RECORDS ONLINE

Although only 40% of service records survive, a range of other documents may help; here are some places to start

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission cwgc.org

Records all Commonwealth war dead from the two world wars, usually with details of the unit they fought in and, frequently, details of next of kin. Invaluable for locating graves or memorials.

The National Archives nationalarchives.gov.uk/

TNA has a First World War Research Guide that includes copies of the Medal Cards; service records of British Army nurses and the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps; War Diaries for units serving in France and Belgium, Mesopotamia, Iraq and Persia, East Africa, Cameroon and West Africa; Household Cavalry service records; and Prisoner of War interview reports.

Ancestry ancestry.co.uk

Here you’ll find Medal Cards (available free); surviving service and pension records; medal rolls; Silver War Badge records; War Diaries for France, Belgium and Germany and Gallipoli; lists of medal recipients (some with citations); the Register of Soldiers’ Effects; and rolls of honour.

Findmypast findmypast.co.uk

Has Medal Card transcriptions; the surviving service and pension records of men who served; details of some locally recruited Pals Battalions; rolls of honour from schools, universities and employers as well as specially published ones; lists of deserters from The

Police Gazette; Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps service records; details of some prisoners of war; and copies of some absent voters rolls saying where men over 21 were serving in 1918.

Forces War Records forces-war-records.co.uk

Transcriptions of a variety of records including casualty and POW lists; school, university and company rolls of honour; Territorial Force Medal rolls; and Embarkation Lists. The transcription of military hospital records is currently unique.