Digging Up Your Roots Top Tips: finding military ancestors
The next thing is to find some record of service.
Start at , whose website has lots of useful guides on finding military ancestors. Then see what records are online - many are - or see whether you would need to visit. A useful starting point is the , which will give regiment, medals won and sometimes a home address. There may also be a service record, or a pension record for those wounded or injured - but many of these WW1 records were lost during the blitz in WW2. TNA also has .
The services themselves can provide records from about 1920, available to next of kin and others under certain conditions. There is information at and click on Service Records, Medals & Badges. They can also help to get medals reissued if these have been lost or were never collected.
Any Scottish soldier who died in conflict will be listed in The Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle. You will need to visit, but they can be contacted and do check with the for , NAS also offer good guides on researching military history.
Finally, contact or visit the . There are a list of these on the website and do remember that these museums are not funded by the services or the government and need your support.
The more you know, regiment or unit, with service number if possible, dates of service and where you ancestor may have served the more likely you are to find the information you want.
Comments Post your comment