How Much Militia Did a Noble Family Have.

Military records are potentially of bully genealogical value and may provide information not plant in whatsoever other source. These records identify individuals who served or were eligible to serve in the war machine. 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 fifty-fifty "printing-gangs" were used.

Y'all may find prove that an ancestor served in the military from family records, biographies, demography, probates, civil registration, or church records. In add-on, militaria such equally headress badges, buttons, photographs of uniforms, soldier's trunks, paybooks, letters, colours, and medals with clasps tin provide proof of ancestral links. Medals can have the soldier's number on the rim of the medal itself.

The National Archives at Kew in the London surface area is the caretaker of near of the armed forces records. It is important to sympathise the "fonds" or the way records are grouped. There is a Department code (ADM for admiralty, WO for War Office, etc) and a series number.

U.k.'southward armed forces comprise, in order of seniority, the Royal Navy (including the Imperial Marines - ADM) , Army (WO) and Royal Air Force (AIR). Other units tin can include local militia, fencibles, yeomanry and territorial units of the army. These are briefly discussed at the end of this department.

1756–1763: Seven Years War. Chosen the French and Indian War in North America, this war involved 120,000 British soldiers and began a continuous series of army records.

1775–1783: American Revolutionary War. The British army had 135,000 men in Northward America when fighting bankrupt out. Some men remained in Canada later on the war, only well-nigh returned to Britain. Records of Loyalists and others who remained in Canada are separate from other armed forces records.

Muster rolls for British Forces in the United states of america during the Revolutionary war are office of the British military records, "C" serial, 1757-1899. They are microfilmed and held at the Family History Library 928940-948947 and 1631540-1631549.

1803–1815: 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 and the famous Boxing of Trafalgar. The names of some 1640 officers and men who served in the diverse ships of the Fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar are listed in a series of files through Genuki.co.org.

The War of 1812 between Swell Britain and the U.s.a. confirmed the separate existence of the United states of america and the future Canada.

For more than general information about the war, including online documentaries, see the War of 1812 article.

1854–1856: Crimean War. 225,000 troops were involved in the Crimea (Russian Blackness Sea).

1857–1860: Indian Mutiny. Many of the troops discharged after the Crimean war were recalled to quell the revolt in India.

1880–1902: Boer Wars. The starting time Anglo-Boer State of war (1880–1881) led to South African independence in 1881. The second Anglo-Boer War (1898–1902) led to the unification of South Africa in 1910. Transport Ships has information about the ships and the Regiments.

1914-1918 British Argent State of war Badge Recipients, 1914 - 1918 at MyHeritage ($)
  • 1914–1918: World State of war I. About 6,000,000 British service personnel served in this war. Virtually 1,000,000 died.
  • British Armed Forces, First World War Disability & Retirement Payments For Officers & Nurses at MyHeritage ($)
1914-1918 - First Globe War. About 35,000 Welsh servicemen died. Club of Boxing
  • Ray Westlake. British Battalions in France and Belgium, 1914. London: Leo Cooper, 1997.
  • Ray Westlake. British Battalions in France and Belgium, 1915.
  • Ray Westlake. British Regiments at Gallipoli. (1996)
  • Ray Westlake. Tracing British Battalions on the Somme. (1916)
  • Ray Westlake. British Battalions on the Somme.
  • Ray Westlake. Order of Battle of Divisions, Index. Naval & Military Printing, Ltd, 2009
  • Ray Westlake. British Battalions on the Western Front. January to June, 1915.
  • Ray Westlake. British Territorial Units, 1914-1918.
Prisoners of War
  • The Wooden City: A Journal for British Prisoners of War(Newspaper)
Guide Books
  • Simon Fowler. Ground forces service records of the Commencement Globe War. Kew, England : PRO Publications, 1996. FHL 942 M23fs
  • Simon Fowler. Tracing Your Great War Ancestors: The Gallipoli Campaign: A guide for Family Historians. Barnsley, Due south Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Family History, 2015. FHL 942 D27fsg
  • Simon Fowler. Tracing Your Groovy War Ancestors: Ypres: a guide for family historians. Barnsley, England: Pen & Sword Family History, 2015. FHL 942 D27fsy
  • Simon Fowler. Tracing Your Great State of war Ancestors; the Somme: a guide for family historians.Barnsley, England : Pen & Sword Family History, 2015. FHL 942 M27fso
  • Sarah Paterson. Tracing your prisoner of war ancestors : the Commencement World State of war : a guide for family unit historians.Barnsley, England : Pen & Sword Family History, 2012. FHL 942 D27ps
  • Keith Gregson. A Tommy in the Family: First World War Family History and Inquiry.
  • Andrew Rawson. Ancestor's Footsteps. The Somme 1916. Pen & Sword Military, 2016.
Chinese Labor Corps
  • Chinese Labor Corps - Wikipedia
  • Noyelles-Sur-Mer-Chinese Cemetery, Nolette, French republic
  • Chinese Labour Corps on the Western Forepart - Weblog The National Arhives
  • Report - History of the Chinese Labour Corps used behind the lines in France, 1917-1919. British Library

