Army records from WW2

[Margaret in Burton]

We are going to be applying for FIL's army records very soon, Where can I find details on how to do this? I know this has probably been covered before but I can't find where to look. Doesn't it cost £30 for someone other than the spouse?

[Finbar]

This link might be of use, Marg.

http://veterans-uk.info/pdfs/service.../army_pack.pdf (http://veterans-uk.info/pdfs/service_records/army_pack.pdf)

[Merry]

It was that amount a while back. Don't know if it's changed at all.

Have a ferret here:

http://www.army.mod.uk/welfare-support/family/6980.aspx

[Margaret in Burton]

Thanks Finbar and Merry, that's exactly what I was looking for. I have bookmarked both of those sites.

OH also wants to send for his uncle's record. His aunt is still living, she's 99, so there would be no charge for her.

Does the form have to filled in by her or can it be filled in by OH with a covering letter from his aunt. They had no children.

[Merry]

Thanks Finbar and Merry, that's exactly what I was looking for. I have bookmarked both of those sites.

OH also wants to send for his uncle's record. His aunt is still living, she's 99, so there would be no charge for her.

Does the form have to filled in by her or can it be filled in by OH with a covering letter from his aunt. They had no children.

Erm, when we got F-i-L's record we wrote a letter rather than completing a form. OH had to forge his dad's signature as his father wasn't up to doing that (hope OH doesn't get court martialed for that?). 13 months later the MoD talked to F-i-L on the phone after OH complained that if we didn't get the record soon F-i-L might not still be alive to read it, so having spoken to him they were well aware he was still alive. In the end we waited 14 months!!

Honestly, if you are sending something off for a lady who is 99, I would put in a covering letter explaining this and ask if the request can be fast tracked. Maybe send a photocopy of her birth/marriage cert to prove that. It might speed things along a bit and no harm in trying. Having said that, 14 months was an unusual case.

[Margaret in Burton]

She should be named as his NOK in his records as they married in 1937.

Do they accept photocopies of certs? I don't have their marriage cert, I do his his death cert, asked for one when the death was registered last year. I can't see her allowing me to have the original marriage cert to send off. I suppose I could go and get one if they do need that. They did marry in Burton.

I'll look to see if there is a phone number or email address and tell them the circumstances.
Who would be NOK if she dies? They had no children. A few nephews and neices on her side as well as her OH's of which my OH is not the eldest.

[Merry]

Well, of course your OH would be the next next of kin, wouldn't he!!! :rolleyes: As long he signs the declaration stating he is next of kin they are happy, I think. I don't know if a problem could arise if someone else, also saying they were next of kin, requested the docs?



Yes, they do accept photocopies of certs.

[Margaret in Burton]

Trouble is Merry, she's really deaf so no use anyone phoning her really. :D:D

I'll have to write to her and then pop in to see her I reckon. She'll probably lend me the marriage cert to copy.

I can't see anyone else requesting them, they're not really interested in family history.

[maggie_4_7]

ahhh sorry late to the thread but you've got the link now - as you know Margaret in Burton I sent for my fathers a few weeks ago.

I paid £30 and declared myself the next of kin which they have accepted - for all intense and purposes I am although I have older half siblings - but they didn't require proof or ask for it.

My request has been received and a letter back said they were very busy and it could take some time much longer than the 3 months stated - they were busy fulfilling the current welfare requests (not sure what that meant but I have an idea as our boys are currenly in Iraq and Afghanistan) I could write and request my money back and if they didn't hear from me in 7 days they'll assume I want them to find them. I did nothing and they cashed my cheque the other day. I expect I'm in for a long wait that's if they find anything they keep the money whatever the outcome.

[Margaret in Burton]

Thanks Maggie

I am going to ask the widow to apply, well I'll do it all just need her signature.

That will save £30

If the worst happens and she passes away then we will have to pay the fee.

The reason OH wants his uncles as well as his dads is that they often said they kept missing each other in the middle east and took it that they perhaps weren't destined to see each other again.

They did, FIL lived until he was 89 and uncle until 98.


We want to compare the two as to where they were and when.

[maggie_4_7]

No if the worst happens you won't have to pay the fee. Obviously her post will be passed to next of kin/or redirected to someone! A bit morbid but there you go.

