A soldier’s military service was recorded in fine detail. From his enlistment, through training and active service to death or discharge, many different official documents were produced and the man mentioned in many other ways. Some of the types of document have been affected by loss or destruction since 1918, but many still exist. With increasing digitisation it is becoming ever easier to track down the documentary evidence that remains. Here’s how.

How to Begin …

• Prepare your search
• Are you trying to find family details from military records?
• Check these Frequently Asked Questions

How To Find …

• A soldier’s service record
• An officer’s service record
• Campaign medal records
• Gallantry and bravery award records
• Long service awards
• Foreign awards
• Silver War Badge records
• Casualty lists and records
• Hospital admission and discharge records
• Records of deaths, burials and commemorations
• Records of prisoners of war
• Operational records
• Entries in national rolls of honour
• Pension records
• Records of those who served in the Red Cross

How to Interpret …

• A medal index card
• A theatre of war code on a medal index card
• A military cemetery
• Tips for identifying details from photographs of men in uniform
• General advice on interpreting army records

Insights and articles

• When all else fails – try the Absent Voters List

More help

You can find more information and get more help at the following websites:

• The Great War Forum
• The British Medals Forum
• The Western Front Association
• The Gallipoli Association
• The Salonika Campaign Society
• The Imperial War Museum
• The National Army Museum
• The National Archives
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