Hello everyone! We get a fair number of questions here the relate to family history, and specifically military service. There is often little that can be done however, aside from pointing someone in the right direction for their own research, so with that in mind, I've been working for the past few weeks on putting together a guide on retrieving military service records, as well as identifying from photos or uniforms just what Gramps or Grams was doing in the war. This guide will be permanently available on our Wiki (And don't forget to try /r/Genealogy too for these things!), but it is still a work in progress.
I'd first like to give a major shout-out to the users who helped me by writing out the procedures for several foreign countries I was unfamiliar with (See below), as well as all the flairs who offered their advice and critique. There is still more to add, so I welcome additions from countries that are not yet listed, or suggestions for how to improve sections already here, since I might have made a mistake or two. I'd especially welcome improved resources for the non-American Identification sections, as in many cases I was hard pressed to find quality material to include.
Anyways, without further ado, here you go!
##United States
###Requesting Records:
The US government makes available the basic records of service members to next of kin through the National Archives and Records Administration. The most common request is for the DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (or earlier, comparable document). As the next of kin, this can be requested online through the National Archives free of charge. Some records are made available online through the Archival Databases.
Be aware that, due to a fire in 1973, the records available are incomplete, with a significant amount of loss occurring for US Army records during World War II (Other branches were not affected). The government has done their best to reconstruct the data from other sources, but it is quite possible that a request cannot be fulfilled, so take that into account when you submit the request for a DD-214.
If you are not the next-of-kin (researching an uncle, for instance), since records that are 62+ years old are considered archival, they are accessible to the general public (which you count as if you are not a parent/spouse/child/sibling), but as a non-relation, require a fee, which varies with the amount of paperwork requested. Non-next of kin must use the SF-180 form to request the records. Full procedure can be found here.
For records of service prior to World War I, however, the process is slightly different, and while still ordered online, it is done through here, and there is a fee attached regardless of being related or not. An alternative, although not always guaranteed, is to go through a service such as Ancestry.com, which has digitized tons and tons of records and makes them available to their paying subscribers. You can often find muster rolls and other military records in their collection, spanning from the Revolution up through World War II. While there is a cost associated with the service, they offer free trials, and often open up the military records to free accounts on military holidays such as Memorial Day or Veterans Day.
###IDing Photos or Uniforms:
If you are looking to try and identify information based off of a uniform or from a photograph, these resources may prove to be of use.
####Ranks and Awards
Branch | Rank | Medals/Ribbons/Decorations ---|---|----|----|----|----|----|----|---- Army | Army Insignia, see also | Army Campaign, Service, and Personal Decorations | ArmyBranch Navy | Navy Insignia | Navy Medals and Ribbons Marines | Marine Insignia | Marine Awards and Decorations Air Force See Army pre-1947 | Air Force Insignia | Air Force Awards and Decorations Coast Guard | Coast Guard Insignia | USCG Awards (See also US Navy)
####For Units and other Info, See Also:
US Army Branch Insignia, US Army Division Insignia, US Army Brigade Insignia, US Army Field Group and Field Army Insignia, Other US Army Insignia, Obsolete Badges and Awards, WWI Era Markings.
US Navy Badges, List of US Navy Ships, Naval Squadrons and Inactive Squadrons, WWI Era Markings.
US Marine Corps Regimental Insignias, USMC Badges
US Air Force Squadron Emblems, US Air Force Badges
US Coast Guard Units, Insignia, Badges, and other Information
##Canada
###Requesting Records
Library and Archives Canada holds records for Canadian military service dating back to the 1700s, and are working to digitize their records, with much of that from 1918 and earlier already accessible online here. Records from post-1918 are restricted, and may only be accessed under certain conditions, but is accessible to the veteran themselves, or next of kin if deceased. If you wish to request copies of military service files for post-1918, including World War II, you can find more information on the process here.
As with American records, an alternative, although not always guaranteed, is to go through a service such as Ancestry.ca, which has digitized tons and tons of records and makes them available to their paying subscribers. While there is a cost associated with the service, they offer free trials, and often open up the military records to free accounts on military holidays.