Earth War II [edit | edit source]

1939–1945: World State of war Ii. Just over 400,000 service personnel and civilians died in the war. Historic Photos of the World War II.

1939-1945 - Second World War. About 20,000 Welsh servicemen died.

Royal Navy [edit | edit source]

The starting time permanent naval fleet was formed during the reign of Male monarch Henry Viii (1509–1547). For many years Britain had the strongest navy in the earth. The earliest surviving navy records are from 1617, only the majority of the extensive collection appointment from the mid-1600s. Many records are bachelor only at The National Archives.

Several sources listing navy ships with descriptions and the dates on which they were placed in service

The Navy Official List books, bachelor from 1673, give ports of call for ships during each year. Some of these lists are bachelor in the Family unit History Library.

Seamen often moved betwixt the navy and the merchant marines. Until 1853 enlistment was informal and lasted for the transport's committee, usually three years. Individual "ratings" (seamen) were non mentioned in navy records other than musters or pay lists unless they deserted, misbehaved, or earned a medal. Afterwards 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 commonly detect navy officers in the Navy Lists (1782 to the present) or in the Index to Committee and Warrant Books (1695 to 1742). See the sub-heading of "Lists of Officers" in this section for details.

Royal Navy records online at the National Archives:

  • Royal Naval Rating'due south Service Records, 1853-1923
  • French Muster Rolls from the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805
  • Women'southward Majestic Naval Service Records, 1917-1919
  • Royal Naval Division Service Records, 1914-1919
  • Royal Naval Officers' Service Records, 1756-1931
  • Royal Naval Reserve Service Records, 1860-1955
  • Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Service Records, 1903-1922
  • Logs and Journals of Ships of Exploration, 1757-1904

Royal Marines [edit | edit source]

Master article: Royal Marines

(Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines)

The Royal marines originally maintained military discipline on navy vessels. It has been a divide 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 engagement and others past discharge date. Royal Marine Service records, 1842 -1926 can be accessed online via The National Athenaeum.

The Family History Library has Purple Marine Attestation papers on microfilm for the following divisions:

Chatham Sectionalisation, 1790-1883

Plymouth Sectionalisation, 1804-1881

Portsmouth Division, 1804-1881

These Attestation papers requite the age, birthplace, merchandise and concrete characteristics of each homo on recruitment and details of his enlistment and attestation. There is a summary of his service and details of his discharge. The forms are bundled alphabetically under the year of attestation or discharge.

For more information see "Looking for records of a Majestic Marine" on The National Archives website.

Army [edit | edit source]

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 Arms Company, formed in 1537. For data on pre-1660 armed services records, encounter the handbooks listed at the end of this department. The Soldier in Subsequently Medieval England database has names of about 250,000 soldiers.

The bones unit of measurement of the Army is the regiment nether a colonel or lieutenant colonel. Regiments are commonly divided into two or more Battalions. The main types of regiments which should be searched are:

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

Prior to 1847, English language ground forces service was usually for life. Some soldiers were discharged early on for disability (liberally divers) or age (often by historic period 40).

Pre-1872 ground forces records are organized by regiment. Most regiments accept published histories that tell the places where they served and the battles they fought. For a bibliography of these histories, run into:

Pre-1751 infantry and cavalry units were known by the names of their colonels, i.e. Sir Thomas Adams Regiment of Foot.

Post-1751 a numerical organisation was adopted to name the regiments, with rank in order of precedence, i.eastward. Queens ninth Regiment of Foot.

Originally the responsibility for directing the British Army brutal 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.

