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War / Army Records

  • 11-11-2020 3:46pm
    #1
    Rmulvany
    Registered Users Posts: 214 ✭✭


    Hi all,

    I have a couple of family members who have served time in wars over the years, for the British Army mainly.
    I have been able to get some good details from the site Fold3 but my question is should I be looking at other sites also? Or would Fold3 be the Go To site for these documents.

    I have a GG Grandfather who served in the Crimean War and would like to learn more truth to see if it matches some "stories" I have been told.

    Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    Mick Tator
    Registered Users Posts: 652 ✭✭✭Mick Tator


    Getting a ‘service number’ is critical and then finding the regiment.

    It’s never a ‘one stop shop’ for most individuals’ records – some regiments have their own records, some are in the Nat. Archives at Kew and some were destroyed during WW2/Blitz.

    In Kew the records are spread across several sectors, e.g. Pay and pensions in one bank of files, transfers in another, etc. Dates also are a factor, not all are in Kew.

    Some regiments have their own histories, written by retired officers, often very good for background info. Also worth looking at are the ‘regimental day books’ which (when available) are a goldmine of info on battles/killed in action, etc.

    Find my Past has free access to military records until tomorrow (12th) morning at 10.

    I’ve done some research in Kew and it is one area where – should I have to do similar again – I’d hire a pro. The records there are not intuitive but a pro with Kew experience would save you days of work. Kew probably is closed now due to Covid……..


  • #3
    pinkypinky
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,614 Mod ✭✭✭✭pinkypinky


    You definitely want to be using Ancestry as well as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site (if any of them died).

    Soldiers wills on our own NAI genealogy site.

    I would not expect much about the Crimea to be online.

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • #4
    Rmulvany
    Registered Users Posts: 214 ✭✭Rmulvany


    pinkypinky wrote: »
    You definitely want to be using Ancestry as well as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site (if any of them died).

    Soldiers wills on our own NAI genealogy site.

    I would not expect much about the Crimea to be online.
    Thanks, I have actually managed to find a large folder on my great-grandfather who served in Crimea but on my grandfather who served in WW1 I have only found 1 or 2 documents (I'm only sure he served as I found his medals)
    I'll do some more digging on the above suggestions thanks


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