In the case of a person killed in action, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission includes a searchable database of all persons killed in action in the various British and Commonwealth forces during the World Wars, which includes some information.
The Red Cross files for the WWI prisoners are available on the ICRC.
###IDing Photos or Uniforms:
If you are looking to try and identify information based off of a uniform or from a photograph, these resources may prove to be of use.
####Ranks and Awards
| Branch | Rank | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Army | Canadian Army Insignia | Current Awards and Medals and Decorations |
| Royal Canadian Navy, for post-1950 see here | Navy Ranks | Current Awards and Medals and Decorations |
| Royal Canadian Air Force | RCAF Ranks, see also | Current Awards and Medals and Decorations |
####For Units and other Info, See Also:
Canadian Army Rank and Appointment Insignia, Canadian Army Cap Badges, and more! World War I Patches.
Royal Canadian Navy Trade Badges, Index of Ships, Fleet air Arm Crests
RCAF Crests, Logos and Insignia
##United Kingdom
###Requesting Records
Military service records from prior to 1920 are available through the British National Archives, specifically for World War I service, and for service through 1913. Much of the information is accessible online through Ancestry.co.uk or FindMyPast.co.uk, which do involve fees, although the sites offer free trial periods and periodically make military records free to everyone for certain holidays. Documents can be accessed free of charge by visiting the Archives, but copies do cost money, whether done in person or by request Be aware that some records may have been destroyed by during the bombings of London in World War II.
Post-1920 records are requested from the UK Government, and can be requested by the next of kin. The spouse of a service member may request the records if they are deceased (and the service member themselves), but all other persons pay a £30 fee.
In the case of a person killed in action, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission includes a searchable database of all persons killed in action in the various British and Commonwealth forces during the World Wars, which includes some information.
The Red Cross files for the WWI prisoners are available on the ICRC.
###IDing Photos or Uniforms:
If you are looking to try and identify information based off of a uniform or from a photograph, these resources may prove to be of use.
####Ranks and Awards
| Branch | Rank | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| British Army | Army Ranks, see also | Current Awards, and Medal Ribbons |
| Royal Navy | Navy Ranks | Medal Ribbons |
| Royal Marines | RM Ranks | Medal Ribbons |
| RAF | RAF Ranks, see also | Medal Ribbons |
####For Units and other Info, See Also:
British Army Corps and Regimental Insignia, British Army Division and Brigade Insignia, Regiments c. WWI, WWII Era Formation Badges, Standards and Cap Badges. For Victorian Era Ranks.
Royal Navy and Royal Marine Badges, Royal Navy Badges and Insignia, Royal Navy Ships, Ship and Sub Badges, Fleet Air Arm Badges.
Royal Marine Unit Insignia, and Badges Generally.
Royal Air Force Badges and Insignia, Distinguishing Insignia, Squadron Crests, List of Squadrons, Air Historical Branch
##Australia
###Requesting Records
Australian military records can be found through both the Australian War Memorial and the National Archives of Australia. Records for more recent service are requested through the Department of Defense.
The Australian War Memorial provides for the searching of various rolls, and provides basic biographical information off of them, such as with this example or this one. Many of the records are digitized.
The National Archives of Australia holds service records from the through World War II. Boer War, World War I, and World War II records are digitized and can be viewed online. Navy Officers and Petty and Enlisted Men are digitized as well in a separate collection. To order physical copies of documents, select "Request a Copy" on the Item Detail Page in RecordSearch
Korean and Vietnam records are held by the Department of Defence. They are searchable, but the original documents are not digitiezed. Copies can be requested through the National Archives of Australia.
In the case of a person killed in action, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission includes a searchable database of all persons killed in action in the various British and Commonwealth forces during the World Wars, which includes some information.
The Red Cross files for the WWI prisoners are available on the ICRC.
###IDing Photos or Uniforms:
If you are looking to try and identify information based off of a uniform or from a photograph, these resources may prove to be of use.
