Research guides

• Crimean War records
  Recommended guide
  Keywords: crimean warwars
• First World War – an overview
  Recommended guide
  Keywords: first world warwarsworld war one
• Second World War – an overview
  Recommended guide
  Keywords: nazi germanysecond world warworld war two
• Abbreviations in merchant seamen’s records
  Keywords: merchant navynavy
• Armed forces records held by other archives
  Keywords: armybritish armyroyal air forceroyal navysoldierwars
• Army regiments
  Keywords: armybritish armyregiments and corps
• Births, marriages and deaths at sea or abroad
  Keywords: birthscoloniesdeathsmarriagesmerchant navyshipping
• Births, marriages and deaths in the armed forces
  Keywords: armybirthsbritish armydeathsmarriagesnavyroyal air forceroyal marinesroyal navy
• Board of Ordnance
  Keywords: armybritish armyordnance (military supplies)
• Boer War records
  Keywords: boer warwars
• Bomb Census survey records 1940-1945
  Keywords: air raidsbomb censuscasualties of warsecond world warworld war two
• British and Commonwealth prisoners of the First World War and previous wars
  Keywords: first world warprisoners of warworld war one
• British and Commonwealth prisoners of the Second World War and the Korean War
  Keywords: korean warpowsprisoners of warsecond world war personnelworld war two
• Available on:
  
  British Army casualty lists 1939-1945
  Keywords: british armydeathssecond world warsoldierworld war two All records viewable online
• British Army medal index cards 1914-1920
  Keywords: armybritish armycampaign medalsfirst world wargallantry medalsmedalsofficers (army) All records viewable online
• British Army muster rolls and pay lists c.1730-1898
  Keywords: armybritish armymuster rollsregiments and corpssoldier
• British Army nurses
  Keywords: armybritish armynurses
• British Army nurses’ service records 1914-1918
  Keywords: armybritish armyfirst world warnurseswomen's military service All records viewable online
• British Army officers in service after 1918
  Keywords: armybritish armysecond world warsoldier
• British Army officers of the First World War
  Keywords: armybritish armyfirst world warmedalsofficers (army)soldierworld war oneworld war two
• British Army officers up to 1913
  Keywords: armyawardsbritish armymedalsofficers (army)soldier
• British Army operations after 1945
  Keywords: armybritish armykorean warregiments and corpswar diaries
• British Army operations in the First World War
  Keywords: armybritish armyfirst world warregiments and corpswar diariesworld war one
• British Army operations in the Second World War
  Keywords: armybritish armyregiments and corpssecond world warwar diariesworld war two
• British Army operations up to 1913
  Keywords: armyboer warbritish armycrimean warnapoleonic warsregiments and corps
• British Army soldiers of the First World War
  Keywords: armybritish armyfirst world warnon-commissioned officersoldier
• British Army soldiers up to 1913
  Keywords: armybritish armypensionssoldier
• British Army war diaries 1914-1922
  Keywords: armybritish armyfirst world warregimentswar diaries All records viewable online
• British military campaign and service medals
  Keywords: armyawardsbritish armycampaign medalsmedalsofficers (army)
• British military gallantry medals
  Keywords: armyawardsbritish armygallantry medalshonoursmedals
• Coastguard records
  Keywords: coastguardcustoms (tax)pensionsshipping
• Conscientious objectors
  Keywords: conscientious objectorsfirst world warsecond world warworld war oneworld war two
• Courts martial and desertion in the British Army 17th-20th centuries
  Keywords: armybritish armycourts martialdeserters (armed forces)first world warsecond world warsoldierworld war oneworld war two
• Crew lists and agreements and log books of merchant ships 1747-1860
  Keywords: crew listslog books (ships)merchant navyshipping
• Crew lists and agreements and log books of merchant ships after 1861
  Keywords: crew listslog books (ships)merchant navyshipping
• Deaths in the First and Second World Wars
  Keywords: casualties of wardeathsfirst world warsecond world warworld war oneworld war two
• Disability and dependents’ pensions in the First World War
  Keywords: disability pensionsfirst world warpensionsworld war one
• Environmental pollution and damage
  Keywords: contaminated landenvironmental pollutionlandpollution
• Available on:
  
