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The Metropolitan Police Recruitment Poster

The Metropolitan Police: its creation and records of service

Published date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

London's Metropolitan Police service was formed in 1829. This talk provides an overview of how crime was dealt with before this date, and how to trace the records of our Metropolitan Police ancestors at The National Archives.

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Roy Thomas Harris - London gazette 17 December 1940

Civilian honours and awards

Published date: Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:00:00 GMT

The London Gazette is a crucial source for announcements of military and civilian honours and awards. This talk explains how to use and get the best out of the Gazette, and how further information about awards can be found among the records held by The National Archives, many of which are now available online.

Author: William Spencer Duration: 17:24

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Movement of Internees abroad: diary kept by internee who was shipped from the Isle of Man to Camp Hay, Australia and back, 1940-1 - Catalogue reference: HO 215/263

Internment

Published date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:00:00 GMT

On the declaration of war on 3 September 1939, some 70,000 Germans and Austrians resident in the UK became classed as enemy aliens. This talk looks at offical papers relating to the tribunals, the policy of internment, individual internees, and the camps in which they were interned.

Author: Roger Kershaw Duration: 40:03

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Damage to buildings. Catalogue reference AIR20-4376

GIs and POWs: Kew in the Second World War

Published date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Local historian Christopher May reveals the wartime history of The National Archives' Kew site. American servicemen stationed here created the maps used in the Normandy landings of 1944. Later, the same buildings were used to house Italian prisoners of war who helped to clear bomb damage in London.

Author: Chistopher May Duration: 36:58

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Submarine crew surrender to HMS Easton, 1943 - Catalogue refrence: CN 1/35

The battle that frightened Churchill: the war in the Atlantic

Published date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:00:00 GMT

On 3 September 1939, the passenger liner Athenia was sunk by U30. So began the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest and most complex campaign of the Second World War. The battle pitted the submariners of the Kriegsmarine against the Allied merchant fleet who were providing Britain's vital life line. This talk follows the changes in fortune of both the Kriegsmarine and the merchant fleet, and explains why Winston Churchill knew that the Battle of the Atlantic was the battle that Britain could not afford to lose.

Author: Janet Dempsey Duration: 45:05

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Royal Naval medals: an introduction

Royal Naval medals: an introduction

Published date: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMT

This talk discusses the Royal Naval medal rolls held by The National Archives in record series ADM 171, and explains how to interpret the most commonly used codes and abbreviations found in them. It also demonstrates how the medal rolls can be used to locate other records relating to an individual's Royal Naval service.

Author: William Spencer Duration: 35:21

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Kripo photographs and index cards showing the four escapers murdered by Kiel Gestapo - Catalogue reference: WO 235/431

The Great Escape: you've seen the film, now hear the truth

Published date: Fri, 15 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT

During the night of 24 March 1944, 76 airmen escaped from the Prisoner of War camp Stalag Luft III. Only three made it home and, of the remainder, 50 were murdered on Hitler's orders. This talk will explain what actually happened in the so-called Great Escape, one of the Second World War's most infamous incidents.

Author: Alan Bowgen Duration: 52:42

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Report of the amputation of Nelson's arm by surgeon James Farquhar on board HMS Theseus 1797 - Catalogue reference: ADM 101/123/2

Dissecting and cataloguing medical officers' journals in ADM 101

Published date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Bruno Pappalardo introduces the collection of medical officers' journals found in ADM 101. These journals give a detailed insight into a ship's daily activities, as well as the science and wildlife that was encountered by British Navy medical officers.

Author: Bruno Pappalardo Duration: 14:33

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Royal Air Force aeroplane - Catalogue reference: AIR 1

Royal Air Force service records

Published date: Fri, 20 Feb 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Last year saw the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Royal Air Force. The records of thousands of men (and women) who served in the RAF and its predecessors during the First World War are held by The National Archives. This talk will demonstrate how you can use these records to find out more about your ancestors' lives in this pioneering branch of the armed services.

Author: William Spencer Duration: 40:21

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Document showing the countering WW1 submarine threat - Catalogue reference: MT 25/1

Merchant Navy operational records

Published date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Janet Dempsey examines the wealth of records which deal with the tragedy, terror, heroism and honour of the Merchant Navy in both World Wars.

Author: Janet Dempsy Duration: 25:52

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A colour portrait of Winston Churchill - Catalogue reference: INF 3/67

Cabinet Papers, 1915-1977

Published date: Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Laura Withey (Project Manager) and Dr. Ed Hampshire (Records Specialist) talk about this exciting new project, the new web pages and the records being made available online for the first time.

Author: Ed Hampshire Duration: 17:48

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Photograph of coastguards - Catalogue reference: CUST 143/15

Merchant Navy service records

Published date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Was your ancestor one of the hundreds of thousands of men who served in the Merchant Navy, keeping Britain fed and watered? This talk looks at the Merchant Navy records held at The National Archives and how to use them.