####Ranks and Awards
| Branch | Insignia | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Army | Ranks | Medals and Awards |
| Royal Australian Navy | Ranks | Medals and Awards |
| Royal Australian Air Force | Ranks | Medals and Awards |
####See Also:
"It's An Honour", "Researching Australian Military Service, Australian Campaign Medals, AIF Badges, Badges and Emblems
List of RAN Ships, Navy Badges
RAAF Squadrons and Crests, RAAF Squadron Badges.
##New Zealand
###Requesting Records
Archives New Zealand holds NZ Military files through World War II, collected into various series, which can be accessed on their website. Most documents through World War I are digitized, and original documents can be accessed in person at the Archives:
Archives New Zealand, National Office, Wellington
10 Mulgrave Street
Wellington 6011
04 499 5595
research.archives@dia.govt.nz
Copies may be made of the documents during your visit using personal cameras.
Many World War II Files are in the New Zealand Defence Force Archives, and are not all digitized. They can be accessed in person at the Archives, or copies requested by contacting them at:
NZDF Archives
Personnel Enquiries
Trentham Military Camp
Private Bag 905, Upper Hutt 5140
04 527 5280
persarch@nzdf.mil.nz
Some digitized files can be viewed through the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
In the case of a person killed in action, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission includes a searchable database of all persons killed in action in the various British and Commonwealth forces during the World Wars, which includes some information.
The Red Cross files for the WWI prisoners are available on the ICRC.
###IDing Photos or Uniforms:
####Ranks and Awards
See British Rank Insignia. New Zealand Ribbons / Medals
####For Units and other Info, See Also:
New Zealand at War, Veteran's Affairs
##Netherlands
###Requesting Records
For records prior to 1900, the best sources are the Central Bureau for Genealogy (CBG) and the National Archives (NA). The CBG website is easy to use; for the NA you may find contacting them by phone or mail easier. The Netherlands Institute of Military History (NIMH) also may have some information, though "[w]hat the NIMH mainly has to offer is a wealth of general information about life in the military in the past". Note that the information provided here has been taken from the various NIMH pages available via the link above.
There are a few specialized databases, such as this one containing information concerning sea-voyagers (including soldiers) upon ships between 1700 and 1795 who sailed to the Orient, a database of Dutch soldiers in service of Napoleon 1810-1813, and Officers' name and rank lists (1725-1989) (the latter two only available in-person at the NIMH).
For records of people born after 1900 you have to contact the Semi-static Archives Services of the Ministry of Defence. This can only be done in writing. You need to include the full name and date of birth of the person you are looking for, as well as a copy of your own identity document. The address is:
Netherlands Ministry of Defence
Afdeling Semi-Statische Archiefdiensten (SSA) (Semi-static Archives Services)
P.O. Box 7000
6460 NC Kerkrade
Netherlands
There are separate records for members of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) born after 1900. These records are kept by the Stichting Administratie Indonesische Pensioenen (SAIP) (Foundation for Registration of Indonesian Pensions) (link in Dutch)
(Kudos to /u/Polybios)
###IDing Photos or Uniforms:
If you are looking to try and identify information based off of a uniform or from a photograph, these resources may prove to be of use.
####Ranks and Awards
For World War II Era Army, Naval, and Air Force Insignia, see here. Additionally, many Dutch pilots flew in squadrons organized by other allied powers. For Dutch India Colonial Insignia. Handboek Onderscheidingen (Handbook Decorations [PDF, Dutch] includes pictures of all medals and ribbons awarded to Dutch military personnel.
####See Also:
Orders, Decorations and Medals of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Dutch Ribbons, Military Insignia
##France
###Requesting Records
A lot of the records up to WWI have been digitalised and published on the sites of the Archives Départementales.
To find the man you're looking for, you need to know 1) his year of birth, 2) where he was living when he was 20.
Once you know that, you calculate his "classe", which is his birth year + 20 years. Then you find from which "Bureau" his location depended from (a few Bureaux were set in a different département). Using the "Tables alphabétiques", you find his "numéro matricule" (serial number), then in the "Registres matricules", you find his personal record using said number.
Records for people born after 1901 are not publically available, so you have to prove your close family link with the person, unless you can prove that he's been dead for more than 25 years.
