This is a brief guide to help you with your research into non-commissioned ranksnon-commissioned rank - a person ranking lower than an officer in the Royal Marines. Royal Marines records are kept in different places depending on when the Marine served. This guide will help you to find out if the information you are looking for exists and, if it does, where to find it.
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What do I need to know before I start?
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Try to find out:
- full name of the Marine
- the division he served in (Chatham, Plymouth, Portsmouth or Woolwich)
- date range of his service
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What records can I see online?
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Royal Marine Medal Roll (1914-1920)
Search the First World War campaign medal rolls (WO 171) for the Royal Marines on findmypast.co.uk (£There may be a charge for accessing this information. Searching indexes may be free.). This database provides a complete listing of all Royal Marines who served in the First World War and also has service details for a large number of men. The medals covered by the rolls are: the 1914 Star, the Clasp to the 1914 Star, the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
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Registers of Service (1842 -1926)
Search DocumentsOnlinea collection of documents from The National Archives which are available entirely online by name and download (£There may be a charge for accessing this information. Searching indexes may be free.) Royal Marines Registers of Service (ADM 159). These provide a Marine's date and place of birth, trade, physical description, religion, date and place of enlistment and a full record of service with comments on conduct.
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Recommendations for Honours and Awards (1935-1990)
Search DocumentsOnlinea collection of documents from The National Archives which are available entirely online by name and download (£There may be a charge for accessing this information. Searching indexes may be free.) Recommendations for Honours and Awards (WO 373). These are mainly British army awards but do include some for the Royal Marines.
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What records can I find at The National Archives at Kew?
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Attestation and discharge forms (1790-1925)
Search the Catalogue for an attestation form in ADM 157. These were compiled for each Marine on enlistment and show birthplace, previous occupation, physical description and often a record of service.
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Description books (1750-1940)
Consult description books in ADM 158. These volumes summarise the information given in attestation forms.
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To access these records you will either need to visit us, commission research (£there will be a charge) or, where you can identify a specific record referencea unique set of letters and numbers identifying a document in The National Archives, order a copy (£there will be a charge).
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What records can I find in other archives and organisations?
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Service records (1927 to date)
Look on the Veterans UK website to find out how to obtain service records from the Royal Navy for Royal Marines who enlisted after 1926.
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Short and continuous service records
Consult the 'Research' pages of the Fleet Air Arm Museum website to see a list of the service records they hold.
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What other resources will help me find information?
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Books
Read Tracing Your Royal Marine Ancestors by Richard Brooks & Matthew Little (Pen & Sword Family History, 2008).
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Websites
Browse the collection of research documents which are available to download from the Royal Marines Museum website.
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In-depth research guides
Royal Marines officers
Royal Navy ratings 1853-1923
Royal Navy commissioned officers