31 October 2024
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Ancestry announces the first release of the military collections that have been recently transferred from the Ministry of Defence to The National Archives, Kew, for archiving and digitisation. The newly digitised record collections include detailed service records covering service personnel post-1921 and WWII medal cards from the British Army.
About the MOD-The National Archives Kew-Ancestry military records project
How big is this MOD military records project?
Why is this digitisation project of military records important?
How to find the military records online
How to find and use the WW2 medal index cards
What can you expect to find in your service personnel's digitised service records?
What will you not find in your service personnel's digitised service records?
About the MOD-The National Archives Kew-Ancestry military records project
In 2021 the transfer began, of the first third of the Ministry of Defence collection of British Armed Forces personnel service records that is being moved to The National Archives, Kew.
The project to transfer the records from the MOD to The National Archives spans records for people who served between 1921 and 1963 (i.e. just after the First World War until the end of National Service).
The project in total comprises 10 million records. The National Archives put the digitisation project out to tender, and Ancestry is currently working on digitising the first third of these 10 million records (future tenders will be put out for completion of the rest of the project).
Currently 30 people are working to digitise this vast collection. As some of the material is subject to closure periods that have not yet elapsed, the team are working in a closed space, in which they are not allowed to bring mobile phones etc. The digitisation process is meticulously being undertaken by the team, with conservationists on hand to help when required.
How big is this MOD military records project?
The transfer of the records from the MOD to The National Archives dwarfs previous archiving and digitisation projects. The 10 million records are anticipated to result in 36 million digital images. This is vastly bigger than any previous census project.
Dr Will Butler, Head of Military Records at The National Archives, explained that usually The National Archives has an accession rate of 1.5 kilometres per year (ie it takes in 1.5 km shelf's-worth of materials a year). By way of comparison the MOD transfer of records will see 50 kilometres of shelving deposited with Kew over the 6-year transfer period from 2021.
£30,000 on brass paperclips
Further insight to the scale of the project is given by the figure of £30,000, which was needed to fund the replacement of sub-optimal existing paperclips currently within these military records. (Below, one of the medal index cards from WW2 with one of the many new brass paperclips!).
Why is this digitisation project of military records important?
It will provide family historians with the scope to trace family members across all branches of the Armed services from the post-First World War period until 1963 (the end of National Service). Previously people wishing to track down family members' service records had to apply to the Ministry of Defence (and this is still the case for the records that are not yet digitised). Going forward, having readily available digital access will make many aspects of research easier for people.
The digitised collections will include service records for half a million service personnel who served in the First World War and who continued with service post WW1.
Simon Pearce, military historian at Ancestry, explained that the collections will also include medal index cards, which provide an invaluable entry point for someone wishing to embark on tracing someone's military history.
How to find the military records online
1 November 2024 sees the first of the records become available to Ancestry subscribers. Between 7 and 13 November 2024 these records will also be made freely available to non-subscribers too, over the Remembrance period.
Click here and choose the relevant military collection on Ancestry from the Card Catalogue. (At the time of writing (1 November 2024) the new military collections are top of the catalogue list). Alternatively use the links below to go to specific collections.
You can also search The National Archive's Discovery catalogue for details of digitised records pertaining to your person of interest. Search Discovery here, and read TNA's useful FAQs about the project here.
Which military MOD records, being digitised at The National Archives, are now available via Ancestry in this first tranche?
- Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers WW2 service records: 56,000 service records of other ranks who served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) in WW2 (WO 420)
- The 'Bournemouth collection' (nothing to do with the place, Dr Butler clarifies): more than 94,000 WW2 era records of soldiers from 12 (and immediately after) smaller units/corps, who were discharged as over-age personnel. (WO 421)
- 1.7 million WW2 medal index cards (the fronts and backs of which are being digitised). (WO 460)
It is understood that the following collections will follow soon:
- Service records for other ranks discharged between the wars: More than 830,000 records of other ranks discharged from the infantry of the British Army between 1921 and 1939. Most of the service records relate to individuals who served during the First World War, and who opted to continue their service beyond 1921, but also include those who served only throughout the inter-war period and were discharged before the outbreak of the Second World War. (WO 419)
- Service records for 2 million WW2 NCOs & other ranks: more than two million records of non-commissioned officers and other ranks who served in infantry regiments of the British Army during the Second World War and who were discharged from the armed forces as over-age before their time expired in the reserves after 1945. (WO 422)
How to find and use the WW2 medal index cards
Unlike the medal index cards for the First World War (which provide near comprehensive coverage), those for the Second World War only include those people who applied for their medals (medals weren't automatically sent out to those eligible; for WW2 personnel, they had to actually apply).
The first release will cover the WW2 medal cards for the British Army for approximately 1.7 million people. Both the front and back of each card is being digitised, resulting in 3.4 million digital images.
It is worth noting that while the indexes are searchable on Ancestry, to view a digitised image of a card access to Fold3 is required.
On completion the collection is anticipated to cover 2.5 million people.
What can you expect to find in your service personnel's digitised service records?
The records that you can expect to find for a service person include:
- the attestation record
- the statement of service
- the tracer card
- and the service and casualty forms
Below is an example of the papers (mentioned just above) you can expect to find for a service person. As ever, it would be wise not to be surprised by variations.
What will you not find in your service personnel's digitised service records?
"Usually we are completists," explains Dr Will Butler, speaking of the extent to which the service records are currently being digitised. Usually The National Archives' approach would be to digitise in entirety.
The medical forms, within each service personnel's papers, are subject to a 115-year rule, however. This means that they will not be available to view until 115 years have elapsed since the birth of the person in question. The current view is that due to the potential sensitivity of the medical records, while they will become available to view at The National Archives Kew after the 115-year period has passed, there are currently no plans in place to digitise them at any point in the future.
This is a change in access, as prior to the records' move to The National Archives full copies of the records had been supplied from the MOD to next of kin (and indeed the subject themselves) via a Subject Access Request. Now, to try to gain full access to the records as Freedom of Information request must be made.
The National Archives have adopted the careful 115-year close period as the medical information can be sensitive, and can also contain details of medical conditions which may affect descendants.
Let us know about your discoveries
"Service records help us learn what our fathers, grandfathers, mothers, great-aunts etc, did," enthuses Simon Pearce. "The information on the campaign medal cards will help people at the start of their journey."
The newly digitised post-WW1 military record collections now coming online provide easier access to a wealth of military records. We would be very interested to learn of your search experiences and discoveries. Please contact [email protected]