Mémoire des hommes has databases for the soldiers dead during the 20th century wars and war burials. You can also find the regiment diaries for WWI, and part of the (currently being indexed) registries for Napoleon's army.
La base Léonore contains the files for the recipients of the Légion d'honneur who died before 1977. (Some files have been lost, though.)
The Red Cross files for the WWI prisoners are available on the ICRC.
(Kudos to /u/snakeling)
###IDing Photos or Uniforms:
If you are looking to try and identify information based off of a uniform or from a photograph, these resources may prove to be of use.
####Ranks and Awards
| Branch | Ranks | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| French Army | Pre-1914, WWI Officer and WWI Enlisted, WWII | Awards |
| French Navy | Insignia | Awards |
| French Air Force | Insignia | Awards |
####For Units and other Info, See Also:
Army Collar Insignia, Beret Insignias
##Germany
###Requesting Records
For members of the former Wehrmacht, one can request all of their records with the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt). However, it is not possible to obtain records of surviving combatants without their permission. It is only possible to obtain information on members of the former Wehrmacht who died either in the field or in captivity, and then only with permission from the next of kin. There is an associated cost, depending on the difficulty and amount of records requested, but it is around 20€ to 30€.
The Federal Archive - Branch Office Ludwigsburg (Central Office for the Investigation of National Socialist Crimes, e-mail: ludwigsburg@bundesarchiv.de) houses data on units involved in war crimes, the scenes of these crimes, suspects and culprits, as well as persons who were mentioned in the investigations of said crimes. Therefore, it might be useful to check these archives if the searched person was part of units suspected of war crimes.
The Federal Archive - Department MA (Military Archives) houses files on :
However, this needs to be taken with a grain of salt. The Department MA has lost vast amounts of its files due to war. Most of the files are war diaries written by army commanders and files on the navy.
Department R (Reich) has the largest pool of documents (from almost all eras), but these are mainly of a civil administrative nature (justice, finance, etc.).
Kirchlicher Suchdienst is focused on persons from the former eastern territories, the Balkans or the Baltic states. It also has an archive of letters, including letters from war captivity. May be costy.
Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e. V. an provide useful information when looking for war graves.
Additionally, the German Red Cross Tracing Service offers services that allow one to trace any missing person, be it civilian or military. This may not be the best place to look for military records, but it is a good start nonetheless.
(Kudos to /u/ScanianMoose)
###IDing Photos or Uniforms:
If you are looking to try and identify information based off of a uniform or from a photograph, these resources may prove to be of use.
####Ranks and Awards
| Branch | Insignia | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| German Army | Deutsches Heer, Reichswehr, Heer | Imperial, Third Reich |
| German Navy | Kaiserliche Marine, Kriegsmarine | Imperial, Third Reich |
| German Air Force | Luftwaffe | Third Reich |
| Waffen-SS | Insignia | Third Reich |
####For Units and other Info, See Also:
Badges, Insignia, and Other Stuff, Wehrmacht and SS Militaria
This is an outstanding resource. Bravo.
Fantastic resource. I would add that for the US there are sometimes state-level resources that are easy to tap into. For instance, the New York State Archives has a good amount of military records for New Yorkers who served prior to World War II. I have done family research in their World War I holdings and their collection was invaluable.
This is a great resource! I'll suggest some further resources for Canadian records.
LAC has a number of other digitized records that may be of use. Many of them are more easily searched through ancestry.com, but there is free access through the LAC website at the following links:
The Circumstances of Death Registers, First World War cover circumstances of death and information about an initial grave site, if any. They are not complete, and cover only up to the last name “Sims”.
The Commonwealth War Graves Registers, First World War record information about burial (when grave was known) and communication with next-of-kin.
There are also the Veterans Death Cards for First World War veterans. These largely cover 1918 to the early 1960s, with some wartime cards, and some members of British forces included. They only cover those deaths reported by next of kin or by other government agencies, and so do not record every Canadian veteran who died during these years. Some cards are quite complete, including details about causes of death, next of kin, and whether death was related to service, but others are much more basic.
