England Military Records: Difference between revisions

Military records are potentially of great genealogical value and may provide information not found in any other source. These records identify individuals who served or were eligible to serve in the military. Military service (other than the militia) was usually a lifetime career. Officers came from the upper classes; soldiers usually came from the poor. On occasion, compulsory conscription was enforced and even "press-gangs" were used.

You may find evidence that an ancestor served in the military from family records, biographies, census, probates, civil registration, or church records.

Britain's armed forces comprise, in order of seniority, the Royal Navy (including the Royal Marines), Army and Royal Air Force. Other units can include local militia, fencibles, yeomanry and territorial units of the army. These are briefly discussed at the end of this section.

See also British Military Records Online.

Wikipedia has more about this subject: Military history of England

England has been regularly involved in military action. Examples of these are:

1284: The Norman invasion of Wales from 1067–1283 (formalized with the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284) put Wales under England's control. Wales came under English law with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542.

1455-1481: Wars of the Roses. These ongoing wars involved mostly knights pledged to lords or vassals. Few commoners were involved, and few records were kept.

1642–1651: Civil War and Cromwellian period. Disputes over the form of government and religion led to civil war. Only very brief military records of officers still exist.

Wikipedia has more about this subject: Military history of the United Kingdom

1707: The unification of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain bring about the new British Army incorporating Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland

Further information: British Military Records

Records

The National Archives (TNA), located at Kew, West London, houses information on military personnel, much of it now available to download.

Militia Lists and Musters

Militia lists (beginning as early as 1297) contain the names of men eligible for military service. Militia musters are lists of men in the militia. Early militia lists and most militia musters contain only the men’s names. A brief explanation of musters and the location of available pre-1707 lists are given in:

Gibson, Jeremy, and Alan Dell. Tudor and Stuart Muster Rolls. Solihull, England: Federation of Family History Societies Publications, Ltd., 1989. (FS Library book 942 M2gj)

Ship Logs

Ship logs exist from 1673. While they usually give information only on position, weather, and sightings of other ships, records of shipboard events may include names of individual seamen.

British Military3

Other Records

Many other records are available, such as records on medals, casualties, promotions, desertion, and court martials. The following military branches have separate records:

Fencibles were army units raised for home service only. Fencibles were usually classed with the militia, and records are kept with militia records.
Yeomanry were volunteer regiments, records of which often do not survive or are less complete than other military records.
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. Another source of British_colonial_army_officerscan be useful.

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.

Boer War has information on the ships used by each regiment. It names the regiments, dates of sailing, dates of arrival and ports of departure and arrival in some cases.

Records at the FamilySearch Library

The FamilySearch Library’s collection of army records includes:

Army soldiers’ documents
Description books
Officers’ records of service
Indexes to the Regimental Registers and the Chaplains’ Returns
Regimental histories
Other miscellaneous army records

For the navy, the library has:

Continuous service engagement books
Indexes to commission and warrant books
Bounty papers
Various published sources

Some Royal Marine attestation (enlistment) records are also available at the library.

A number of name indexes to some military records containing birth, marriages, or deaths are in the FamilySearch Library. These indexes can be found:

The library staff has compiled a typescript listing of army records in its collection (FS Library book 942 M2; film 990313 item 5).

Library records are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under ENGLAND and the following subject headings:

MILITARY RECORDS

MILITARY HISTORY

MILITARY RECORDS - ARMY

MILITARY RECORDS - NAVY

Military histories or regimental histories are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

ENGLAND - MILITARY HISTORY

Branches of Service

Royal Navy

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. One such work is:
Colledge, James J. Ships of the Royal Navy. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1987. (FS Library 400175 FS Library book 942 M3c.)

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 FamilySearch Library.

Seamen often moved between the navy and the merchant marines. Until 1853 enlistment was informal and lasted for the ship’s commission, usually three years. Individual "ratings" (seamen) were not mentioned in navy records other than musters or pay lists unless they deserted, misbehaved, or earned a medal. After 1853 seamen often made the navy their career. They were assigned continuous service numbers and records were maintained for the duration of their careers.

Navy Officers.

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). See the sub-heading of "Lists of Officers" in this section for details.

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.

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 basic unit of the Army is the regiment under a colonel or lieutenant colonel. Regiments are usually divided into two or more Battalions. The main types of regiments which should be searched are:

Cavalry
Infantry
Corps (e,g, Army Service Corps; Royal Signals; Royal Engineers etc.)

The army began as a permanent organization in 1660. Earlier armies were raised as needed, usually as county militia units. For information on pre-1660 military records, see the handbooks listed at the end of this section.
Pre-1847 - English army service was usually for life. Some soldiers were discharged early for disability, which was liberally defined. A soldier was often discharged by the age of forty.
Pre-1872 - Army records are organized by regiment. Most regiments have published histories that tell the places where they served and the battles they fought. For a bibliography of these histories, see:
White, Arthur S., comp.A Bibliography of Regimental Histories of the British Army. Dallington, East Sussex, England: Naval and Military Press Ltd., 1992. FS book 942 M23was.
Military histories or regimental histories are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:
WALES - MILITARY HISTORY
GREAT BRITAIN - MILITARY HISTORY

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.