Bachelor Records [edit | edit source]

Pre-1914

Service records for "Other ranks" i.east. not officers, who served in the British army are held at The National Athenaeum (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 $ Find My By, but $ TheGenealogist.co.great britain has army lists from 1806-1940. Free examples:

  • English Regular army Lists and Commission Registers, Vol. i, 1661-1685 at Google Books
  • English Army Lists and Committee Registers, Vol. 2, 1685-1689 at Google Books
  • English Regular army Lists and Commission Registers, Vol. 3, 1689-1694 at Google Books
  • English Army Lists and Commission Registers, Vol. 4, 1694-1702 at Google Books
  • English Regular army Lists and Commission Registers, Vol. 5, 1702-1707 at Google Books
  • English language Army Lists and Commission Registers, Vol. six, 1707-1714 at Google Books

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.

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.

1914-1922

Primarily covering WW1 service, these service records are often referred to every bit the "Burnt Series" due to the fact that the storage facility housing these records was hit by a German bombing raid during WW2 and consequently over 60% of the records were destroyed. The records that survived take been preserved and indexed, fifty-fifty those partially damaged by water and fire.

Y'all tin search the FamilySearch Catalog to obtain the microfilm number of the TNA Catalogue Number WO 364 records. Alternatively, $ ancestry.co.uk too has the records available to search free of charge although viewing is via subscription.

  • 1917-1920 United Kingdom, Earth War I Women's Army Auxiliary Corps Records, 1917-1920 at FamilySearch - How to Apply this Collection; index & images

British Army state of war Diaries 1914 - 1922

Some diaries record little more than than daily losses and map references whilst others are much more than descriptive, with daily reports on operations, intelligence summaries and other material. The digitised diaries encompass activeness in French republic and Belgium.

The diaries sometimes contain information near particular people but they are unit diaries, not personal diaries. A few contain details about awards of the Military Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.

Many maps and plans were included in the original diaries but some confidential material was removed earlier the files were made bachelor. This accounts for the absence of some appendices referred to on the covers of many diaries. Find the diaries at this link British Army War Diaries

World State of war I Service Files.

These records are the service files of soldiers who were discharged from the British army betwixt 1914 and 1920. They are a collection known as the "unburned documents." They correspond about eight pct 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 incorporate death certificates.

The files are arranged alphabetically, merely many documents are missing. Therefore, you will non observe every soldier in these files.

The original files are at the Public Record Part in England. The Family History Library has microfilmed copies, which are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

Britain - MILITARY RECORDS - ARMY - WORLD WAR, 1914-1918

Search the FamilySearch Itemize past title for: Military machine records of the British Army, 1914-1920 you volition run into two items with that verbal title and several that have letters of the alphabet added to the end of the championship. Look at the catalog entries for the two without whatsoever additional messages.

In the notes section of the catalog entry you should meet the National Archives catalogue number, either WO 361 or WO 364. Be sure to utilize the correct ane.

On the page of the FamilySearch Catalog that has the Notes y'all volition demand to click on the View Film Notes button nearly the superlative 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

If you cannot locate the service papers of the soldier you are searching for, it is also worthwhile looking within the pension papers index every bit 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 alphabetize of WW1 officers is available to download gratuitous of charge from TNA'south website hither: $ Officer'south 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. Conduct in mind though that some archives, quite reasonably, request payment for such services.

Army Museums Ogilby Trust Website has links to Search War machine Records and Free War Record Search and others.

For information on twentieth century army records, see:

  • Holding, Norman H. World War I Army Beginnings. 2nd ed. Solihull, England: Federation of Family History Societies (Publications) Ltd., 1991. (Family History Library book 942 M2hol.)
  • Belongings, Norman H. More Sources of World State of war I Ground forces Beginnings. second ed. Solihull, England: Federation of Family History Societies (Publications) Ltd., 1991. (FHL book 942 M24hnr.)

Civilians [edit | edit source]

Civilians were also captured and put in prison camps. One such camp is called The Ruhleben Civilian Internment Camp. Chis Paton has built a website dedicated to this military camp and is identifying those who were there during World State of war i. See Ruhleben Noncombatant Internment Camp Ancestors

Post-1920

Due to data protection laws, the records of servicemen or women who served after 1920 are not readily accessible. Nether the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, you may request record details only if you can supply proof of 1 of the following criteria:

1. You are the straight side by side of kin.

2. The person was born more than 112 years ago

three. The person died more than 25 years ago.

There is currently a £30 fee for copies of these records and the record copies are normally heavily censored.

