GREATWAR-L Archives

Archiver > GREATWAR > 2001-08 > 0999236533


From: Iain Kerr <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] ARMY RECORDS
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2001 06:42:13 +0100
In-Reply-To: <007701c1319e$55d809e0$0100a8c0@mshome.net>


At 22:54 30/08/01 +0100, k.thorn wrote:
>Hi listers i have just seen on a message from another lister that she has
>received records of her dads army records could someone please advise me
>how i could goe my granddads and great granddads records
>tia
>karen
>

Karen,

The British armed services personnel records for those serving in 1914 up
to 1921 are currently being released from the Ministry of Defence to the
Public Record Office, Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU, United
Kingdom; (Telephone: General Enquiries, ++44 (0) 208 876 3444; Records
Information, ++44 (0) 208 392 5200; Fax: ++44 (020) 8878 8905). There they
are being microfilmed to occupy a number of new archives. This is a major
project that is forecast to take a number of years to complete from the
start of the work in 1997. The original documents cannot be viewed due to
their fragile condition. It will be some years before all surviving
information from these documents will be available remotely due to the
complexity of the information and volume. The records are available in the
PRO microfilm reading room as follows:

British Army commissioned officers whose service ended in 1920 or before
(in WO 339) and Territorial Force officers (in WO 374);

British Army Other Ranks, whose service ended in 1920 or before, may be in
the so-called "burnt" records for surnames beginning with A, B, C, D, E, F,
N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z. These are in WO 363 - First
World War Soldiers' Documents. The year 2001 will see release of those
beginning K, L and M. In 2002 those starting H, I and J will be released.
The programme concludes in Summer 2003 with the letter G. It was announced
in November 2000 that the filming of these documents is to be accelerated
with a new target completion date for the project of 30 April 2002. Revised
target completion dates for remaining surname letters will be announced by
the PRO as soon as they have been agreed with the contractor.

You should note that there is some risk that the official archives of more
recent British Army personnel records are incomplete. It is reported that
up to half of the original pre-World War II British Army soldier's personal
records were badly damaged by fire and water following a 1940 German
bombing raid on the Hayes Record Office during World War II. Those that
survived are often incomplete and in a poor condition.

These records are open for personal search by the enquirer or a nominated
agent. Details of the PRO can be found at their web site URL:
http://www.pro.gov.uk/ The PRO do not have an on-line searchable archive,
but they do now have searchable indexes to the main archives. The PRO do
not usually undertake any research for personal or postal
enquirers. However they now offer a copying service and the PRO maintain
a list of independent researchers, with a useful search facility. The
address is: http://www.pro.gov.uk/readers/irlist/default.htm

British Army records - after 1922

The surviving records of all officers and soldiers who joined the British
Army and who were discharged after 1922 are stored in the Ministry of
Defence Record Office CS(R)2b at Bourne Avenue, Hayes, Middlesex. This
includes territorial, volunteer, militia and home-defence forces, the
women's corps and some colonial forces.

You should note that there is some risk that the official archives of the
British Army personnel records between 1922 and 1940 are incomplete. This
is because up to half of the original pre-World War II British Army
soldier's personal records were destroyed or badly damaged following a
World War II German fire-bombing raid on the War Office documents
repository at Hayes in 1940. Those that survived are often in a poor
condition having been damaged by both fire and water.

Information on the service records of an individual serviceman or woman may
be obtained by application to: Ministry of Defence Records Office CS(R)2,
Bourne Avenue, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 1RF, United Kingdom. {Telephone ++44
(0) 208 573 3831}. They will send you an application form that will
require a search fee of £25 per person being enquired after. Payment of the
search fee does not guarantee a successful result. The MOD now requires
applicants to certify that they are the individual concerned or their next
of kin, together with a copy of the death certificate, as appropriate. The
form asks for details of the other kin between the enquirer and the
subject. This recent preoccupation seems to have arisen out of concerns
caused by the Data Protection Act 1999, required by European Union
legislation. There is reportedly a long delay in getting the response, the
result will now be a statement of service and not copies of the original
documents.



Yours aye,

Iain Kerr in Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Web Page at: http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/index.htm
RootsWeb Sponsor and Listowner for the WORLDWAR2 Mailing List.

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