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-Military records are potentially of great genealogical value and may provide information not found in any other source. These records identify individuals who served or were eligible to serve in the military. Military service (other than the militia) was usually a lifetime career. Officers came from the upper classes; soldiers usually came from the poor. A compulsory draft was seldom used except by the militia.
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+==Online Resources ==
+*'''1615-1930''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61103/ UK, Roll of the Indian Medical Service, 1615 -1930] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1642-1710''' [https://www.civilwarpetitions.ac.uk/ England Civil War Petitions]  at Civil War Petitions
+*'''1661-1826''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/british-army-lists-and-commission-registers-1661-1826 British Army Lists & Commission Registers 1661-1826] at Findmypast — index & images ($)
+*'''1702-1933''' {{RecordSearch|5000008|England, Military Pension and Service Records, 1702-1933}} at FamilySearch — [[England, Military Pension and Service Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index and images
+*'''1704-1719''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-royal-navy-and-royal-marines-service-and-pension-records-1704-1919?_ga=1.127630989.1219846231.1458237470 British Royal Navy & Royal Marines Service and Pension Records, 1704-1919] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1714''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-list-of-half-pay-officers-1714 British Army, List Of Half-Pay Officers 1714] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1715-1947''' {{RecordSearch|4459223|Prisoners of War, 1715-1947}} at FamilySearch — [[Prisoners of War - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
+*'''1716-1899''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-royal-artillery-officers-1716-1899 British Army, Royal Artillery Officers 1716-1899] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1739-1861''' {{RecordSearch|4231104|United Kingdom, British Royal Navy Ships’ Musters, 1739-1861}} at FamilySearch — [[United Kingdom, British Royal Navy Ships’ Musters - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images; ''Also at [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/british-royal-navy-ships-musters Findmypast], index ($)''
+*'''1743-1882''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3255 UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Registers of Soldiers Who Served in Canada, 1743-1882] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1756-1931''' [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-officers-service-records.htm Web: United Kingdom, Royal Naval Officers' Service Records Index, 1756-1931] at National Archives, index
+*'''1760-1913''' {{RecordSearch|1952868|United Kingdom, Chelsea Pensioners' Service Records, 1760-1913}} at FamilySearch - [[United Kingdom, Chelsea Pensioners' Service Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index and images
+*'''1760-1915''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-service-records-1760-1915 British Army Service Records 1760-1915] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1772-1935''' {{RecordSearch|2366620|Great Britain, War Office Registers, 1772-1935}} at FamilySearch - [[Great Britain, War Office Registers - FamilySearch Historical  Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index and images
+*'''1775-1914''' [https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/collections/207/records-of-officers-services-1775-1914#quick-search Records of Officers Services 1775-1914] at forces-war-records.co.uk
+*'''1786-1882''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/wills-of-royal-navy-and-royal-marines-personnel-1786-1882 Wills Of Royal Navy & Royal Marines Personnel, 1786-1882] at Findmypast — index ($)
+*'''1793-1949''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1686 UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1793-1955''' [https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/collections/211/royal-navy-medal-rolls-1793-1955#quick-search Royal Navy Medal Rolls 1793-1955] at forces-war-records.co.uk
+*'''1793-1972''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1687 UK, Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1799-1920''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61804/ UK, Household Cavalry Records of Service, 1799-1920], index ($), images available through Fold3 ($)
+*'''1800-1815''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-officer-promotions-1800-1815 British Army Officer Promotions 1800-1815] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1800-1915''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61643/ Scotland, Ireland and Wales, Militia Attestation Papers, 1800-1915] at Ancestry - index ($)
+*'''1800-1947''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-coldstream-guards-1800-1947 British Army, Coldstream Guards 1800-1947] at Findmypast - index & images ($)
+*'''1800-1947''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-images/british-army-coldstream-guards-1800-1947-image-browse British Army, Coldstream Guards 1800-1947 Image Browse] at Findmypast - images ($)
+*'''1802-1919''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9050 UK, Naval Officer and Rating Service Records, 1802-1919] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1806-1915''' [https://www.fold3.com/title/1071/uk-militia-attestation-papers-1806-1915 UK, Militia Attestation Papers 1806-1915], index & images ($)
+*'''1806-1915''' {{RecordSearch|2046942|United Kingdom, Militia Service Records, 1806-1915}} at FamilySearch - [[United Kingdom, Militia Service Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index and images
+*'''1812''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-war-of-1812-casualties British Army, War Of 1812 Casualties] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1812-1817''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60546 UK, British Army Muster Books and Pay Lists, 1812-1817] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1815''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1831 UK, Waterloo Medal Roll, 1815] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1815''' {{RecordSearch|3518735|United Kingdom, Waterloo Roll Call 1815}} at FamilySearch - [[United Kingdom, Waterloo Roll Call 1815 - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index
+*'''1815''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/waterloo-roll-call-1815 Waterloo Roll Call, 1815] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1817-1857''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7919 UK Royal Navy Medical Journals, 1817-1857] at Ancestry - index ($)
+*'''1831''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-royal-navy-personnel-1831 British Royal Navy Personnel 1831] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1831-1979''' [https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/collections/169/army-long-service-good-conduct-awards-1831-1979 Army Long Service & Good Conduct awards 1831-1979], index, incomplete
+*'''1835-1941''' {{RecordSearch|1762440|United Kingdom, Merchant Navy Seamen Records, 1835-1941}} at FamilySearch - [[United Kingdom, Merchant Navy Seamen Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index
+*'''1842-1925''' [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-marines-service-records-1842-1925/ Web: UK, Royal Marines Registers of Service Index, 1842-1925] at National Archives, index
+*'''1850-1986''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-armed-forces-soldiers-wills-1850-1986 British Armed Forces Soldiers' Wills 1850-1986] at Findmypast, index ($)
+*'''1850-2011''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-royal-artillery-officer-deaths-1850-2011 British Army, Royal Artillery Officer Deaths 1850-2011] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1853-1928''' [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10793/united-kingdom-royal-navy-ratings%E2%80%99-service-records-1853-1928?s=275764761 United Kingdom, Royal Navy Ratings’ Service Records, 1853-1928] at MyHeritage - index ($)
+*'''1860-1955''' [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-naval-reserve-service-records-1860-1955/ Web: UK, Royal Naval Reserve Service Records Index, 1860-1955] at National Archives, index
+*'''1861-1913''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/england-and-wales-merchant-navy-crew-lists-1861-1913 England & Wales Merchant Navy Crew Lists 1861-1913] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1871-1889''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/british-army-embarkation-lists-1871-1889 British Army Embarkation Lists, 1871-1889] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1880-1950s''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60381/ Web: UK, Naval Officers' Service Record Cards and Files Index, 1880-1950s] at Ancestry, index
