UK military records document the service of soldiers who served in the army of the United Kingdom and the territories currently under its jurisdiction. For successive generations, men and women have enlisted and served in the British (UK) military, which often took them to overseas theatres of war. Military service during major conflicts, such as the two World Wars as well as more localised but still bloody actions like the Boer War, the Korean War, and the Malaya Insurgency, was often especially impactful on the participants.
The wiki article How to Research Military Records is a good starting point for family historians interested in exploring ancestors who served in a country's military forces, or who were otherwise impacted by major wars. The article provides general guidance on issues such as preparatory steps you can take to make your search for military records more productive as well as pointing to other potential sources of UK military records beyond those made available by UK agencies.
Accessing UK military recordsAccessing UK military records
Before you begin your search you should confirm you are eligible to access the records you're interested in. You can apply[1] for a copy of someone else’s UK military service records if:
You were their immediate next of kin when they died, for example, their spouse, parent, or child
You have a family or general research interest, noting that unless you’ve first obtained consent from their immediate next of kin you’ll only have access to limited information for persons who died less than 25 years ago.
Where UK military records are storedWhere UK military records are stored
There are four main databases of UK military records a family historian can access:
Ministry of Defence (MoD): The main UK Government website links to a section on military records held by the MoD. It also provides information on how to request these records. You can apply for records if the person was in the Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), British Army, Royal Air Force (RAF), or Home Guard. Note The MoD is currently in the process of transferring circa 9.7 million Service records to The National Archives. The transfer is expected to complete in 2027. The MoD website provides a constantly updated information note on the progress of this data transfer[2].Ministry of DefenceSource: http://www.mod.uk
National Archives: The National Archives (TNA) website has a section that provides very detailed information on the types of records across multiple branches of the military (including the Merchant Navy) TNA holds and how to access them. Today most surviving First World War records are held by TNA, rather than the MoD. TNA holdings also include any official documentation relating to British Prisoners of War[3].
Commonwealth War Graves Commission: The CWGC maintains a database of military personnel who died in the First and Second World Wars and where they are buried. You can search the CWGC database to find information about a deceased serviceman or woman. CWGC offers powerful search options that allow you to refine searches by many different criteria in addition to name, including country, cemetery, unit, rank, regiment, date of death, and honours and awards.
Armed Forces Memorial Roll of Honour: The Armed Forces Memorial (AFM), located within the Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, memorialises British and Commonwealth service personnel who have died in the line of duty since 1948. The AFM website has a section that provides information on the service personnel who are commemorated there. The theatres of conflict where UK Armed Services have served since the Second World War, and for which the AFM holds records include:
Palestine 1945 – 1948
Malaya 1948 – 1960
Yangtze 1949 – 1949
Korea 1950 – 1954
Canal Zone 1951 – 1954
Kenya 1952 – 1956
Cyprus 1955 – 1959
Suez 1956
Arabian Peninsula 1957 – 1960
Congo 1960 – 1964
Brunei 1962
Borneo 1962 – 1966
Cyprus 1964 – present
Radfan 1964
South Arabia 1964 – 1967
Malay Peninsula 1964 – 1966
Northern Ireland 1969 – 2007
Dhofar 1969 – 1976
Rhodesia 1979 –1980
South Atlantic 1982
Gulf 1990 – 1991
Air Operations Iraq 1991 – 2003
Cambodia 1991 – 1993
Balkans 1992 – present
Sierra Leone 2000 - 2002
Afghanistan 2001 – 2014
Iraq 2003 - 2011
The information included in UK military recordsThe information included in UK military records
The range of information accessible varies according to the source. Usually UK service records obtained from the MoD or TNA will contain at least the following details[4]:
Surname, First Name, Service Number, Rank and Regiment or Corps
Place and Date of Birth
Date they joined and left the armed forces
Date of Death, if they died in service
Any Good Conduct medals they received
Accessible Service Records cover the following periods[4]:
From 1750 for Foot Guards (not including Scots Guards)
From 1920 for RAF personnel
From January 1921 for British Army soldiers if their service ended after January 1921
From April 1922 for British Army officers if their service ended after April 1922
From 1926 for Royal Navy including Royal Marines
Note that in September 1940, as the result of a fire caused by an incendiary bomb at the War Office Record Store in London, approximately two-thirds of 6.5 million soldiers' documents for the First World War were destroyed. Those records which survived were mostly charred or water damaged. Since the mid-1990s, the surviving records have been progressively microfilmed, making them available in this form via TNA[5].
Information required before you can apply to obtain UK military recordsInformation required before you can apply to obtain UK military records
You’ll need to provide the following details of the person whose military records you are seeking to access:
Full Name
Date of Birth
Service Number, if you know it
Death Certificate -- if you’re applying online, the death certificate needs to be in digital format (PDF, PNG or JPEG).
If you do not have the person's death certificate, you must either order a copy[6] from the relevant British authority or provide a Declaration of a Presumed Death[7]. You do not need a copy of the death certificate if the person died in service or was born more than 116 years ago.
Cost and processing time for UK military recordsCost and processing time for UK military records
UK military records that are available online are mostly in the form of indexes and are generally offered at no cost. However, some online data is on a pay-per-view basis.
The contents of individual Service Records, if available, are highly variable. They may contain only minimum information or extensive material including medical records and subsequent correspondence such as pension arrangements[8]. For these records you will need to request a Freedom of Information (FOI) paid search from TNA. You’ll be quoted a standard search cost plus an additional fee if the search is complicated.
The UK.gov website warns that obtaining military records held by the MoD can sometimes take as long as 12 months, although typically it will be only several weeks or a few months. For TNA search requests you usually get results within 20 working days[1].
In addition to the information available online, the National Archives repository at Kew, England holds a large collection of military records, including service records, medal cards, and pension records which have not yet been digitised and can only be viewed in their physical form at Kew.
The Imperial War Museum (IWM) does not hold personal service records or official documentation but includes extensive collections that cover the wartime experiences of many UK citizens and residents. IWM's website includes some useful guides[9] to help with research into military-related family history, including experiences of civilians on the "Home Front" during the Second World War[10].
Scots Guards records are currently held by the Scots Guards Archives. Fees and restrictions apply.
Anglo Boer War is another free site which offers a database of soldiers who fought in the Anglo Boer War (1899-1902).