  First World War soldiers’ service and pension records
  Keywords: armybritish armyfirst world warworld war one All records viewable online
• Fleet Air Arm personnel
  Keywords: fleet air armnavyroyal navysecond world war personnel
• French muster rolls from the Battle of Trafalgar 1805
  Keywords: high court of admiraltylog books (ships)shippingtrafalgar (battle of) All records viewable online
• German Foreign Ministry and Italian documents 1867-1945 captured by the British
  Keywords: german foreign ministrynazi germanysecond world warworld war two
• High Court of Admiralty
  Keywords: admiraltycoloniescourts of lawhigh court of admiraltyshippingtrials
• Home Guard personnel
  Keywords: home fronthome guardsecond world warworld war two
• Household Cavalry soldiers’ service records 1799-1920
  Keywords: armybritish armycavalryfirst world warworld war one All records viewable online
• Indian Army personnel
  Keywords: armyfirst world warindian armysecond world warworld war oneworld war two
• Intelligence and security services
  Keywords: espionageintelligence and security servicesmi5 and mi6security servicesspecial operations executive
• Internees
  Keywords: aliens (foreign nationals)first world warimmigrationinterneesprisoners of warsecond world war
• Land and property requisitioned for war in the 20th century
  Keywords: first world warlandrequisitioned landsecond world warworld war oneworld war two
• Logs and journals of ships of exploration 1757-1904
  Keywords: admiraltylog books (ships)navyroyal navyshipping All records viewable online
• Available on:
  
  Maritime births 1867-1960
  Keywords: birthsmerchant navypassengers All records viewable online
• Available on:
  
  Maritime deaths 1781-1968
  Keywords: deathsmerchant navypassengers All records viewable online
• Maritime history records held by other archives
  Keywords: merchant navynavyroyal navyshipping
• Available on:
  
  Maritime marriages 1854-1972
  Keywords: marriagesmerchant navypassengers All records viewable online
• Medieval and early modern soldiers
  Keywords: armybritish armyearly modern periodmedieval periodofficers (army)soldier
• Merchant seamen of the First World War
  Keywords: apprenticeshipcrew listsfirst world warmerchant navyworld war one
• Available on:
  
  Merchant seamen registers 1835-1857
  Keywords: merchant navy All records viewable online
• Available on:
  
  Merchant seamen registers 1918-1941
  Keywords: merchant navy All records viewable online
• Merchant seamen serving since 1918
  Keywords: crew listsmerchant navysecond world warsecond world war personnelworld war two
• Merchant seamen serving up to 1913
  Keywords: apprenticeshipcrew listsmerchant navy
• Merchant seamen’s campaign medal records 1914-1918
  Keywords: awardsbritish war medalcampaign medalsfirst world warhonoursmedalsmercantile marine medalmerchant navysilver war badge All records viewable online
• Merchant seamen’s campaign medal records 1939-1945
  Keywords: campaign medalsmedalsmerchant navynavysecond world warsecond world war personnelworld war two All records viewable online
• Merchant seamen’s medals and honours
  Keywords: awardscampaign medalsgallantry medalshonoursmedalsmerchant navy
• Merchant shipping movement cards 1939-1945
  Keywords: merchant navysecond world warshippingworld war two All records viewable online
• Merchant ships
  Keywords: merchant navyshipping
• Merchant trade records: port books 1565-1799
  Keywords: customs (tax)port bookstaxation
• Middlesex military service appeal tribunal 1916-1918
  Keywords: conscientious objectorsconscriptionfirst world warworld war one All records viewable online
• Military maps of the First World War
  Keywords: first world warmapsworld war one
• Military maps of the Second World War
  Keywords: mapssecond world warworld war two
• Military nursing
  Keywords: armynavynursesroyal air forceroyal navywomen's military service
• Militia
  Keywords: armybritish armymedalsmilitiapensionssoldiervolunteer soldiers
• Napoleonic Wars
  Keywords: napoleonic warswars
• Officers in the Merchant Navy
  Keywords: crew listsmerchant navyofficers merchant navy
• Ordnance Survey
  Keywords: mapsordnance survey
• Photographs
  Keywords: photographs
• Prisoner of war interview reports 1914-1918
  Keywords: first world warprisoners of warworld war one All records viewable online
• Prisoners of war in British hands
  Keywords: boer warcrimean warfirst world warprisoners of warsecond world warworld war two
• Available on:
  