+*'''1888-1970''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2406 UK, Navy Lists, 1888-1970] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1899-1902''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1912 UK, Casualties of the Boer War, 1899-1902] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1899-1902''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61803/ UK, Imperial Yeomanry Records, 1899-1902] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1900-1928''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60522 UK, Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1900-1928] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1900-1949''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-royal-engineers-1900-1949 British Army, Royal Engineers 1900-1949] at Findmypast - index & images ($)
+*'''1900-1947''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/indian-army-records-of-service-1900-1947 Indian Army Records Of Service 1900-1947] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1901-1929''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60506 UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1903-1922''' [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-naval-volunteer-reserve-service-records-1903-1922/ Web: UK, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Service Records Index, 1903-1922] at National Archives - index & images ($)
+*'''1912-1945''' {{RecordSearch|2305506|United Kingdom, Royal Air Force Service Records, 1912-1945}} at FamilySearch — [[United Kingdom, Royal Air Force Service Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index and images
+*'''1914-1918''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/greater-burnley-roll-of-honour-1914-1918 Greater Burnley Roll Of Honour 1914-1918] at Findmypast - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1918''' [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10872/united-kingdom-service-medal-award-rolls-index-1914-1918?utm_source=organic_blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supersearch&tr_funnel=supersearch&tr_country=US&tr_creative=jun20historicalrecords&utm_content=jun20historicalrecords United Kingdom, Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, 1914-1918] at MyHeritage - index ($)
+*'''1914-1921, 1939-1947''' [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10909/commonwealth-war-graves-1914-1921-1939-1947 Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921, 1939-1947] at MyHeritage ($), index and images
+*'''1915-1919''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/british-west-indies-regiment-servicemen-1915-1919 British West Indies Regiment Servicemen, 1915-1919] at Findmypast — index ($)
+*'''1918-1919''' [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10795/united-kingdom-royal-air-force-officers%E2%80%99-index-1918-1919?utm_source=organic_blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supersearch&tr_funnel=supersearch&tr_country=US&tr_creative=nov19historicalrecords2&utm_content=nov19historicalrecords2 United Kingdom, Royal Air Force Officers’ Index, 1918-1919] at MyHeritage - index ($)
+*'''1918-1975''' [https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/collections/170/royal-air-force-nominal-index-of-airmen-and-airwomen-1918-to-1975 Royal Air Force Nominal Index of Airmen and Airwomen 1918 to 1975] at forces-war-records.co.uk, index, incomplete
+*'''1923-2021''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/british-army-honourable-artillery-company-journal-1923-2021 British Army, Honourable Artillery Company Journal 1923-2021] at Findmypast — index & images ($)
+*'''1935-1990''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/british-army-recommendations-for-military-honours-and-awards-1935-1990 British Army, Recommendations For Military Honours and Awards 1935-1990] at Findmypast — index ($)
+*'''1936-1966''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/70893/ Web: UK and Allied Countries, Index of International Bomber Command Losses, 1936-1966] at Ancestry - index ($)
+*'''1939-1945''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-royal-air-force-combat-reports-1939-1945 British Royal Air Force, Combat Reports 1939-1945] at Findmypast  - index ($)
+*'''1939-1945''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/bomber-command-losses-1939-1945 Bomber Command Losses, 1939-1945] at Findmypast — index ($)
+*'''1939-1945''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/royal-air-force-operations-record-books-1939-1945 Royal Air Force, Operations Record Books 1939-1945] at Findmypast- index ($)
+*'''1939-1945''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/royal-engineers-journals-1939-1945 Royal Engineers Journals 1939-1945] at Findmypast, index & images ($)
+*'''1939-1945''' [https://www.fold3.com/publication/1155/uk-london-gazette-wwii-military-notices-1939-1945 UK, London Gazette WWII Military Notices 1939-1945] at Fold3 — index & images ($)
+*'''1939-1946''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/world-war-2-allies-collection World War 2 Allies Collection] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1939-1946''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62376/ UK, World War II War Diaries, 1939-1946] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1939-1946''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/airmen-died-in-the-second-world-war-1939-1946 Airmen Died in the Second World War, 1939-1946] at Findmypast — index ($)
+*'''1939-1948''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62020/ UK, World War II Women's Land Army Index Cards, 1939-1948] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1940-1945''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/royal-air-force-and-commonwealth-mentioned-in-dispatches-1940-1945 Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, Mentioned In Dispatches 1940-1945] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/britain-campaign-gallantry-and-long-service-medals-and-awards Britain, Campaign, Gallantry & Long Service Medals & Awards] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*[http://www.britishwargraves.co.uk/index.htm British War Graves: War Grave Photographs]
+*[http://www.genealogylinks.net/uk/england/all-england/military.htm England Military Links]
+*[http://www.firepower.org.uk/index.php/research/family-history/ Royal Artillery Museum]
+*[http://www.navylist.org Royal Navy Biographical Database]
+*[https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/ War Memorials Online]
+*[http://www.londonirishrifles.com/ London Irish Rifles Association]
+*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-armed-forces-first-world-war-disability-and-retirement-payments-for-officers-and-nurses British Armed Forces, First World War Disability & Retirement Payments For Officers & Nurses] at MyHeritage ($)
+*Armed Forces help pages on [http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?board=300.0 RootsChat Armed Forces Resources and help pages]. (Free)
+*[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx Second World War Dead]
+*[http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-honourable-artillery-company British Army, Honourable Artillery Company] ($), index
+*[http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/UKCoastguards.html THE WEBSITE OF THE MARINERS MAILING LIST]
+*[http://www.1914-1918.net/hospitals_uk.htm Military Hospitals]
+*[https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/ The Genealogist] access to various Military Records including the roll of names for those who were awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) in the First World War up to 1920. ($)
+*[http://www.reenactor.ru/ARH/PDF/Wickes.pdf Regiments of Foot] A historical record of all the foot regiments of the British Army
+*[http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/military-uniform-badges-and-portrait-photographs Military Uniform Badges and Portrait Photographs]
+<br>
+'''''World War I '''''<br>
+*'''1914-1916''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60380 UK, WWI War Diaries (Gallipoli and Dardanelles), 1914-1916] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1918''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9283 England, The National Roll of the Great War, 1914-1918] at Ancestry - index & images ($) ''Also at [http://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10240/the-national-roll-of-the-great-war-1914-1918?s=218489221 MyHeritage]'' ($), index
+*'''1914-1918''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4722 UK, British Officer Prisoners of War, 1914-1918] at Ancestry - index ($); ''Also at [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-officers-taken-prisoner-of-war-1914-1918 Findmypast]'' ($), index
+*'''1914-1919''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60454 UK, De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, 1914-1919] ($), index/images. ''Also at [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-de-ruvignys-roll-of-honour-1914-1918 Findmypast]'' ($), index
