== '''Awards & Honours:''' ==== | ==== '''Awards & Honours:''' ==== | ||
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Brave conduct, meritorious service and so forth have long been rearded publicly. Since the 19th century, such awards to the military have generally taken medallic form although it has historically been shown that a reward may also involve a promotion or a share of the spoils, particularly if at sea and an enemy vessel was captured, | Brave conduct, meritorious service and so forth have long been rearded publicly. Since the 19th century, such awards to the military have generally taken medallic form although it has historically been shown that a reward may also involve a promotion or a share of the spoils, particularly if at sea and an enemy vessel was captured, | ||
As such, honours and awards tend to be publicly announced in the London Gazette newspaper. The online search archive can require a certain amount of skill to find what or rather who you are searching for but it can yield fantastic results: [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/search London Gazette Archive] <br> | As such, honours and awards tend to be publicly announced in the London Gazette newspaper. The online search archive can require a certain amount of skill to find what or rather who you are searching for but it can yield fantastic results: [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/search London Gazette Archive] <br> | ||
==== '''Online Resources:''' ==== | ==== '''Online Resources:''' ==== | ||
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*Photo curtesy of National Archives at Kew, London, England<br> | *Photo curtesy of National Archives at Kew, London, England<br> | ||
==== WO 12 Series: General Muster Books and Pay Lists<br> | ==== WO 12 Series: General Muster Books and Pay Lists<br> ==== | ||
These records begin in 1732 and end in 1878. They cover guards, infantry, cavalry, and household troops. According to the National Archives these records also include special groups, such as colonial troops, various foreign legions, special regiments, and other depots.<br> | These records begin in 1732 and end in 1878. They cover guards, infantry, cavalry, and household troops. According to the National Archives these records also include special groups, such as colonial troops, various foreign legions, special regiments, and other depots.<br> | ||
These records show an individual's enlistment dates, his movements and dischage dates as show below, notice the sections under "First Muster, Second Muster, and Third Muster", these are the locations of the soldiers at the time of their pay. <br> | These records show an individual's enlistment dates, his movements and dischage dates as show below, notice the sections under "First Muster, Second Muster, and Third Muster", these are the locations of the soldiers at the time of their pay. <br> | ||
[[Image:3rdbk-DSCN0211-1.png]]<br> | [[Image:3rdbk-DSCN0211-1.png]]<br> | ||
*Photo curtesy of the National Archives at Kew, London, England<br> | *Photo curtesy of the National Archives at Kew, London, England<br> | ||
If the information you seek is after 1868. there is a "Roll of Married Establishment" which lists husbands and wives as shown below:<br> | If the information you seek is after 1868. there is a "Roll of Married Establishment" which lists husbands and wives as shown below:<br> | ||
[[Image:Marriage-roll-2a.png|585x293px]]<br> | [[Image:Marriage-roll-2a.png|585x293px]]<br> | ||
*Photo curtesy of the National Archives at Kew, London, England<br> | *Photo curtesy of the National Archives at Kew, London, England<br> | ||
Recording all this information must have been a daunting task as these books are very large as shown in the earlier picture. There are 13, 307 volumes of these records located at the National Archives. To view them, you have to be there and view them in a special document room. <br> | Recording all this information must have been a daunting task as these books are very large as shown in the earlier picture. There are 13, 307 volumes of these records located at the National Archives. To view them, you have to be there and view them in a special document room. <br> | ||
Because photopying these very large volumes would be extremely difficult, you can use a camera (without flash) to capture the images. <br> | Because photopying these very large volumes would be extremely difficult, you can use a camera (without flash) to capture the images. <br> | ||
If you are unable to visit the National Archives, they provide a document service at £0.40 per page.<br> | If you are unable to visit the National Archives, they provide a document service at £0.40 per page.<br> | ||
To learn more about these valuable records visit their web page on this set of records at http://tinyurl.com/43beoku. <br> | To learn more about these valuable records visit their web page on this set of records at http://tinyurl.com/43beoku. <br> | ||
===== ===== | ===== ===== | ||
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Militia units were generally raised on a county basis and kept their own records. From 1757 to 1876, lists of men ages 18 to 55 were compiled by individual parishes and turned in to the shire (county) lieutenant. These lists usually contain each man’s name, parish of residence, age, fitness for service, and sometimes cause for exemption (such as a man with more than two young children, a disability, or an exempt occupation). | Militia units were generally raised on a county basis and kept their own records. From 1757 to 1876, lists of men ages 18 to 55 were compiled by individual parishes and turned in to the shire (county) lieutenant. These lists usually contain each man’s name, parish of residence, age, fitness for service, and sometimes cause for exemption (such as a man with more than two young children, a disability, or an exempt occupation). | ||
A project is underway to digitize Militia Attestation (enlistment) papers for 1806-1915 (WO 96), and make them available online through [http://www.findmypast.co.uk/home.jsp FindMyPast.com], by the end of 2011. | [http://www.Origins.net Origins.net] has a dataset that contains over 110,000 names of militia recruits in England and Scotland. The Irish Origins index contains another 12,500 names of militia recruits. A project is also underway to digitize Militia Attestation (enlistment) papers for 1806-1915 (WO 96), and make them available online through [http://www.findmypast.co.uk/home.jsp FindMyPast.com], by the end of 2011. | ||
For further information on militia lists and musters, see: | For further information on militia lists and musters, see: | ||
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*The Coast Guard (1816–1923) kept their own records, including pension, description, and other records. | *The Coast Guard (1816–1923) kept their own records, including pension, description, and other records. | ||
These records are at The National archives. For further information on military records for branches of the service other than navy or regular army, see the military record handbooks at the end of this section.<br> | These records are at The National archives. For further information on military records for branches of the service other than navy or regular army, see the military record handbooks at the end of this section.<br> | ||
= '''Resources ''' = | = '''Resources ''' = | ||
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Pre-1914 records for both the army and the navy are at [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/ The National Archives.] | Pre-1914 records for both the army and the navy are at [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/ The National Archives.] | ||
The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU England<br> | The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU England<br> | ||
Post-1914 army records are at: | Post-1914 army records are at: | ||