Military Chat

Just to clarify this, you do not necessarily have to be next of kin to apply for these records. The detailed information is supplied here:

https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

Denis

You will have to prove your relationship to your Aunt, and this is usually via certificates etc.,

I know I had to provide my birth, marriage and Dads death cert. to get his records.

Luckily, I knew his regiment and number. Which helped them.

Thanks Annielaurie, it looks as tho I should qualify as next of kin then.
Sue

Hello to all you kind people trying to help me.

I know about army service records because this year I have received my father's. There is a great deal of detail on it and it has helped me to replace his medals that he was conned out of. I actually am his next of kin being his firstborn so that was not a problem for me.

James Smith is a different matter entirely. He was my husband's uncle. All I know is that he was a navigator in the RAF and was lost with his plane somewhere over the sea returning to England. I do not know his date of birth, but it had to be sometime after 1911 because his name does not appear on that census with the rest of his family. Like many others he was young when he died. I can find no record of his death or any memorial to him. There are no family members able to help either.

Regards,

Josie

The Next of kin form which has to be completed to apply for records gives relatives that can be classed as next of kin

• The immediate Next of Kin whose consent is required for disclosure of the record is the first Person in the following list that is still alive.
• Read the list below and when you come to the first living relative of the deceased subject place an ‘X’ in the box and write their full name next to it. This process will enable you to identify the person who the MOD will regard as the immediate Next of Kin.

Spouse
Son / Daughter
Grandchild
Father / Mother
Brother / Sister
Nephew / Niece
Grandparent
Other (specify)

War Diaries can be found in various places, a lot depends

Many are a Kew
Some will be at the Imperial War museum
and if you are very lucky they may still be held with the regiment

They will be certainly be in one of these 3 places.

As for the Next Of Kin question, the best thing to do re: unmarried aunt is to contact Glasgow and ask them if you can order her records.

Just wondering what exactly constitutes Next of Kin? I've looked on the website and that doesn't give any definitions. I would quite like to get my Aunt's army papers from WW2 - she never married, her parents and siblings are all deceased so I could be considered her Next of Kin.
If anyone is wanting to get War diaries - find the Regimental Museum and ask them. A couple of years ago I got them to send me the WW1 diaries ( just had to pay a photocopying charge ) and so managed to work out exactly where my grandfather had been when he was wounded.
Sue

Josephine as you are not Next of Kin you will not be able to obtain his war records.

Only the serviceman, his wife or children can do so.

And my comments originally were designed not to put Dizzi off, but those of you whose fathers records contained lots of info were very lucky, many that come back are pretty much like mine, containing some very basic info. And as said by taking this info and getting the War Diaries you will find out more about the regiment. But it is the luck of the draw as to the information contained therein.. For me with the papers my dad had kept (along with loads of pictures as well) I had pretty much the same as the records office, so learned nothing new.

Do you know his year of birth, Josie?

Oh dear, Denis, I can find no record of a James Smith that fits the bill. Any further help appreciated.

Josie

Thank you Denis. It will be difficult because his name was James Smith!

Josephine

If you look on the following website you should be able to find his number from the entry under his name:

http://www.cwgc.org/

I am looking for my husband's uncle and need to know how to find WW2 RAF records. I do not know his sevice number, only that he was lost somewhere over the sea and that he was a pilot navigator. Could anyone point me in the right direction, please?

Many thanks,
Josie

I sent off for my Dad's WW2 Army records last year and was amazed at all the information it contained. Apart from very full details of his army service it also gave full details of his schooling, previous employment and even references from former employers. It was also lovely to see all his handwritten application forms. I wonder if this could all have been because he was an officer in the REME. Maybe more comprehensive files were kept if the person was commissioned? In comparison, my father in law was commissioned in the RAF and served for many years after the war, but his records were minimal - just postings really.

Sue

I applied for my late dad's army records and was surprised to find details of his marriage, whilst serving in the Middle East.

The papers also recorded his son's birth, about whom I knew nothing.

Obviously this made me curious to find more information but unfortunately have drawn a blank ....

I will add that I found my father's army records very comprehensive, in my opinion well worth the money and the wait!!!

THANK YOU FOR REPLYING I GUESS SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED ARE MY DADS SECRETS AND STAY THAT WAY I HAVE A FEW THINGS OF HIS AND MY MEMORIES

They will tell you which regiments and battalions he was with and when, but won't say where they were stationed, although you can find this out from War Diaries.

Not a lot more, it will tell you where his regiment was posted, but that should be in his paybook.

I sent of for my dads and like you I already had a bit that he had never got rid of, and I was bitterly disappointed with the info.

Also a lot depends on where his regiment were posted, and what they did.

As you know the wait is about 8-10 mths.... You will have to provide his death, your birth and marriage certs to prove you are his daughter.... They do accept photocopies thankfully. And you do not need to fill out the form. I just sent a letter with the info I knew and my certs. Got a return reply informing me of the length of time I would have to wait and if I wished to cancel because of this. I just wrote back and confirmed that I still wanted the records..

If I apply for my dads ww2 military records what are they likely. To contain,I already have his pay book,enlistment and discharge papers and a book that said he was at field,or sick or on leave