+*'''1914-1919''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-red-cross-and-order-of-st-john-enquiry-list-wounded-and-missing-1914-1919 British Red Cross & Order Of St John Enquiry List, Wounded & Missing, 1914-1919] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1914-1919''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1543 UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1919''' [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10238/british-soldiers-died-in-the-great-war-1914-1919?s=275764761 British Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919] at MyHeritage - index ($)
+*'''1914-1920''' {{RecordSearch|2125045|United Kingdom, World War I Service Records, 1914-1920}} at FamilySearch - [[United Kingdom, World War I Service Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index and images
+*'''1914-1920''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2456 UK, Silver War Badge Records, 1914-1920] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1920''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1913 UK, Citations of the Distinguished Conduct Medal, 1914-1920] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1920''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60779 UK, WWI War Diaries (France, Belgium and Germany), 1914-1920] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1920''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5119 UK, WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1921, 1939-1947''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2706 UK, Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921 and 1939-1947] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1923''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61588/ UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923] at Ancestry - index ($); images on Fold3 ($)
+*'''1914-1945''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2896 UK, Memorial Books WWI and WWII, 1914-1945] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1945''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62111/ Web: UK, Post Office World War I and World War II Memorial Books, 1914-1945] at Ancestry - index ($)
+*'''1914-1949''' [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10763/united-kingdom-war-memorials-1914-1949?utm_source=organic_blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supersearch&tr_funnel=supersearch&tr_country=US&tr_creative=nov19historicalrecords&utm_content=nov19historicalrecords UK, War Memorials 1914-1949] at MyHeritage - index ($)
+*'''1915-1918''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/london-fire-brigade-reports-1915-1918 London Fire Brigade Reports 1915-1918] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*[http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/world-war-one-british-army-medal-index-cards World War One British Army Medal Index Cards] ($), index
+*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/britain-the-great-war-i-was-there Britain, The Great War, I Was There] at Findmypast ($), index and images
+*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-armed-forces-first-world-war-soldiers-medical-records World War I Soldier Medical Records] ($), index/image
+*[https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/first-world-war-register-royal-victoria-hospital First World War Register - Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast]
+*[https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/ The Genealogist] access to various Military Records including the roll of names for those who were awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) in the First World War up to 1920.($)
+<br>
+'''''World War I--Army '''''<br>
+*'''1914-1916''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-bond-of-sacrifice-officers-died-in-the-great-war-1914-1916 British Army, Bond Of Sacr1914-1916] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1914-1919''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-deserters-and-absentees-in-police-gazette-1914-1919 British Army, Deserters and Absentees In Police Gazette 1914-1919] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1914-1920''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1262 British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1920''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1219 British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920] at Ancestry - index & images ($); ''Also at [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-service-records-1760-1915 Findmypast]'' ($), index
+*'''1914-1920''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1114 British Army WWI Pension Records 1914-1920] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1920''' [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-medal-index-cards-1914-1920/ British Army medal index cards 1914-1920] at National Archives, index
+<br>
+'''''World War I--Air Force '''''<br>
+*'''1912-1920''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-royal-air-force-officers-service-records-1912-1920 British Royal Air Force, Officers' Service Records 1912-1920] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1912-1939''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-royal-air-force-airmens-service-records-1912-1939 British Royal Air Force, Airmen's Service Records 1912-1939] at Findmypast - index ($)
+<br>
+'''''World War I--Navy, Marines, Merchant Seaman'''''<br>
+*'''1914-1919''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1963 UK, Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1914-1919''' [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-naval-division-service-records-1914-1919/ Web: UK, Royal Naval Division Index, 1914-1919] at National Archives - index & images
+*'''1914-1922''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-royal-navy-foreign-awards-to-officers-index-1914-1922 British Royal Navy, Foreign Awards To Officers Index 1914-1922] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1914-1925''' [https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3387 Web: UK, Campaign Medals Awarded to WWI Merchant Seamen, 1914-1925] at National Archives, index. ''Also at [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-merchant-navy-first-world-war-medal-cards-1914-1925 Findmypast]'' ($), index
+<br>
+'''''World War I--Women's Forces'''''<br>
+*'''1914-1918''' [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-nurses-service-records-1914-1918/ British Army nurses’ service records 1914-1918] at National Archives, index
+*'''1917-1919''' [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/womens-royal-naval-service-records-1917-1919/ Web: UK, Women's Royal Naval Service Index, 1917-1919] at National Archives, index
+*'''1917-1919''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-womens-royal-naval-service-officer-files-1917-1919 British Women's Royal Naval Service Officer Files 1917-1919] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1917-1919''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62354/ UK, Women’s Royal Naval Officers' Service Records, 1917-1919] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1917-1920''' {{RecordSearch|2126214|United Kingdom, World War I Women's Army Auxiliary Corps Records, 1917-1920}} at FamilySearch - [[United Kingdom, World War I Women's Army Auxiliary Corps Records - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; images/no index. ''Also at [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-army-womens-army-auxiliary-corps-1917-1920 Findmypast]'' ($), index
+*'''1917-1920''' [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/womens-army-auxiliary-corps-service-records-1917-1920/ Web: UK, Women's Army Auxiliary Corps Index, 1917-1920] at National Archives - index ($)
+*'''1917-1920''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62281/ UK, Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps Service Records, 1917-1920] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1918-1919''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-womens-royal-air-force-service-records-1918-1920 British Women's Royal Naval Service Ratings' Service Registers 1918-1919] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1918-1920''' [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/womens-royal-air-force-service-records-1918-1920/ Web: United Kingdom, Women's Royal Air Force Index, 1918-1920] at National Archives, index
+*'''1918-1920''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-womens-royal-air-force-service-records-1918-1920 British Women's Royal Air Force Service Records 1918-1920] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1918-1920''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62346/ UK, Women’s Royal Air Force Service Records, 1918-1920] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+<br>
+'''''World War II '''''<br>
