The citation text explaining why the award was given can sometimes be found in archive copies of the London Gazette - again available at The National Archives or online at Gazettes are the official newspaper of the state and contain information about officers' commissions, honours and awards.Ī sad fact, perhaps, but information about those who died during the two world wars is often the easiest to trace. A guide to regimental and corps museums can be found on the National Army Museum's website at: Medals awarded for acts of gallantry can also help to build up a picture of an individual's wartime service. A regimental museum may have images of the men who served or letters home, and will almost certainly have an expert on hand to bring dates and events to life. Next, visit your local regimental museum, one of the other service museums or national museums to build up a good picture of what life was like for your ancestor during their period of service. Original war diaries can be found at TNA, and a growing collection is available on the TNA website. Even so, it is possible to identify quite precisely where a unit was at any given time during the war and what happened to it. However, it is uncommon to find individuals other than officers mentioned by name unless they did something extraordinary most are included in the sometimes frustrating term 'other ranks'. The content of these diaries varies, but they often mention the battles in which the men were engaged as well as the more mundane duties required of a unit in the field. Armed with this information you may want to read the regimental war diary, which can help to build a daily picture of war service. Once you have identified which medals the serviceman was entitled to, you should be able to identify the campaigns he was engaged in and the regiment or units he belonged to.
#Army redacted files series
One of the most popular series of records used by genealogists is the World War One Campaign Medals Index, which can be searched online at The National Archives website (the correct link is As with all such searches, common names may present problems. Virtually every serving soldier, sailor or airman qualified for a campaign medal and that entitlement is recorded within the rolls. If all you have to begin with are scant details - perhaps just a name - one of the best places to start is the medal rolls. War diaries can help to build up a picture of daily service While some research can be done online, most requires a personal visit to TNA, or, if this is not possible, you can engage a freelance researcher. Their informative website at has details of the services on offer, as well as detailed research guides and a growing collection of online records. The National Archives (TNA) at Kew, West London is as close as you will get to a 'one stop shop' and an excellent place to start. Unfortunately, one of the problems with researching military records, particularly in the United Kingdom, is the widespread physical locations of the material. Numerous books exist on the subject, as well as useful web-based resources. No matter how much information you begin your search with, a good starting point is to read a basic history of the two world wars to gain some understanding of the events and terms you will come across during your research. The Early Records Enquiries Unit at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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