  Prisoners of war: selected records 1715-1945
  Keywords: first world warprisoners of warsecond world warworld war oneworld war two All records viewable online
• Recommendations for military honours and awards 1935-1990
  Keywords: armyawardsgallantry medalshonoursmedalssecond world warworld war two All records viewable online
• Registration of merchant ships
  Keywords: merchant navynavyshipping
• Research and development in the British Army
  Keywords: armybritish armyordnance (military supplies)
• Research and development in the Royal Air Force
  Keywords: air transportaviationroyal air force
• Research and development in the Royal Navy
  Keywords: navyordnance (military supplies)royal navyshipping
• Available on:
  
  Royal Air Force airmen service records 1912-1939
  Keywords: All records viewable online
• Royal Air Force combat reports 1939-1945
  Keywords: combat reports (raf)royal air forcesecond world warsquadrons (royal air force)world war two All records viewable online
• Royal Air Force nurses
  Keywords: nursesroyal air forcesecond world war personnelwomen's military service
• Royal Air Force operations
  Keywords: combat reports (raf)first world warrafroyal air forceroyal flying corpsroyal naval air servicesecond world warsquadrons (royal air force)world war oneworld war two
• Royal Air Force operations record books 1911-1963
  Keywords: rafroyal air forcesecond world warsquadrons (royal air force)world war two All records viewable online
• Royal Air Force personnel
  Keywords: campaign medalscourts martialprisoners of warrafroyal air forcesecond world war personnel
• Royal Air Force squadrons
  Keywords: rafroyal air forcesquadrons (royal air force)
• Royal Flying Corps airmen
  Keywords: royal flying corps All records viewable online
• Royal Flying Corps officers
  Keywords: officers (air forces)royal flying corps
• Royal Marines officers
  Keywords: first world warofficers (royal marines)royal marinesworld war one
• Royal Marines other ranks
  Keywords: first world warroyal marinesworld war one
• Royal Marines’ service records 1842-1925
  Keywords: first world warroyal marinesworld war one All records viewable online
• Royal Naval Air Service officers
  Keywords: first world warofficers (air forces)royal naval air serviceworld war one All records viewable online
• Royal Naval Air Service officers’ service records 1906-1918
  Keywords: first world warroyal naval air serviceworld war one All records viewable online
• Royal Naval Air Service ratings
  Keywords: first world warroyal naval air serviceworld war one All records viewable online
• Royal Naval correspondence using the ADM 12 indexes and digests
  Keywords: admiraltyroyal navyshipping
• Royal Naval Division personnel
  Keywords: first world warroyal naval divisionroyal navyworld war one
• Royal Naval Division service records 1914-1919
  Keywords: first world warroyal naval divisionroyal navyworld war one All records viewable online
• Royal Naval dockyard staff
  Keywords: dockyardnavyroyal navy
• Royal Naval Reserve personnel
  Keywords: first world warnavyroyal naval reservesecond world war personnelworld war one
• Royal Naval Reserve service records 1860-1955
  Keywords: first world warroyal naval reserveroyal navyworld war one All records viewable online
• Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel
  Keywords: first world warnavyroyal naval volunteer reserveworld war one
• Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve service records 1903-1922
  Keywords: first world warroyal naval volunteer reserveroyal navyworld war one All records viewable online
• Royal Navy commissioned and warrant officers: further research