+*'''1914-1949''' [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10763/united-kingdom-war-memorials-1914-1949?utm_source=organic_blog&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=supersearch&tr_funnel=supersearch&tr_country=US&tr_creative=nov19historicalrecords&utm_content=nov19historicalrecords UK, War Memorials 1914-1949] at MyHeritage - index ($)
+*'''1935-1990''' [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/recommendations-military-honours-awards-1935-1990/ Web: UK, Recommendations for Honours and Awards Index, 1935-1990] at National Archives - index & images ($)
+*'''1939-1945''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/prisoners-of-war-1939-1945---british-army-held-in-german-territories Prisoners Of War 1939-1945 - British Army Held In German Territories] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1939-1945''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/prisoners-of-war-1939-1945---british-navy-and-air-force-officers Prisoners Of War 1939-1945 - British Navy & Air Force Officers] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1939-1945''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/prisoners-of-war-1939-1945---officers-of-empire-serving-in-british-army Prisoners Of War 1939-1945 - Officers Of Empire Serving In British Army] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1939-1945''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1601 UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1939-1945''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1604 UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1939-1945''' [https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/merchant-seamens-campaign-medal-records-1939-1945/ Web: UK, WWII Medals Issued to Merchant Seamen, 1939-1945] at National Archives, index
+*'''1939-1945''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=62074 UK, London Gazettes World War II Military Notices, 1939-1945] at Ancestry — index & images ($)
+*'''1939-1946''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62376/ UK, World War II War Diaries, 1939-1946] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1939-1948''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61820/ UK, World War II Royal Artillery Tracer Cards, 1939-1948] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+*'''1939-1948''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62020/ UK, World War II Women's Land Army Index Cards, 1939-1948] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
+* '''1940-1941''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/warwickshire-coventry-blitz-german-air-raids-1940-1941 Warwickshire, Coventry Blitz, German Air Raids 1940-1941] at Findmypast  — index & images ($)
+*'''1940-1945''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/second-world-war-civilian-casualties-in-britain-1940-1945 Second World War Civilian Casualties In Britain 1940-1945] at Findmypast — index & images ($)
+*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/british-army-royal-engineers-other-ranks-casualty-cards British Army, Royal Engineers Other Ranks: Casualty Cards] at Ancestry — index & images ($)
+<br>
+'''''Post-World War II '''''<br>
+*'''1936-1939''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-casualties-spanish-civil-war-1936-1939 British Casualties, Spanish Civil War 1936-1939] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*'''1950-1953''' [http://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/british-casualties-korean-war-1950-1953 British Casualties, Korean War 1950-1953] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*[http://www.archhistory.co.uk/taca/history.html History Matters The Army Children Archive]
+<br>
-You may find evidence that an ancestor served in the military from family records, biographies, census, probates, civil registration, or church records.
+== History and Background  ==
+[[Image:English Civil War Uniform.jpg|thumb|right|<center>English Civil War Uniform<center>]]Military records are potentially of great genealogical value and may provide information not found in any other source. These records identify individuals who served or were eligible to serve in the military. Military service (other than the militia) was usually a lifetime career. Officers came from the upper classes; soldiers usually came from the poor. On occasion, compulsory conscription was enforced and even "press-gangs" were used.
+<br><br>
+You may find evidence that an ancestor served in the military from family records, biographies, census, probates, civil registration, or church records.
+<br><br>
+Britain's armed forces comprise, in order of seniority, the Royal Navy (including the Royal Marines), Army and Royal Air Force. Other units can include local militia, fencibles, yeomanry and territorial units of the army. These are briefly discussed at the end of this section.
+<br><br>
+See also [[British Military Records Online|British Military Records Online]].
+<br><br>
+{{Wikipedia|Military history of England}} England has been regularly involved in military action. Examples of these are:
-The regular army and navy were the major military forces. Other forces include the militia, fencibles, yeomanry, territorial armies, coast guard, and royal marines. These are briefly discussed at the end of this section.
+'''1284''': The Norman invasion of Wales from 1067–1283 (formalized with the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284) put Wales under England's control. Wales came under English law with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542.<br>
-=== History and Background ===
+'''1455-1481:''' Wars of the Roses. These ongoing wars involved mostly knights pledged to lords or vassals. Few commoners were involved, and few records were kept.
-England was almost always involved in some military action. Some of these were:
+'''1642–1651:''' Civil War and Cromwellian period. Disputes over the form of government and religion led to civil war. Only very brief military records of officers still exist.
-'''1455–1485:  '''Wars of the Roses. These ongoing wars involved mostly knights pledged to lords or vassals. Few commoners were involved, and few records were kept.
+{{Wikipedia|Military history of the United Kingdom}}
-'''1642–1649:  '''Civil War and Cromwellian period. Disputes over the form of government and religion led to civil war. Only very brief military records of officers still exist.
+'''1707:''' The unification of the [[England|Kingdom of England]] and the [[Scotland|Kingdom of Scotland]] into the [[Great Britain|Kingdom of Great Britain]] bring about the new British Army incorporating Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland
-'''1755–1762:  '''Seven Years War. Called the French and Indian War in North America, this war involved 120,000 British soldiers and began a continuous series of army records.
+{{further|British Military Records}}
-'''1775–1783:  '''U.S. Revolution. The British army had 135,000 men in North America when fighting broke out. Some men remained in Canada after the war, but most returned to England. Records of Loyalists and others who remained in Canada are separate from other military records.
+'''<br>'''
-'''1805–1815:  '''Napoleonic Wars. Numerous battles across Europe involved 365,000 British soldiers and 300,000 seamen. These battles include the Peninsular Wars in Portugal and Spain. Also including the [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nelson/introduction.htm Battle of Trafalgar].
+== Records  ==
-'''1854–1856:  '''Crimean War. 225,000 troops were involved in the Crimea (Russian Black Sea).
+[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ The National Archives] (TNA), located at Kew, West London, houses information on military personnel, much of it now available to download.
-'''1857–1860:  '''Indian Mutiny. Many of the troops discharged after the Crimean war were recalled to quell the revolt in India.
+=== Militia Lists and Musters  ===
-'''1877–1901:  '''Boer Wars. The first Anglo-Boer War led to South African independence in 1881. The second Anglo-Boer War (1898–1901) led to the unification of South Africa in 1910.
+Militia lists (beginning as early as 1297) contain the names of men eligible for military service. Militia musters are lists of men in the militia. Early militia lists and most militia musters contain only the men’s names. A brief explanation of musters and the location of available pre-1707 lists are given in:
-'''1914–1918:  '''World War I. About three million English troops served in this war. 750,000 died.
+*Gibson, Jeremy, and Alan Dell. ''Tudor and Stuart Muster Rolls.'' Solihull, England: Federation of Family History Societies Publications, Ltd., 1989. (FS Library book {{FSC|942 M2gj|disp=942 M2gj}})
-'''1939–1945:  '''World War II. Over one million British soldiers and civilians died in the war.
+=== Ship Logs  ===
-'''Army Records'''. The army began as a permanent organization in 1660. Earlier armies were raised as needed, usually as county militia units. For information on pre-1660 military records, see the handbooks listed at the end of this section.