The application forms and guidlines tin can be found here: United kingdom Veteran'south Agency

Imperial Air Strength [edit | edit source]

Formed on 1st Apr 1918 by merging the aviation branches of the existing services, namely the Imperial Flying Corps (Army) and the Purple Naval Air Service (Majestic Navy). This merger created the totally independent Royal Air Force (RAF), and is the oldest air forcefulness in the world.

The RAF maintains its ain records annal although officers papers are downloadable (£) from TNA here: $ 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 regular army & Navy records under FOI requests(see above).

RAF Officers can too exist institute listed in the Air Force lists, which have been published annually since August 1918, Most public libraries have copies available to browse.

The Cyberspace Archives has some Air Strength lists bachelor online:

  • The Monthly Air Force list (Volume Aug 1919)
  • The Monthly Air Force list (Volume Sep 1919)
  • The Monthly Air Force list (Volume Oct 1919)
  • The Monthly Air Force list (Book Nov 1919)
  • The Monthly Air Strength list (Volume Dec 1919)

The Internet Athenaeum has some Army lists available online:

  • Regular army Listing (Volume Oct-December 1914)
  • Ground forces List (Volume July-September 1915)
  • Army List (Volume January-March 1916)
  • Army Listing (Volume January-March 1918)
  • Army Listing (Volume July-December 1939)

At that place are a large number of records held at TNA that tin exist researched such as Station and Squadron record books; photo albums and then along.

Royal Air Force records accessible online at the National Archives in England:

  • Air 78: An index to airmen and airwomen's service records held in AIR 79.
  • Combat Reports, 1939-1945
  • Operations Record Volume, 1939-1945
  • Officeholder'due south Service Records, 1918-1919
  • Women'south Royal Air Forcefulness Service Records, 1918-1920

Casualties [edit | edit source]

  • 1914-1921, 1939-1947 Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921, 1939-1947 at MyHeritage ($), index and images

The Republic War Graves Commission

Established by Royal Charter in 1917, the Commonwealth State of war Graves Commission pays tribute to the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the ii world wars from all services including civillian war dead. Information technology is a not-turn a profit-making system that was founded by Sir Fabian Ware. The Commonwealth includes such countries equally Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand & Southward Africa.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has a searchable internet website:

Lists of British regular army personnel who died during Globe War I have been compiled from official prey lists and published in:

Soldiers Died in the Great State of war, 1914–1919. Reprint. 80 parts. Colchester, England: J.B. Hayward, 1988–nine. (Family History Library book 942 M23s; compact disc number 128.) This gives birthplace, place of enlistment, rank, date of death and cause of expiry.

Ancestry.co.u.k. also offers a searchable database of those listed in Soldiers Died in the Great War as part of its subscription service.

The State of war Dead of the British Commonwealth and Empire. London, England: Royal State of war Graves Committee, 1957. (Family History Library 942 M2wdf; movie 1441037.) This work gives the proper name, rank, regiment, and grave location of casualites buried in France during World War Ii.

Post-WW2 casualties can be found listed at the Armed Forces Memorial website.

Royal Navy [edit | edit source]

  • Casualty lists of the Regal and Dominion Navies 1889-2009, complied by Don Kindell (Naval-History.Internet)

British Markings [edit | edit source]

  • Formation signs were first used past the British Army in WW1 in lodge to provide an like shooting fish in a barrel method of visual identification of the various units.
  • Vehicle Markings in 21st Army Group 1944-1945

Medals [edit | edit source]

  • Campaign Medals:

Tokens or medals accept been awarded to British service personnel since the medieval times although the first officially named campaign medal is the Waterloo Medal (1815). The Military General Service Medal instituted in 1847, covered a retrospective period and was awarded to all army personnel that had served on active campaigns between 1793-1815. Each medal was named to the recipient along with his unit details. A clasp (sometimes incorrectly referred to as a bar) begetting the proper noun of the relevant campaign or battle was fastened to the ribbon suspension, with subsequent clasps being added in the sequence in which they were earned. In some cases 10 or more campaign clasps were earned. 29 clasps were authorised in total. Altogether, over 25,000 medals were issued.

The Royal Navy instituted its own equivalent, the Naval General Service Medal, likewise in 1847 but covering the slightly longer period of 1793-1840. Whilst a staggering 231 different entrada or boxing clasps were authorised, not all were issued. The nearly clasps issued to any single recipient was 7. As the medal was authorised some considerable time after almost 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 simply over xx,000 medals were actually issued.

