Genealogy Chat

Hi All Could anyone please tell me were i can get my fathers army details from ww2. i have his leave book that gives his number etc but would like to find out more. x Thanks for any help Theresa.

Hello Theresa You should be able to find your fathers WW2 records at the National Archives WWW(.)pro(.) gov(.)uk You must visit in person. If you are thinking of visiting the PRO read all the information on the website first. Good Luck Shirley

Hi! Does anyone know if the same it true of RAF Records? I'm trying to trace some details for an RAF Sgt who died in WW2. Would I also have to visit in person, or are any details available online? I have a service number and a date of death, but that's about all. Thanks in advance for any help offered.

Hello Rebecca If you look on the PRO website click on leaflets then click on R a list of RAF leaflets will come up. They will tell you what they hold there. Shirley

Hi,You have to get a form from the "pay,pension and personnel administration AFPAA (centurion) RN records and DPA, room 086"Centurion building,Grange road.Gosport,Hants, PO13 9XA, they will send you a couple of forms,one for you to prove you are the next of kin,and the second for the details of the person you want info on.There is a charge of £25 which is non-refundable even if they don't find the person you want.They will also send you a list of additional contact addresses.I hope thes helps. Steve

rebecca have mailed you direct with some info for RAF ok? Shelli

Have you tried http://catalogue(.)pro(.)gov(.)uk, Click on search In (1) put the surname. and 2 the date you may get some info from it. Joan

Thanks for the help, it gives me some where to start. Theresa.x

Theresa, WW2 army records are not on general public access (as are WW1 at the PRO) and have to be applied for through an Army dept in Hayes, Middx. Details are on a leaflet on the PRO website - or you just use Google and put in "army records WW2" or similar and the address comes up. I've been trying to find a phone number for them as I want to check how close a relative you have to be. Regs Jane

Address is Army Personnel Centre Historical disclosures Mail Point 400 Kentigern House 65 Brown Street Glasgow G2 8EX Tel 0141 224 2743 I think the telephone number changes for different surnames but they will direct you. You should be the N.o.K and details required are DOB, service number, date of discharge, regiment, trade, rank at discharge, full name or as many of the above as you can provide. If you telephone 1st they will send out a form to fill in. Good Luck

Jane from memory you have to be the immediate surviving next of kin. e.g for my grandfather who divorced his first wife and second wife died, the only person able to get his file is the oldest child from the first marriage. then once they died it would be children for the 2nd marriage, then in turn the oldest grandchild etc etc. I downloaded a pdf from soewhere which helps you work it out - see if I can find it for you Zoe

Hi, On the form i have they have set out a list of next of kin (son,grandchild etc)and there is also the option for you to get written authority from the next of kin so you can have the details youa are looking for. Steve

Hi Theresa, I applied to the MOD back in 1996 fro my Dad service record, so some of this info may be slightly out of sync with the current requirements. 1/ if the ex-serviceman is still alive they will only release information to him unless he gives written permission to release it to another person. 2/if the ex-serviceman is deceased then the information will only be released to his/ her next of kin. A kinship form has to filled out, they supply them(I also enclosed a letter from his wife to give them permission to release the records to me) 3/ its going to cost, it was £20 (apparently now £25) back in 1996, and its non refundable even if the search is unsuccessful. 4/ provide as much info as possible, they supply a form for you to complete. All that said the only info I had was service number, regiment and his name. If the person you are researching was enlisted then commissioned they will have two service numbers, either will do for the search. (they are issued a new service number when commissioned) The info I received was administrative in nature: when, where, what and covered enlisting, units, postings, promotions, leave, hospitalising (but not when where wounds received?) and demob. The address: MOD, Bourne Avenue Hayes Middlesex UB3 1RF 020 8573 3831 A useful url I stumbled across may be helpful also: http://www.greenhowards.org.uk/html-files/fh-useful-organisations.htm HTH Happy Hunting Ian

Hi Rebecca, With regards to RAF records, I am trying to get my fathers at the moment. You can only get the records for your next of kin if they theymselves are dead and there is no widow or widower. If you are not next of kin then they will not supply them. If the person whom the records relate to are still alive then they need to give written consent. There is a £25.00 charge unless you are the actual person or widow/widower. If you are next of kin, you need to write requesting a form for you to complete to prove this. The address is: PMA IM1b (RAF) Room 5 Building 248A RAF Personnel Management Agency RAF Innsworth Gloucester GL3 1EZ Further details can be found at: www(.)mod(.)uk/contacts/raf_records(.)htm Hope this is of help Naomi

If anyone wants info. on Bomber Command personnel lost in Europe in WWII I have a set of books giving details of the aircraft, crew and operation. E-mail me with the name and date and I'll see what I can find. The criteria is for the aircraft to have been lost by enemy action or accident, so the aircraft is listed even if some of the crew survived. It is listed chronologically so without a date it is like looking for a needle in a haystack as 20 aircraft may have ben lost on a single day !

Hello give this phone number a try it is the the royal british legion help line phone no 08457 725 725 mon - fri 9am - 4pm only all calls are local rate they will give you all the help with this good luck frank