+Ship logs exist from 1673. While they usually give information only on position, weather, and sightings of other ships, records of shipboard events may include names of individual seamen.
-Prior to 1847, English army service was usually for life. Some soldiers were discharged early for disability (liberally defined) or age (often by age 40).
+[[Image:British Military3.jpg|thumb|right|357x417px|<center>British Military3<center>]]
-Pre-1872 army records are organized by regiment. Most regiments have published histories that tell the places where they served and the battles they fought. For a bibliography of these histories, see:
+=== Other Records  ===
-White, Arthur S. comp. ''A Bibliography of Regimental Histories of the British Army''. Dallington, East Sussex, England: Naval and Military Press Ltd., 1992. (FHL book 942 M23was.)
+Many other records are available, such as records on medals, casualties, promotions, desertion, and court martials. The following military branches have separate records:
-Military histories or regimental histories are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
+*Fencibles were army units raised for home service only. Fencibles were usually classed with the militia, and records are kept with militia records.
+*Yeomanry were volunteer regiments, records of which often do not survive or are less complete than other military records.
+*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 [http://dsal.uchicago.edu/bibliographic/oioc/oioc.php British Library Oriental and India Office Collections], 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB England. Another source of [http://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/Category:British_colonial_army_officers British_colonial_army_officers]can be useful.
-GREAT BRITAIN - MILITARY HISTORY
+These records are at [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/ 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>
+*[http://www.boer-war.com/Military/British/TransportShips.html Boer War] has information on the ships used by each regiment. It names the regiments, dates of sailing, dates of arrival and ports of departure and arrival in some cases.
-'''Navy Records'''. 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 Public Record Office.
+=== Records at the FamilySearch Library  ===
-Several sources list navy ships with descriptions and the dates on which they were placed in service.
+The FamilySearch Library’s collection of army records includes:
-One such work is:
+*Army soldiers’ documents
+*Description books
+*Officers’ records of service
+*Indexes to the Regimental Registers and the Chaplains’ Returns
+*Regimental histories
+*Other miscellaneous army records
-Colledge, James J. ''Ships of the Royal Navy''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1987. (FHL book 942 M3c.)
+For the navy, the library has:
-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.
+*Continuous service engagement books
+*Indexes to commission and warrant books
+*Bounty papers
+*Various published sources
-Seamen often moved between the navy and the merchant marines. Until 1853 enlistment was informal and lasted for the ship’s commission, usually three years. Individual "ratings" (seamen) were not mentioned in navy records other than musters or pay lists unless they deserted, misbehaved, or earned a medal. After 1853 seamen often made the navy their career. They were assigned continuous service numbers and records were maintained for the duration of their careers.
+Some Royal Marine attestation (enlistment) records are also available at the library.
-'''Royal Marines'''. This branch originally maintained military discipline on navy vessels. It has been a separate branch of the military since 1755. Alphabetically arranged records of marines exist from 1790, some by enlistment date and others by discharge date.
+A number of name indexes to some military records containing birth, marriages, or deaths are in the FamilySearch Library. These indexes can be found:
-=== Twentieth Century Records ===
+* [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/731507?availability=Family%20History%20Library Index to certified copies of registers of births (officers, soldiers, & their families) from chaplains ... at stations abroad, 1796-1880].
+* [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/720239?availability=Family%20History%20Library Index to certified copies of deaths (officers, soldiers & their families)... at stations abroad, 1786-1880]. Also titled: GRO army chaplains death indices, 1796-1880.
+* [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/732266?availability=Family%20History%20Library Index to certified copies of registers of marriages (officers, soldiers & their families...at stations abroad, 1796-1955].
+* [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/732111?availability=Family%20History%20Library Index to entries in the army regimental registers of births and baptisms, 1761-1924].
-Lists of British soldiers who died in World War I and World War II have been compiled from official casualty lists and published in:
+The library staff has compiled a typescript listing of army records in its collection (FS Library book {{FSC|280386|title-id|disp=942 M2}}; film {{FSC|990313|film|disp=990313}} item 5).
-''Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914–1919''. Reprint. 80 parts. Colchester, England: J.B. Hayward, 1988–9. (FHL book 942 M23s; compact disc number 128.) This gives birthplace, place of enlistment, rank, date of death and cause of death.
+Library records are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under ENGLAND and the following subject headings:
-''The War Dead of the British Commonwealth and Empire''. London, England: Imperial War Graves Commission, 1957. (FHL 942 M2wdf; film 1441037.) This work gives the name, rank, regiment, and grave location of casualites buried in France during World War II.
+:MILITARY RECORDS
+:MILITARY HISTORY
+:MILITARY RECORDS - ARMY
+:MILITARY RECORDS - NAVY
-The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has an Internet website:
+Military histories or regimental histories are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:
-[http://www.cwgc.org/ www.cwgc.org/]
+:ENGLAND - MILITARY HISTORY
-Information about the commission is also accessible through the GENUKI Web site at:
+== Branches of Service  ==
-[http://www.genuki.org.uk/ www.genuki.org.uk]
+=== Royal Navy  ===
-For information on 20th century army records, see:
+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.
-Holding, Norman H. ''World War I Army Ancestry''. Second Edition. Solihull, England: Federation of Family History Societies Publications, Limited, 1991. (FHL book 942 M2hol.)
+Several sources list navy ships with descriptions and the dates on which they were placed in service. One such work is:<br>Colledge, James J. Ships of the Royal Navy. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1987. ({{FSC|400175}} FS Library book 942 M3c.)<br>
-Holding, Norman H. ''More Sources of World War I Army Ancestry''. Second Edition. Solihull, England: Federation of Family History Societies Publications, Limited, 1991. (FHL book 942 M24hnr.)
+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 FamilySearch Library.
-=== United Kingdom World War I Army Service Records ===
+Seamen often moved between the navy and the merchant marines. Until 1853 enlistment was informal and lasted for the ship’s commission, usually three years. Individual "ratings" (seamen) were not mentioned in navy records other than musters or pay lists unless they deserted, misbehaved, or earned a medal. After 1853 seamen often made the navy their career. They were assigned continuous service numbers and records were maintained for the duration of their careers.
-You can search the Family History Library Catalog at [http://www.familysearch.org/ www.FamilySearch.org]  to obtain the microfilm number of the TNA Catalogue Number WO 364 records.
+'''Navy Officers.'''
-# Search the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC) by title for: '''Military records of the British Army, 1914-1920''' you will see two items with that exact title and several that have letters of the alphabet added to the end of the title.  Look at the catalog entries for the two without any additional letters.
+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). See the sub-heading of "Lists of Officers" in this section for details.
-# In the notes section of the catalog entry you should see the National Archives catalogue number, either WO 361 or WO 364.  Be sure to use the correct one.
-# On the page of the FHLC 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.  There are 804 rolls of microfilm for the WO 364 records.
-=== Understanding Military Records ===
+==== Royal Marines  ====
-Before you can use British military records, you must determine the specific army regiment or navy ship on which your ancestor served. For suggestions on finding this information, see "Search Strategies" at the end of this section.
+(Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines)