These two medals started a precedent of issuing campaign medals that still continues to this twenty-four hour period, with the RAF joining the process in 1918 by following the lead set past the Army. It is a widely collected field and there are many resource on the subject. From a family history perspective, knowing what medals a relative was entitled to can lead to fascinating journies of discovery also as the medal themselves providing useful information.

Awards and Honours [edit | edit source]

Brave comport, meritorious service and so forth have long been awarded publicly. Since the 19th century, such awards to the military have generally taken medallic class although it has historically been shown that a reward may also involve a promotion or a share of the spoils, specially if at body of water and an enemy vessel was captured,

Equally such, honours and awards tend to be publicly announced in the London Gazette paper. The online search annal can require a certain corporeality of skill to find what or rather who you are searching for but it tin can yield fantastic results: London Gazette Archive

Online Resources (Medals): [edit | edit source]

WW1 Army medal index cards are available through $ beginnings.co.united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland - if you have a subscription they are complimentary. Otherwise you will accept to pay £two fee to download information technology if you get it through The National Athenaeum website: $ Medal Alphabetize Cards . These cards contain details of proper name, rank, service number(southward), unit(s) too every bit confirmation of medal entitlement. Some of the cards have additional information on the opposite such equally theatre of operations, home addresses, next of kin and so forth. But Ancestry have copied both sides of these cards. Information on how to decipher the Medal Alphabetize Cards bachelor at Ancestry and TNA At that place is non an equivalent system for detailing medals awarded to members of the Royal Navy and RAF - medal details were recorded on the service papers and likewise, not-WW1 medals are only annotated on service records for all services.

Various medal rolls for dissimilar campaigns also exist in various forms e.g. printed books; CD's; TNA records etc. Some are also available on the subscription based sites such every bit Ancestry and Find My Past.

The British Medals Forum is probably about every bit definitive a website as 1 can find when it comes to the subject of British medals of any blazon. A huge fount of cognition resides on the forum and membership is costless.

The Victoria Cross is Britian's highest accolade for valour to members of the armed services of Commonwealth countries. The Victoria Cantankerous website lists the burial location for Victoria Cross holders world-wide.

Medals indexes and records online at the National Archives

  • British Regular army medal index cards, 1914-1920
  • Recommendations for military honours and awards, 1935-1990
  • Merchant seamen's campaign medal records, 1914-1918
  • Merchant seamen's medal records, 1939-1945
  • Victoria Cross registers, 1856-1944

Understanding Military Records [edit | edit source]

Before yous can use British military records, you must determine the specific name or number of the ground forces regiment or navy ship name[s] on which your ancestor served. For suggestions on finding this data, come across "Search Strategies" at the end of this section.

One time you know the transport proper noun[s] or the regiment proper noun or number, the post-obit records may assistance you trace your ancestor's career, age, and birthplace.

Muster Rolls [edit | edit source]

"Muster Rolls and Pay Rates" were monthly accounts that were kept of military enlistment and pay schedules. They were kept for privates upwardly through officers and may contain valuable information such as "proficient behave" awards, punishments, special assignments, and the like. A commanding officeholder made every effort to list everyone on his muster rolls since the number of men determined his funding. The records usually listing each person assigned to a ship or regiment at the muster appointment, his historic period on joining, the date he joined, the place where he joined, and sometimes information such every bit a dependent listing (in after army musters) and birthplace (on ocean musters from 1770). Muster records for the Purple Artillery are the earliest, beginning in 1708. Other ground forces musters exist for 1760 to 1878. Later on 1790, they were kept in bound volumes. [1] Navy musters comprehend 1667 to 1878. Naval musters incorporate "alphabets" (indexes organized by the first letter of the surname) from 1765.These records can also be used to track the movements of a specific individual.
  • Photo courtesy of National Archives at Kew, London, England

WO 12 Serial: General Muster Books and Pay Lists [edit | edit source]

These records begin in 1732 and end in 1878. They comprehend guards, infantry, cavalry, and household troops. According to the National Archives these records as well include special groups, such as colonial troops, diverse strange legions, special regiments, and other depots.

These records prove an individual's enlistment dates, his movements and belch dates as show below, notice the sections under "Showtime Muster, Second Muster, and Third Muster", these are the locations of the soldiers at the time of their pay.

3rdbk-DSCN0211-1.png

  • Photo courtesy of the National Athenaeum at Kew, London, England

If the information y'all seek is after 1868. in that location is a "Curlicue of Married Establishment" which lists husbands and wives as shown below:

Image:Wedlock-roll-2a.png

  • Photo courtesy of the National Archives at Kew, London, England

Recording all this information must have been a daunting chore every bit these books are very big equally shown in the earlier motion picture. There are xiii, 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.