Author: Janet Dempsey Duration: 33:17

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Enigma decrypt machine - taken from exhibition at The National Archives (not a public record)

Security Service document releases

Published date: Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:05:00 GMT

Over 150 Security Service files dating from around the time of the Second World War have now been opened. Professor Christopher Andrew, Official Historian of the Secret Service, talks about German and Soviet agents and intelligence officers, right-wing extremists and Communists, amongst others.

Author: Professor Christopher Andrew Duration: 26:32

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Original artwork of the Resistance Movement - Catalogue reference: INF 3/1811

The Special Operations Executive, the French Resistance and the D-Day landings

Published date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:00:00 GMT

This talk looks at the results and effectiveness of the British Special Operations Executive, or SEO, and the French Resistance in supporting the Second World War D-Day landings.

Author: Neil Cobbett Duration: 1:01:26

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A photo of the members of the Women's Land Army with piglets, Catalogue reference: MAF 59/3

Tracing World War One ancestors

Published date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:30:00 GMT

William Spencer takes you through the key records for tracing your World War One ancestors, including records of women who were nurses or in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.

Author: William Spencer Duration: 35:37

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Pre-military 1914 army ancestors

Tracing pre-1914 army ancestors

Published date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Covering the period from 1760 to 1913, William Spencer discusses the service records of army officers and other ranks.

Author: William Spencer Duration: 34:04

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World War II: 422 Squadron, RCAF: U-Boat surrenders off Land's End, Catalogue reference: AIR 27/2830

Royal Navy service records

Published date: Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Mark Pearsall covers the main sources for officers and ratings service records in this introductory talk about Royal Navy service records from the late 18th century to the early 20th century.

Author: Mark Pearsall Duration: 45:02

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Leytonstone ufos

UFO files from the UK Government

Published date: Thu, 22 May 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Listen to Dr David Clarke, an expert in UFO history, as he explains the significance of the released UFO files.

Author: Dr David Clarke Duration: 28:19

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Document entitled 'Top Secret' - Catalogue reference: DO 35/5264

Secrecy and government records

Published date: Thu, 15 May 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Professor Foot is a noted historian and academic. He is the official historian for the Second World War Special Operations Executive (SOE) and has an extensive knowledge of the background to the requirements for secrecy in government records. This is a rare opportunity to hear the views of a person who has lived with the secrecy of such records for many decades.

Author: Prof. M R D Foot Duration: 23:52

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Security Service document - Catalogue reference: KV 2/1421

Security Service document releases

Published date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:00:00 GMT

From astrologers to oil barons: Professor Christopher Andrew, official historian for the Security Service, talks about espionage and tracking enemy agents.

Author: Professor Christopher Andrew Duration: 22:04

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Photograph of a lifeboat - Catalogue reference: CUST 143/15

The Navy Board project

Published date: Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:00:00 GMT

Archivist Sue Lumas describes the painstaking cataloguing and conservation of naval records held at The National Archives.

Author: Sue Lumas Duration: 13:51

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Pike Musket. - Catalogue reference: MFQ1/107

Sources for army officers' commissions

Published date: Thu, 20 Dec 2007 08:00:00 GMT

Mark Dunton looks at the system for purchasing and selling commissions as it worked from 1800 - 1871. He covers first appointments, promotions, exchanges, retirement, the payment process and the activities of the 'army agents'. He uses document examples to illustrate the talk.

Author: Mark Dunton Duration: 31:30

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Wedding party - Catalogue reference: COPY 1/497

Army deaths, marriages and births 1761-1913

Published date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 08:00:00 GMT

Many family trees fall at the hurdle of locating the death of a British soldier, his marriage or the birth of his children. The records available are woefully incomplete, scattered and often not fully indexed. In this presentation, Chris Watts examines the material available for tracing these events, for a pre-First World War British soldier, and guides the researcher in its use; material available on microfiche, microfilm or the Internet is highlighted.

Author: Dr Christopher Watts Duration: 40:17

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World War One, Audit office member, Catalogue reference: RAIL 253/516

Sources for First World War army ancestry

Published date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 08:00:00 GMT

Mark Dunton focuses on the prime sources at The National Archives for documenting First World War army service, covering both the officers and other ranks of the British Army.

Author: Mark Dunton Duration: 34:13

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Sahib - the British soldier in India

Sahib, the British soldier in India, 1750 - 1914

Published date: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Well-known military historian Professor Richard Holmes examines Indian soldiering in peace and war.  He addresses the experience of ordinary soldiers, why they joined up, how they got to India and what they made of it when they arrived.

Author: Professor Richard Holmes Duration: 56:25

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