-Once you know the regiment or ship, the following records may help you trace your ancestor’s career, age, and birthplace:
+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 [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1963 TNA].
-'''Muster Rolls'''. A commanding officer made every effort to list everyone on his muster rolls since the number of men determined his funding. The records usually list each person assigned to a ship or regiment at the muster date, his age on joining, the date he joined, the place where he joined, and sometimes information such as a dependent list (in later army musters) and birthplace (on sea musters from 1770). Army musters exist for 1760 to 1878. Navy musters cover 1667 to 1878. Naval musters contain "alphabets" (indexes organized by the first letter of the surname) from 1765.
+=== Army  ===
-'''Description Books'''. 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. Most books start about 1805 and continue to 1850. Many no longer exist. Similar records were kept for each navy ship from 1790, but many were never turned in or no longer exist.
+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.
-'''Returns of Service'''. In 1806 the War Office compiled the first return of service, listing all men in the army. The scope, content, and frequency of returns of service vary greatly. Returns of officers’ service tend to be more complete, including the names of the officer and his wife and children; birth and marriage dates and places; and a complete summary of stations, regiments, and promotions.
+The basic unit of the Army is the regiment under a colonel or lieutenant colonel. Regiments are usually divided into two or more Battalions. The main types of regiments which should be searched are:
-The returns of officers services for 1828 and 1829 have been transcribed and are found at the Family History Library. The following books serve as an index to the original returns of service for 1828 and 1829:
+Cavalry <br>Infantry <br>Corps (e,g, Army Service Corps; Royal Signals; Royal Engineers etc.)
-''Children of Officers on Full or Half-pay, 1828''. Bound manuscript. N.p., n.d. (FHL book 942 M23ber.)
+The army began as a permanent organization in 1660. Earlier armies were raised as needed, usually as county militia units. For information on pre-1660 military records, see the handbooks listed at the end of this section.<br>Pre-1847 - English army service was usually for life. Some soldiers were discharged early for disability, which was liberally defined. A soldier was often discharged by the age of forty.<br>Pre-1872 - Army records are organized by regiment. Most regiments have published histories that tell the places where they served and the battles they fought. For a bibliography of these histories, see:<br>White, Arthur S., comp.A Bibliography of Regimental Histories of the British Army. Dallington, East Sussex, England: Naval and Military Press Ltd., 1992. {{FSC|561266|item|disp=FS book 942 M23was}}. <br>Military histories or regimental histories are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:<br>WALES - MILITARY HISTORY<br>GREAT BRITAIN - MILITARY HISTORY
-''Children of Officers on Full-pay, 1829''. Bound manuscript. N.p., n.d. (FHL book 942 M23be.)
+== Search Strategies  ==
-Similar returns of naval officers begin in 1817. The naval returns are indexed at the Public Record Office (ADM 10). See the "[[England Archives and Libraries|Archives and Libraries]]" section of this outline for the address.
+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.
-'''Pension Records'''. These records often contain details of an individual’s reason for pension, his fitness on discharge, and sometimes the address where pension payments were sent.
-Army pension records start in 1690. Pensions were awarded for length of service, disability, or wounds to most individuals who legally left army service. Sometimes the widows or children of military men received the payments. Payments to retired officers, called "half-pay," were not considered pensions. Many different types of pension records covering different time periods still exist.
+{{Place|England}}
-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.
+[[Category:England_Military_Records]]
-Widow’s or children’s pension records often include marriage or baptismal certificates in support of the claim for assistance.
-There are many other pension-related records among those of the Paymaster General (Class PMG) at the Public Record Office. The Family History Library also has some pension records.
-'''Pay Records'''. Pay records include the following:
-* Pay lists give the name and rate of pay and sometimes ‘to whom paid’ (which may be a spouse or other relative). Navy pay lists were kept by ship and are not indexed. Active duty army personnel were paid from the muster rolls, and separate pay lists do not always exist.
-* Pay warrants are records of actual payment filed with the Exchequer records at the Public Record Office. Final pay warrants often mention a will or administration and the death date.
-* Pay ledgers contain the assignments of pay, addresses to which pay was sent (from 1837), and sometimes birth dates.
-* Half-pay registers contain officers’ names, ranks, regiments, dates of first half-pay, rates of pay, and sometimes death dates.
-'''Ship Logs'''. Ship logs exist from 1673. While they usually give information only on position, weather, and sightings of other ships, records of shipboard events may include names of individual seamen.
-'''Continuous Service Engagement Books'''. From 1853 navy ratings (seamen) were assigned continuous service numbers. The records gave name, birth date and place, description, and ship. Brief career details were later added. From 1872 until 1892 merchant seamen were included.
-'''Registers of Service'''. These records tell which ship a man served on. For officers these start in 1846. Those for warrant officers and seamen cover 1802 to 1871.
-'''Soldiers’ Documents'''. These records of army service are available only for those soldiers who were discharged to pension. The records contain the reason for discharge and details on age, birthplace, and trade or occupation on enlistment. They are arranged by regiment, then alphabetically by surname for the years 1760 through 1872. The records for 1873 to 1882 are alphabetically arranged by corps (cavalry, foot soldiers, guards, and so forth). From 1883 to 1914, these records are arranged in one alphabetical series.
-'''Chaplains’ Returns'''. Army chaplains throughout the British Empire kept records that list the baptisms, marriages, and burials of officers, soldiers, and their families. These returns (from 1760 to 1971) are indexed and are available by correspondence from the Office of National Statistics (formerly Registrar General). Indexes for births 1796–1880, for marriages 1796–1955, and for deaths 1786–1880, are available at the Family History Library. They are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
-GREAT BRITAIN - CIVIL REGISTRATION
-GREAT BRITAIN - MILITARY RECORDS
-'''Regimental Registers.''' Regiments kept birth, marriage, and death records for officers and men. Births and baptisms are indexed. These records (1790–1924) are available by correspondence from the Office of National Statistics (formerly Registrar General). The indexes are available at the Family History Library. Look in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
-GREAT BRITAIN - CIVIL REGISTRATION
-GREAT BRITAIN - MILITARY RECORDS
-'''Records of Service'''. These records, similar to soldiers’ documents, were kept for army officers from 1771 until 1911. However, they are incomplete before 1828. They contain the officer’s birth date and place; promotions; transfers; marriage date and place; his spouse’s name; and his children’s names, birth dates, and birthplaces.
-'''Lists of Officers'''. Published annually, these records give an officer’s name, rank, regiment or ship, and date of commission. See:
-'''Army List'''. London, England: publishers and title vary, 1754–. (FHL book 942 M25g; films 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.
-''Index to Commission and Warrant Books''. N.p., n.d. (FHL films 824516–7.) It This index lists naval officers from 1695–1742 and gives dates of commission and a reference to further details available at the Public Record Office.
-''Navy List''. London, England: several publishers, 1782–. (FHL book 942 M25gba; films 918928–940, 990323–326.) The Navy List names all commissioned officers, including masters, pursers, surgeons, chaplains, yard officers, coast guardsmen, and reservists.
-'''World War I Service Files.''' These records are the service files of soldiers who were discharged from the British army between 1914 and 1920. They are a collection known as the "unburned documents," and they represent about eight percent of the soldiers who served during those years.
-The files usually contain the soldier’s unit name and number, birthplace, age at time of enlistment, name and address of next of kin, and date and reason for discharge. They may also include the names of his parents, spouse, and children. Some mention his occupation before he enlisted in the service and show the assignments he had in the service. Some files contain death certificates.