Because photopying these very large volumes would be extremely difficult, yous tin can use a camera (without flash) to capture the images.

If you are unable to visit the National Archives, they provide a document service at £0.forty per page.

Visit $ WO12 Series Full general Muster Books and Pay Lists to learn more well-nigh these valuable records.

Pension Records. [edit | edit source]

These records oftentimes contain details of an individual'south reason for pension, his fitness on discharge, and sometimes the address where pension payments were sent.

Army pension records showtime 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 war machine men received the payments. Payments to retired officers, called half-pay, were not considered pensions. Many different types of alimony records covering different time periods nonetheless exist.

Naval pension records brainstorm as early on every bit 1617 and requite the name of pensioner, reason for belch, and sometimes next of kin, birthplace, age, and physical clarification.

Widow'south or children's pension records often include marriage or baptismal certificates in back up of the merits for aid.

There are many other pension-related records among those of the Paymaster General (Class PMG) at the Public Record Office. The Family unit History Library also has some alimony records.

Description Books [edit | edit source]

The regular 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. Virtually books offset about 1805 and continue to 1850. Many no longer exist. Similar records were kept for each navy ship from 1790, only many were never turned in or no longer exist.

Returns of Service (WO 25) [edit | edit source]

In 1806 the War Office compiled the commencement render of service, list all men in the army. The scope, content, and frequency of returns of service vary profoundly. Returns of officers' service tend to be more complete, including the names of the officer and his married woman and children; nascency and marriage dates and places; and a complete summary of stations, regiments, and promotions.

The returns of officers services for 1828 and 1829 have been transcribed and are found at the Family unit History Library. The 1828 return was for active duty officers just, while the 1829 render was for both active and half-pay (retired) officers. These records take the National Archives designation of WO 25. Two sets of books serve every bit a rough "index" to the original returns of service for 1828 and 1829. They simply list officers who had children and they are in the aforementioned guild as the names appear in the original returns (grouped by first iii messages of the surname). The two sets of several volumes are:

Children of Officers on Total or Half-pay, 1828. Bound manuscript. N.p., n.d. (Family History Library book 942 M23ber.)

Children of Officers on Full-pay, 1829. Bound manuscript. N.p., n.d. (Family unit History Library volume 942 M23be.)

Like returns of naval officers begin in 1817. The naval returns are indexed at The National Archives (ADM 10). See England Athenaeum and Libraries for the accost.

Pay Records [edit | edit source]

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 ground forces 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 National Archives. Terminal pay warrants frequently mention a will or administration and the expiry 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.

Send Logs [edit | edit source]

Transport logs be 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 [edit | edit source]

From 1853 navy ratings (seamen) were assigned continuous service numbers. The records gave name, birth date and place, clarification, and ship. Brief career details were later added. From 1872 until 1892 merchant seamen were included.

Registers of Service [edit | edit source]

These records tell which transport a man served on. For officers these kickoff in 1846. Those for warrant officers and seamen cover 1802 to 1871.

Soldiers' Documents (WO 97) [edit | edit source]

These records of army service are bachelor only for those soldiers who were discharged to alimony. Corresponding records for those who left the Army for reasons other than belch were destroyed. These records vary over fourth dimension and even between soldiers. They unremarkably include attestation and discharge documents. They often contain the reason for discharge and details on age, birthplace, and merchandise or occupation on enlistment. They are arranged past regiment, then alphabetically past surname for the years 1760 through 1872. The records for 1873 to 1882 are alphabetically bundled by corps (cavalry, pes soldiers, artillery, guards, and and then forth). From 1883 to 1914, these records are arranged in 1 alphabetical series.

An index to these records is available as part of the online catalogue of the National Archives of the Uk. You may enter the name of a soldier in the 'Word or phrase' field and the 'Section or series lawmaking' of WO (for War Office) 97. See National Archives for further information.

At the Family History Library the records are on microfilm and bundled past regiment. These records accept been digitised and are available online via findmypast.co.uk. There are as well searchable on FamilySearch.org

Information technology was possible to have a qualified pension commuted to allow a soldier to immigrate to British colonies. A listing of those who did, betwixt the years 1830-1839, is establish online at TheShipsList.com.