These first three sets of records are in alphabetic order by last name, and can be browsed, but not searched by name or other information. They are searchable through ancestry.com (for a fee, of course).
LAC is currently digitizing service files for Second World War fatalities:
Service Files of the Second World War - War Dead, 1939-1947
Approximately 1,400 of the 44,000 or so files are currently available online. The digitized material usually represents a selection of what is contained in the full service file.
Veterans Affairs Canada maintains the Canadian Virtual War Memorial. It includes the names from the Books of Remembrance, but also additional information. For some entries, families or other members of the public have contributed digital information, including photographs and newspaper clippings.
It’s also worth noting that during both world wars casualty lists and stories about service personnel were regularly published in many newspapers. Searching through microfilmed or digitized local papers can turn up information including names and addresses of next-of-kin for casualties, or even stories giving details about service personnel. Local communities also often maintained honour rolls or other sources of information about local residents serving in the military, and these have sometimes survived in the possession of local museums or archives.
I will add to the list for France a website I use regularly :
MémorialGenWeb is a collaborative website ( though under strict control by the administration team ) that aims to make the inventory of all " war memorials, soldiers or civilian victims, French or foreigners killed or missing during a conflict, dead during deportation and Morts pour la France ".
There are different ways to search in this website. If you are looking to see all the names written on a war memorial or the names of all soldiers buried in a particular cemetery you can by clicking on the picture above Les monuments et les morts ( Monuments and dead ) then using the map to search by regions and departments. If you are looking for someone in particular ( for example one of the 4,700 WW1 German soldiers buried in Bligny Cemetery, Marne ) you can by also clicking on Les monuments et les morts ( Monuments and dead ) and then filling the fields on the left side. A simple name ( Nom ) is enough but you can be more specific ( in order : first name, conflict, localisation of the monument, nationality, department or country of birth, birth place, department or country of death, place of death, date of death, number and/or name of the regiment ). Finally click on compter to have the results.
Once you can see the results of your search, simply click on the name and a little pop-up will open with the page of the person. This one is one of the most complete page with a picture of the deceased as well as the name of the person who gave the picture. All the information known are listed below : name, rank, conflict, category ( in this case Gilbert Boulet was a civilian victim ), ...Etc You can also see the cause of death. The category Département ou pays inhumation is also important as it gives the opportunity to see exactly where the person is buried. The category Carré, rang, tombe informs you on the number where exactly in a cemetery a soldier is. This is particularly useful if you plan to visit, for example, the grave of a soldier in a Normandie cemetery. Autres informations can also contain additional information about the person ( such as parents, spouse, the exact situation that lead his death,...Etc ).
Afficher les sources des modifications is useful as it lists the people who made the page and sources they used ( who modified the page, ...Etc ).
Finally, the links in the yellow rectangle allows to request the modification of a page ( you then have to fill a form and provide the reasons of your request ) or to send an additional picture of the deceased if you wish.
One of the other page that could be useful is the database of the deported 1939-1945 listing people from France or who were deported from France and who died during transportation or at concentration/death camp. So far they managed to list more than 89,000 names.
MémorialGenWeb is part of a larger called FranceGenWeb containing many databases about heraldry, notarial records and the brilliant ( and I think unique online website ) LafayetteGenWeb listing French soldiers and other personal who were sent to fight during the American War of Independence.
I hope this helps. I hope I did not make too many English mistakes. If this is too long I am sorry but the website is only in French and I thought providing a quick guide on how to use it was necessary.
Here are some other suggestions for British records, including Empire/Commonwealth personnnel:
The London Gazette has searchable archives, and includes records relating to honours and awards, as well as to appointments and promotions. Sometimes there are citations for the awards, but it isn’t always the case.
The RAF Museum has also been digitizing a range of records, which are searchable online in its History Vault. These include Air Force Lists, which give details of appointments and promotions, as well as casualty cards, which give information about wounds, injuries, illness, and hospitalization.
It’s also worth taking a look at sites like the Internet Archive to see if they have digitized records like the Navy List, which can give details about individuals’ service. (This particular link is to the material provided by the National Library of Scotland, and there are probably other examples to be found on the site.)