-The files are arranged alphabetically, but many documents are missing. Therefore, you will not find every soldier listed in these files.
-The original files are at the Public Record Office in England. The Family History Library has microfilmed copies, which are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
-GREAT BRITAIN - MILITARY RECORDS - ARMY - WORLD WAR, 1914–1918
-'''Militia Lists and Musters'''. Militia lists (beginning as early as 1297) contain the names of men eligible for military service. Militia musters are lists of men in the militia. Early militia lists and most militia musters contain only the men’s names. A brief explanation of musters and the location of available pre-1757 lists are given in:
-Gibson, Jeremy, and Alan Dell. ''Tudor and Stuart Muster Rolls.'' Solihull, England: Federation of Family History Societies Publications, Ltd., 1989. (FHL book 942 M2gj)
-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).
-For further information on militia lists and musters, see:
-Medlycott, Mervyn, and Jeremy Gibson. ''Militia Lists and Musters, 1757–1876''. 3rd Editor. Solihull, England: Federation of Family History Societies Publications, Ltd., 1994. (FHL book 942 M2gmm.)
-'''Other Records'''. Many other records are available, such as records on medals, casualties, promotions, desertion, and court martials. The following military branches have separate records:
-* Fencibles were army units raised for home service only. Fencibles were usually classed with the militia, and records are kept with militia records.
-* Yeomanry were volunteer regiments, records of which often do not survive or are less complete than other military records.
-* 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.
-* The Coast Guard (1816–1923) and Royal Marines (1790–1914) kept their own records, including pension, description, and other records.
-These records are at the Public Record Office. 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.
-=== Locating Military and Naval Records ===
-Pre-1914 records for both the army and the navy are at the Public Record Office.
-Post-1914 army records are at:
-'''Army Records Centre'''<br />Bourne Avenue<br />Hayes, Middlesex UB3 1RF<br />England
-Post-1914 navy records are at:
-'''Ministry of Defense'''<br />Main Building, Whitehall SW1A 2HB<br />England <br />Internet: http://www.mod.uk/defenceinternet/home
-=== Records at the Family History Library ===
-The Family History Library’s collection of army records includes:
-* Army soldiers’ documents (before 1882)
-* Description books
-* World War I service files
-* Officers’ records of service
-* Army Lists 1740 to the present
-* Indexes to the Regimental Registers and the Chaplains’ Returns
-* Regimental histories
-* Other miscellaneous army records
-For the navy, the library has:
-* Continuous service engagement books
-* Indexes to commission and warrant books
-* Bounty papers
-* Various published sources
-Some Royal Marine attestation (enlistment) records are also available at the library.
-A number of name indexes to some military records containing birth, marriages, or deaths are in the Family History Library. These indexes can be found in the Place search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
-MILITARY RECORDS - CIVIL REGISTRATION
-The library staff has compiled a typescript listing of army records in its collection (FHL book 942 M2A; film 990313 item 5).
-Library records are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under either ENGLAND or GREAT BRITAIN and the following subject headings:
-MILITARY RECORDS
-MILITARY HISTORY
-MILITARY RECORDS - ARMY
-MILITARY RECORDS - NAVY
-=== 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.
-'''Soldiers'''. If your ancestor married, died, or had children while in the army after 1760, he may be listed in the Chaplains’ Returns or Regimental Registers. If you cannot find your ancestor’s regiment from these records, the other sources you should search will depend on what you know:
-If you know a campaign or battle in which the ancestor fought, a place he was stationed, or a place where a child was born while the father was in the service, use:
-Kitzmiller, John. ''In Search of the "Forlorn Hope."'' Two Volumes plus supplement. Ogden, Utah: Manuscript Publishing Foundation, 1988. (FHL book 942 M2.) This work will help you find where regiments were stationed during a range of years.
-If you know the area where the individual was living during his late teens, use regimental histories or the handbooks listed in this section of the outline to find which regiments were recruited in that area.
-If you know where he died after receiving an army pension, search district pension returns. For more information about district pension returns, see:
-''"District Pension Records of the British Army" in Irish at Home and Abroad'', by Dwight A. Radford, Volume 4 number 1 (1997) p. 11–17. (FHL 941.5 D25ih.)
-If you know that he was in the army in 1806, you may wish to search the return of all men in army service on 24 June 1806 (not including commissioned officers). While the 1806 return is indexed only by regiment, it is more complete and easier to search than other sources, such as soldiers’ documents.
-If you know approximately when he died, search probate records. Before 1858, search the Prerogative Court of Canterbury first.
-For information on probates, see the "[[England Probate Records|Probate Records]]" section of this outline.
-If you know nothing of his career or where he served, you must find more information before searching army records.
-'''Army Officers'''. You can usually find army officers in the Army List (1740 to the present - see "Lists of Officers" in this section of the outline). 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.
-If an officer was living during 1828 or 1829, you can use the indexed returns of service. "Birth certificates" submitted with widow’s pension applications may reveal an officer’s name. If you still cannot find a record, use the search strategies for soldiers.
-Usually there are separate records for Commissariat officers, staff officers, medical officers (surgeons), chaplains, and others. Board of Ordnance officers (artillery, engineers, sappers, miners, artificers, and others) are not always included in the Army List and have their own records until 1855.
-'''Seamen'''. If your ancestor was in the navy after 1852, search the index to Continuous Service Engagement Books, or the Surname Index to the 1861 Census Returns of Ships. (See the "[[England Merchant Marine|Merchant Marine]]" section of this outline.) Before 1853 the source to use depends on what you know about your ancestor. If you know:
-* The name of a ship on which he served, search the ship musters, pay lists, and ship logs for the time period he should have been aboard.
-* 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).
-* A battle or campaign in which his ship was involved, search the medal rolls.
-* The name of an officer serving with your ancestor, search the Navy List for that officer’s ship.
-Since many seamen also served in the Merchant Marines during their careers, search the records described in the "[[England Merchant Marine|Merchant Marine]]" section of this outline.
-'''Navy Officers'''. 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). See the sub-heading of "Lists of Officers" in this section for details.
-Many officers are included in published biographies, such as:
-''Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy, 1660–1815.'' Three Volumes. N.p., n.d. (FHL book 942 M23cs, films 908026–027.)
-=== Handbooks for Military Records ===
-If your ancestor is not listed in the above sources, consult these handbooks:
-Bevan, Amanda, and Andrea Duncan. ''Tracing Your Ancestors in the Public Record Office''. Fourth Edition. London, England: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1995. (FHL book 942 A5p no. 19 1995.)
-Hamilton-Edwards, Gerald. ''In Search of Army Ancestry''. London, England: Phillimore &amp; Company, Limited, 1977. (FHL book 942 M2ha.)
-Higham, Robin. ''A Guide to the Sources of British Military History''. London, England: Routledge &amp; Kegan Paul, 1972. (FHL book 942 M2h.)
-Kew Lists. (See the "[[England Archives and Libraries|Archives and Libraries]]" section of this outline for details.)
-''Records of Officers and Soldiers Who Have Served in the British Army''. London, England: Public Record Office, 1984. (FHL book 942 M2am number 1.)
-Rodgers, N.A.M. ''Naval Records for Genealogists''. Second Edition. London, England: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1988. (FHL book 942 A5p number 22.)
-Swinson, Arthur S., Editor. ''A Register of the Regiments and Corps of the British Army''. London, England: Archive Press, 1972. (FHL book 942 M2am.)
-=== Web Sites ===
-http://www.genealogylinks.net/uk/england/all-england/military.htm
-http://genealogy.about.com/od/british_military/index.htm