The Public Tape Role has a computerized index to the soldiers' documents from 1760 to 1854. The index shows the proper noun, age, birthplace, year of enlistment and belch, the regiment, and the reference to the original certificate.

Chaplains' Returns [edit | edit source]

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 bachelor by correspondence from the Office of National Statistics (formerly Registrar Full general). Indexes for births 1796–1880, for marriages 1796–1955, and for deaths 1786–1880, are bachelor on microfiche at the Family History Library.

Regimental Registers [edit | edit source]

Regiments kept birth, matrimony, 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 bachelor on microfiche at the Family History Library.

Records of Service. [edit | edit source]

These records, similar to soldiers' documents, were kept for army officers from 1771 until 1911. Even so, they are incomplete before 1828. They contain the officer'due south birth engagement and identify; promotions; transfers; marriage date and place; his spouse'south name; and his children's names, birth dates, and birthplaces.

Lists of Officers [edit | edit source]

Published annually, these records give an officer's name, rank, regiment or ship, and date of committee. Come across:

  • Ground forces List. London, England: publishers and title vary, 1754–. (Family History Library book 942 M25; films 856427–452 and others.) Offset published in 1740, these lists accept been published continuously since 1754 and are indexed beginning in 1766. They list army officers and are arranged by regiment. One-half-pay (semi-retired) officers were not included in the early indexes. The listing for WO 65 is avaliable for free download Family History: Digital Microfilm Catalogue Description WO 65 National Archives online
  • Index to Commission and Warrant Books. N.p., n.d. (Family History Library films 824516–vii.) This index lists naval officers from 1695–1742 and gives dates of commission and a reference to further details available at The National Archives.
  • Navy List. London, England: several publishers, 1782–. (Family History Library book 942 M25gba; films 918928–940, 990323–326.) The Navy List names all deputed officers, including masters, pursers, surgeons, chaplains, yard officers, coast guardsmen, and reservists.

Militia Lists and Musters [edit | edit source]

Militia lists (beginning as early as 1297) contain the names of men eligible for armed services 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 unit History Societies Publications, Ltd., 1989. (Family History Library book 942 M2gj)

Militia units were by and large 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 ordinarily contain each homo's name, parish of residence, age, fitness for service, and sometimes crusade for exemption (such as a man with more than two young children, a disability, or an exempt occupation).

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 bachelor online through findmypast.com, by the end of 2011.

For further information on militia lists and musters, encounter:

  • Medlycott, Mervyn, and Jeremy Gibson. Militia Lists and Musters, 1757–1876. 3rd Editor. Solihull, England: Federation of Family unit History Societies Publications, Ltd., 1994. (Family History Library book 942 M2gmm.BYU Harold B Lee Library volume CS 414 .X1 G533 2001.)

Other Records [edit | edit source]

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

  • Fencibles were army units raised for home service only. Fencibles were unremarkably classed with the militia, and records are kept with militia records.
  • The Ancient British Fencible Cavalry 1794-1800.  A brief history of the British Fencible Cavalry with a list of Officers who served with the Regiment, covering years 1794-1800. Article in Hel Achau, #3, Spring 1981, pages 21-24, Family History Library Ref. 942.23 D25h
  • Yeomanry were volunteer regiments, records of which often do not survive or are less complete than other armed forces records.
  • Colonial armies were forces raised in other countries. Records of these forces are commonly in the country where the forces were raised. A notable exception is the Indian Army, for which many records are held at the British Library Oriental and India Office Collections, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB England. British Army in India data, click hither.
  • The Declension Baby-sit (1816–1923) kept their ain records, including alimony, clarification, and other records.

These records are at The National archives. For farther information on military records for branches of the service other than navy or regular army, encounter the military record handbooks at the end of this section.

POWs

The International Commission of the Cerise Cross has an incomplete list of all known POWs and internees of all nationalities for both World Wars. Searches tin be made only past a written request and an hourly rate is charged. To learn more well-nigh how to obtain a copy of a listing employ the contact data located on their website.