  Keywords: courts martialnavyofficers (royal navy)royal navy
• Royal Navy commissioned officers
  Keywords: first world warnavyofficers (royal navy)royal navywarrant officersworld war one
• Royal Navy nurses and medical officers
  Keywords: navynursesroyal navysecond world war personnelwomen's military service
• Royal Navy officers’ pensions
  Keywords: first world warnavyofficers (royal navy)pensionsroyal navy
• Royal Navy officers’ service record cards and files c.1840-c.1920
  Keywords: first world warnavyofficers (royal navy)royal navyworld war one All records viewable online
• Royal Navy officers’ service records 1756-1931
  Keywords: first world warnavyofficers (royal navy)pensionsroyal navywarrant officersworld war one All records viewable online
• Royal Navy operations and correspondence 1660-1914
  Keywords: admiraltynavyroyal navy
• Royal Navy operations and policy after 1945
  Keywords: admiraltyfleet air armnavyroyal navy
• Royal Navy operations in the First World War
  Keywords: admiraltyfirst world warnavyroyal navyworld war one
• Royal Navy operations in the Second World War
  Keywords: admiraltynavyroyal navysecond world war
• Royal Navy ratings enlisted after 1918
  Keywords: campaign medalsmedalsnavyroyal navysecond world warworld war two
• Royal Navy ratings of the First World War
  Keywords: first world warmedalsnavyroyal navyworld war one
• Royal Navy ratings up to 1913
  Keywords: medalsnavyroyal navy
• Royal Navy ratings’ pensions 17th-20th centuries
  Keywords: first world warnavypensionsroyal navyworld war one
• Royal Navy ratings’ service records 1853-1928
  Keywords: first world warnavyroyal navyworld war one All records viewable online
• Royal Navy ratings: further research
  Keywords: navyroyal navysecond world war personnel
• Royal Navy ships’ voyages in log books
  Keywords: admiraltylog books (ships)navyroyal navyshipping
• Royal Navy unpaid pensions 1830-1860: claims by next of kin
  Keywords: pensionsroyal navy All records viewable online
• Royal Navy warrant officers
  Keywords: navyofficers (royal navy)royal navywarrant officers
• Sea charts
  Keywords: admiraltycharts (maps)maps
• Ships wrecked or sunk
  Keywords: merchant navyroyal navyshipping
• Soldiers in African forces under British control
  Keywords: armybritish armybritish empirecolonieswars
• Victoria Cross registers 1856-1944
  Keywords: armybritish armyfirst world wargallantry medalsmedalssecond world warvictoria crossworld war one All records viewable online
• Volunteers and Territorials
  Keywords: armybritish armyhome frontmilitiaofficers (army)regiments and corpssoldierterritorial armyvolunteer soldiers
• War crimes 1939-1945
  Keywords: control commissionnuremberg trialssecond world warwar crimes
• Wars: an overview
  Keywords: wars
• Wills of Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel 1786-1882
  Keywords: officers (royal navy)probateroyal navywarrant officerswills All records viewable online
• Women in the British Army
  Keywords: armyfirst world warsoldierwomen's military service
• Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps service records 1917-1920
  Keywords: armyfirst world warwomen's military service All records viewable online
• Women’s Land Army
  Keywords: home frontland girlssecond world warsecond world war personnelwomen's land army
• Women’s Royal Air Force personnel
  Keywords: first world warroyal air forcesecond world war personnelwomen's military service
• Women’s Royal Air Force service records 1918-1920
  Keywords: royal air forcewomen's military service All records viewable online
• Women’s Royal Naval Service personnel
  Keywords: first world warroyal navywomen's military service All records viewable online