Have I got this right
 

that they're not charging for obtaining historical army records now?

Think it cost me £30 a few years ago.

According to the Government website, there is no fee:
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military...-serviceperson

The "no fee" applies to records held by the MOD. It says there may be a fee for those held by TNA.

That's good but wonder what the waiting time will be once this is known.

As I understand it, Kew is packed to the gunwales with WW2 docs, which are going to be digitised by Ancestry. I imagine that access will be difficult for the next couple of years (or so)

I think records from the MOD have always appeared at a very leisurely pace anyway, anything up to a year.

OC

Took 13 months to get my father in laws

Yes, I remember when my father-in-law applied for his own record. After about 14 months he complained, saying he would be dead if they didn't hurry up (he was 90 at the time). The envelope arrived about a week later! On the other hand, when I applied for my father's record it came in under two weeks, but that may have been because he was in the RAF (with fewer service personnel) not the army/navy.

It will be better once Ancestry have digitised them. The MOD don’t have people wanting historical records as any sort of priority.

Yes, it should make a huge difference.

Wow! Have intended to apply for my father's for years in the hope that it may give some clue as to my unknown sibling. feels like a step closer.

None of the post-1920 records I have (maybe 12 sets?) have any info on the children of the serviceman. :(

I wondered if there might be a disciplinary matter/child support/whatever.

AN

I applied for service records for my friend's grandfather in a vain attempt to discover the name of the wife and children he had abandoned. The names were redacted! But, as the records are free, it's worth a punt for you.

OC

I've now made an application.