Resource [edit | edit source]

The National Archives (TNA), located at Kew, W London, houses a wealth of information on armed forces 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 FamilySearch Catalog under:

GREAT Britain - Military HISTORY

Pre-1914 records for both the ground forces and the navy are at The National Archives - The National Archives of the United Kingdom

The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU England

Postal service-1914 army records are at:

Army Records Centre
Bourne Avenue
Hayes, Middlesex UB3 1RF
England

Post-1914 navy records are at:

Ministry building of Defense force
Principal Building, Whitehall SW1A 2HB
England
Internet

Imperial War Museum

Majestic War Museum, London (WWI & WWII Collections)

Records at the Family unit History Library

  • 1772 - 1935 - Uk, War Office Registers, 1772-1935 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; alphabetize & images

The Family History Library's drove of army records includes: [edit | edit source]

  • 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 theNavy, the library has:

  • Continuous service engagement books
  • Indexes to commission and warrant books
  • Compensation papers
  • Diverse published sources

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

A number of name indexes to some military records containing nativity, marriages, or deaths are in the Family unit History Library. These indexes can be found in the Place search of the FamilySearch Catalog under:

MILITARY RECORDS - Civil REGISTRATION

The library staff has compiled a typescript listing of army records in its collection (Family History Library book 942 M2; flick 990313 item five).

Library records are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under either ENGLAND or U.k. and the post-obit discipline headings:

MILITARY RECORDS

MILITARY HISTORY

Military RECORDS - ARMY

MILITARY RECORDS - NAVY

Search Strategies [edit | edit source]

It is difficult to locate an individual'southward record without knowing his transport or regiment. If you practise 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 send or regiment. Strategies for finding the ship or regiment follow.

If you know a entrada or battle in which the ancestor fought, a place he was stationed, or a place where a child was born while he was in the service, use:

Kitzmiller, John. In Search of the "Forlorn Hope," two vols. plus supp. Ogden, Utah: Manuscript Publishing Foundation, 1988. (Family History Library book 942 M2j.) This work will help yous detect where regiments were stationed during a range of years.

Army Officers. Y'all can usually find army officers in the Regular army List (1740 to the present - meet "Lists of Officers" in this commodity). If your antecedent does non appear in the Army List for the right fourth dimension period, consult the card index to officers, available only at the Public Record Office.

If an officer was living during 1828 or 1829, you tin can use the indexed returns of service. "Nascency certificates" submitted with widow's pension applications may reveal an officer's name. If you still cannot find a tape, utilize the search strategies for soldiers.

Normally 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 Ground forces List and have their ain records until 1855.

Royal Navy personnel. If your antecedent 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 "Merchant Marine" article.) Before 1853 the source to use depends on what yous know virtually your ancestor. If you know:

  • The name of a send on which he served, search the ship musters, pay lists, and send logs for the time menstruum he should have been aboard.
  • A port where your antecedent 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 entrada in which his transport was involved, search the medal rolls.
  • The name of an officeholder serving with your antecedent, 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 British Merchant Seamen

Many officers are included in published biographies, such as:

Deputed Sea Officers of the Purple Navy, 1660–1815. Three Volumes. N.p., n.d. (Family unit History Library book 942 M23cs, films 909026–027. BYU FHL book V 11 .G7 A52 vol.one.)

Bibliography for Military Records [edit | edit source]

The resorces listed below may assist you in your research:

Bevan, Amanda, and Andrea Duncan. Tracing Your Ancestors in the Public Record Function. Fourth Edition. London, England: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1995. (Family History Library book 942 A5 no. xix 1995.)

Colledge, James J. Ships of the Royal Navy. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Establish Press, 1987. (Family History Library book 942 M3c.)

Hamilton-Edwards, Gerald. In Search of Army Ancestry. London, England: Phillimore & Company, Limited, 1977. (Family History Library book 942 M2. BYU FHL book CS 415 .H36 1977.)

Higham, Robin. A Guide to the Sources of British Military machine History. London, England: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1972. (Family History Library book 942 M2h.)

Kew Lists. (See England Archives and Libraries for details.)

Records of Officers and Soldiers Who Take Served in the British Ground forces. London, England: Public Record Part, 1984. (Family History Library book 942 M23 number 1.)

Rodgers, North.A.Grand. Naval Records for Genealogists. 2nd Edition. London, England: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1988. (Family History Library volume 942 A5 number 22.)

Swinson, Arthur Due south., Editor. A Register of the Regiments and Corps of the British Army. London, England: Archive Press, 1972. (Family History Library book 942 M2.)

White, Arthur S. comp. A Bibliography of Regimental Histories of the British Ground forces. Dallington, East Sussex, England: Naval and Military Printing Ltd., 1992. (Family History Library book 942 M23was.)

References [edit | edit source]

  1. Hamilton-Edwards, Gerald (1977). In Search of Army Ancestry. Phillimore, p. 73.

johnsonsmill2001.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/British_Military_Records

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