Researching British military ancestry can be a rich and rewarding endeavor, with a wide variety of online resources available. Below is a curated list of websites and resources that will help you track down British military records and information.
1. The National Archives (UK)
Website: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Description: The National Archives hold a vast amount of military records, including service records, pension records, and war diaries. They cover the British Army, Navy, Air Force, and Merchant Navy.
Key Records: Service records, medal records, campaign diaries, war pension records.
Note: Some records are available online, but many require an in-person visit or ordering copies.
2. Findmypast
Website: www.findmypast.co.uk
Description: A subscription-based service offering a comprehensive collection of British military records, including World War I & II service records, medal rolls, and pension records.
Key Records: British Army service records, medal rolls, and war diaries.
Bonus: They offer collections from overseas regiments and Commonwealth forces as well.
3. Ancestry UK
Website: www.ancestry.co.uk
Description: Another subscription service, Ancestry UK offers a wealth of military records, including service records, pension records, and war diaries. It covers both World Wars and earlier conflicts.
Key Records: Army, Navy, Air Force service records, military pensions, and medal records.
4. Forces War Records
Website: www.forces-war-records.co.uk
Description: A specialist site for British and Commonwealth military records from various wars. This subscription service has records covering many different conflicts and offers additional context like military guides and maps.
Key Records: WWI & WWII service records, Prisoner of War lists, and medical reports.
5. Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)
Website: www.cwgc.org
Description: The CWGC maintains records of service personnel who died during the two World Wars. Their database provides access to cemetery records and memorials worldwide.
Key Records: Burial and memorial records for those who died in WWI and WWII.
6. The British Newspaper Archive
Website: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
Description: The British Newspaper Archive contains historical newspapers that often include military records such as enlistments, honors, and obituaries. Useful for finding stories, reports, and even individual service member details.
Key Records: Newspaper articles, obituaries, enlistment reports, and military promotions.
7. Imperial War Museums (IWM)
Website: www.iwm.org.uk
Description: The IWM’s online resources include oral histories, photographs, and documents related to Britain's involvement in wars from World War I onward. They offer information about collections and exhibitions that may assist in research.
Key Resources: Oral histories, photographs, wartime diaries.
8. Military-Genealogy.com
Website: www.military-genealogy.com
Description: A smaller site focused on British and Commonwealth forces. It offers databases of war memorials, cemetery listings, and war casualty records.
Key Records: Service records, medal rolls, casualty lists.
9. Regimental Museums & Archives
Website: Varies by regiment (e.g., Household Cavalry Museum or Royal Air Force Museum)
Description: Many British regiments maintain their own archives and museums. These institutions often have detailed records of personnel and campaigns.
Key Resources: Regimental histories, service records, war diaries, photographs.
10. UK War Memorials Online
Website: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk
Description: A database of war memorials across the UK, which often includes details of individuals listed on them. This is useful for researching family members commemorated on a local war memorial.
Key Records: Memorial listings, location and photographs of war memorials.
11. FamilySearch
Website: www.familysearch.org
Description: A free resource, FamilySearch offers British military records, especially related to service records and pensions. It's operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and contains a broad collection of genealogical resources.
Key Records: Military pensions, service records, and draft registration.
12. Fold3
Website: www.fold3.com
Description: A military-focused subscription site that includes British military records, especially for World War I and World War II. Includes service records, pension files, and more.
Key Records: Army, Navy, and Air Force records, war pensions, unit histories.
13. Medals.org.uk
Website: www.medals.org.uk
Description: This is a great resource for researching British military medals, with detailed information on the history and criteria of various awards.
Key Resources: Medal descriptions, eligibility, and history.
14. Great War Forum
Website: www.greatwarforum.org
Description: A community forum for individuals researching World War I. Users share information, help track down records, and provide historical context on battles, regiments, and individuals.
Key Resources: Community forum for WWI records, information on campaigns, regiments, and individual soldiers.
15. TNA Discovery Catalogue
Website: discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Description: The National Archives' Discovery catalogue is the gateway to finding millions of records, including those from the Ministry of Defence and other departments that deal with military matters.
Key Records: Ministry of Defence records, operational records, and regimental histories.
Additional Resources:
Local Archives & Libraries: Many local libraries and county archives hold collections of military records, including service records and regimental histories.
British Army Service Numbers Database: Helps identify soldiers based on their service number and provides details on regiments.
Tips for Success:
Use multiple sources: Often, no single website has all the information, so it's useful to cross-reference sources.
Understand military structure: Knowing the basic structure of the British Armed Forces and how units were organized (regiments, battalions, divisions, etc.) can help you navigate records better.
With these resources, you can uncover valuable details about your ancestors who served in the British military.