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The National Archives (TNA), located at Kew, West London, houses a wealth of information on military personnel, much of it now available to download. See the "Online Resources" section below for further information. | [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ The National Archives] (TNA), located at Kew, West London, houses a wealth of information on military personnel, much of it now available to download. See the "Online Resources" section below for further information. | ||
Military histories or regimental histories are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under: | Military histories or regimental histories are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under: | ||
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<u>'''Available Records'''</u> | <u>'''Available Records'''</u> | ||
'''Pre-1914''' | '''Pre-1914''' | ||
Service records for "Other ranks" i.e. not officers, who served in the British army are held at The National Archives (TNA), Kew, although various online subscription-based research providers offer access to digitised copies. At the time of writing, these services were not complete although new records up to and including 1913 are constantly being added. The leading provider of this service is | Service records for "Other ranks" i.e. not officers, who served in the British army are held at The National Archives (TNA), Kew, although various online subscription-based research providers offer access to digitised copies. At the time of writing, these services were not complete although new records up to and including 1913 are constantly being added. The leading provider of this service is [[www.findmypast.co.uk|Find My Past]] | ||
If a soldier was entitled to receive any sort of pension due to his army service, a separate record was created although some information was duplicated from his service papers. These pension papers provide a good insight into a soldiers career although they focus more on his medical history rather than his service career. | If a soldier was entitled to receive any sort of pension due to his army service, a separate record was created although some information was duplicated from his service papers. These pension papers provide a good insight into a soldiers career although they focus more on his medical history rather than his service career. | ||
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Officers papers were compiled and held separately although they too are located at TNA. They are not currently available to view online and can only be accessed at TNA. | Officers papers were compiled and held separately although they too are located at TNA. They are not currently available to view online and can only be accessed at TNA. | ||
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<br>'''1914-1920''' | <br>'''1914-1920''' | ||
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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. <br>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. <br>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 <br>If you cannot locate the service papers of the soldier you are searching for, it is also worthwhile looking within the pension papers index as many men were entitled to pensions for prior service or due to injuries sustained during WW1. | 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. <br>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. <br>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 <br>If you cannot locate the service papers of the soldier you are searching for, it is also worthwhile looking within the pension papers index as many men were entitled to pensions for prior service or due to injuries sustained during WW1. | ||
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><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><br> | ||
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= Casualties | = Casualties = | ||
'''<u>The Commonwealth War Graves Commission</u>''' | '''<u>The Commonwealth War Graves Commission</u>''' | ||
Established by Royal Charter in 1917, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission pays tribute to the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the two world wars from all services including civillian war dead. It is a non-profit-making organisation that was founded by Sir Fabian Ware. The Commonwealth includes such countries as Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand & South Africa. | Established by Royal Charter in 1917, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission pays tribute to the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the two world wars from <u>all services </u>including civillian war dead. It is a non-profit-making organisation that was founded by Sir Fabian Ware. The Commonwealth includes such countries as Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand & South Africa. | ||
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has a searchable internet website: | The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has a searchable internet website: | ||
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= British = | = British = | ||
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=== Understanding Military Records === | === Understanding Military Records === | ||