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England Military Records: Difference between revisions
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(Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines) | (Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines) | ||
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. Service records up to 1926 can be accessed online via TNA. | 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. Service records up to 1926 can be accessed online via TNA. | ||
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= ''' | = '''Army''' = | ||
The army began as a permanent organization in 1660. Earlier armies were raised as needed, usually as county militia units. The oldest regiment is the Honourable Artillery Company, formed in 1537. For information on pre-1660 military records, see the handbooks listed at the end of this section. The Soldier in Later Medieval England database has names of about 250,000 soldiers. | The army began as a permanent organization in 1660. Earlier armies were raised as needed, usually as county militia units. The oldest regiment is the Honourable Artillery Company, formed in 1537. For information on pre-1660 military records, see the handbooks listed at the end of this section. The Soldier in Later Medieval England database has names of about 250,000 soldiers. | ||
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There is currently a £30 fee for copies of these records and the record copies are normally heavily censored. | There is currently a £30 fee for copies of these records and the record copies are normally heavily censored. | ||
The application forms and guidlines can be found here: [http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Personnel/ServiceRecords/MakingARequestForInformationHeldOnThePersonnelRecordsOfDeceasedServicePersonnel.htm UK Veteran's Agency] | The application forms and guidlines can be found here: [http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Personnel/ServiceRecords/MakingARequestForInformationHeldOnThePersonnelRecordsOfDeceasedServicePersonnel.htm UK Veteran's Agency] | ||
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= Royal Air Force = | |||
Formed on 1st April 1918 by merging the aviation branches of the existing services, namely the Royal Flying Corps (RFC)(Army) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS)(Royal Navy). This merger created the totally independent Royal Air Force (RAF), and is the oldest air force in the world. | |||
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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). | |||
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.<br><br> | |||
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= Casualties = | = '''Casualties''' = | ||
'''<u>The Commonwealth War Graves Commission</u>''' | '''<u>The Commonwealth War Graves Commission</u>''' | ||
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= '''Medals''' = | |||
WW1 Army medal index cards are also available through [http://www.ancestry.co.uk www.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] | WW1 Army medal index cards are also available through [http://www.ancestry.co.uk www.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] | ||
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=== Resources === | === Resources === | ||
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.] | ||
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=== Search Strategies === | === Search Strategies === | ||
It is difficult to locate an individual’s record without knowing his ship or regiment. If you do not know this, you may find it in other types of records. Once you know the regiment or ship, consult the muster rolls, records of service, or other records available for that ship or regiment. Strategies for finding the ship or regiment follow. | It is difficult to locate an individual’s record without knowing his ship or regiment. If you do not know this, you may find it in other types of records. Once you know the regiment or ship, consult the muster rolls, records of service, or other records available for that ship or regiment. Strategies for finding the ship or regiment follow. | ||
'''Army Officers'''. You can usually find army officers in the Army List (1740 to the present - see "Lists of Officers" in this article). If your ancestor does not appear in the Army List for the right time period, consult the card index to officers, available only at the Public Record Office. | '''Army Officers'''. You can usually find army officers in the Army List (1740 to the present - see "Lists of Officers" in this article). If your ancestor does not appear in the Army List for the right time period, consult the card index to officers, available only at the Public Record Office. | ||