[Margaret in Burton]

No if the worst happens you won't have to pay the fee. Obviously her post will be passed to next of kin/or redirected to someone! A bit morbid but there you go.

yes but her post will be redirected to OH's cousins who wouldn't pass on that sort of stuff to us, Long story but lets say they have refused an invitation to my daughters wedding.

[JayG]

Both my parents are still alive. I got them to sign a letter giving me permission to access their fathers' service records, I received the copies to my address not my parents as I had applied with their permission.

Maybe you can do the same Margaret so if aunt passes away between applying & getting the records they be sent to your OH anyway.

[Margaret in Burton]

Both my parents are still alive. I got them to sign a letter giving me permission to access their fathers' service records, I received the copies to my address not my parents as I had applied with their permission.

Maybe you can do the same Margaret so if aunt passes away between applying & getting the records they be sent to your OH anyway.

Yes I had thought that was perhaps the way to go Jay

[Kit]

I agree with Jay. Having looked at the forms when my grandad was still alive I think you specify what address the records are to be sent to. Just put your address on the form.

[maggie_4_7]

Oh if you can get it sent to another address thats fine I didn't think they'd do that though. I suppose if you put your address on the letter that your OH's aunt signs and on the declaration then they'd wouldn't know any difference.

You'd receive all communication from them as well if OH's aunt is okay with that then I'd do that.

[Joy Dean]

We were told it could take a few months but in the event it took a few weeks.

They do not have the resources to check up on people's relationships.
Happy hunting :)

[Margaret in Burton]

Thank you for all of your replies, I'll sort it over the weekend.

[maggie_4_7]

Thank you for all of your replies, I'll sort it over the weekend.

Good I hope you get both your FILs and OH's uncle's service records.

Good thing people aren't as touchy about WWII service records and who applies for them as they are about the access to the 1921 census hey!

[Margaret in Burton]

Good I hope you get both your FILs and OH's uncle's service records.

Good thing people aren't as touchy about WWII service records and who applies for them as they are about the access to the 1921 census hey!

Maybe they are Maggie, it just isn't a hotbed of interest at the moment. :):)

[kiterunner]

Don't really want to take this thread too far away from its original question, but surely the WW2 service records are only being released to the ex-soldiers themselves or their next-of-kin, whereas if I understood the 1921 census petition correctly, people are asking for the 1921 census info to be made available to anyone who wants to look at it? I would imagine that if the army were proposing to make public the service records of people who might still be living, there would have to be a full public consultation first. Not that I know of any such proposal, although I know there was some recent consultation about whether to release records of people who left the army in the years following WW1.

[Joy Dean]

When I said "They do not have the resources to check up on people's relationships.", I didn't mean that you would not have to provide proof of some sort of relationship, ie for my father's army records, I sent copies of his death certificate, of my birth certificate and of my marriage certificate.

[maggie_4_7]

You don't have to provide proof of relationship you only have to make a declaration of kinship!

[Joy Dean]

You don't have to provide proof of relationship you only have to make a declaration of kinship!
At the time that I applied for them, I did have to provide proof .

[Margaret in Burton]

I intend to suppy relevent copies of certs anyway. I have an all in one scanner/printer so I can take that when we go to see aunt and copy her marriage cert there and then.

If the worst happens and she pops off before we go then we'll just have to stump up the £30 or not get his record.

[Margaret in Burton]

Just written a letter to aunty.

:):)

[JayG]

Did Aunty reply Marg?

[Margaret in Burton]

Yes, she said NO!

She said she wasn't interested in her husbands army records. I think she's got the wrong end of the stick. She thinks we want to get them for her, not us. I'm not going to pester a woman of 99.

We will wait until after she had passed away. I know it will cost £30 but hey ho!

I've realised that I don't have a problem with NOK when she has died. Her hubby still has a living brother and he is very interested in the family tree, so no problem.He will be NOK.

We do think she has been influenced in her decision to say no by my husband's cousins who we aren't on good terms with and seem to have a great influence over her.
With reason - no children, loads of money and who gets it? Oooh I wonder!

She also told us that her hubby didn't ever claim his medals so I reckon we could try for them too.

[JayG]

Ah that's ashame Marg, tho pleased to see you've got a backup NOK!

[Margaret in Burton]

Thanks Jay

Will get the form sorted to send for father in law's after this weekend. Daughters wedding on Saturday so things here are a bit manic.