Genealogy Chat

Thanks for all your help, I'll try Kew in a couple of weeks. In the meantime I will try 1837 online if they ever re send me my password, been waiting 4 days already!!! Regards, Jayne

Jayne The place to search for army records is the National Archives at Kew now known as TNA but used to be the Public Record Office Web address: www.thenationalarchives(.)co(.)uk For searching soldiers approximately pre 1874 you will need to know the regiment, but those after approx 1874 names are indexed. Apart from obtaining attestation papers you can also obtain pension details and Muster records which can prove very useful. Be prepared to spend about 2 days at Kew looking for these records. You could try the Regimental Indexes for possible marriage whilst in army and for christenings of those children born while he was in the army. These indexes are obtainable online through 1837 Online or if you live near to the FRC in London the Regimental Indexes are at the FRC(Family Record Centre)The certs from these indexes will give you the regiment if you do not know what it is. Incidentally I have found my g Grandfathers records and he managed to get to Sergeant. The reason why they may be missing is because not all the records of this era have survived and this has nothing to do with rank. There may be some confusion over what records have survived for the First World War. Many of these ordinary soldiers records were burnt during the Second World War Blitz. By this time the officers and soldiers records were kept seperately and it just so happened that the ordinary soldiers records were burnt and only about 30% of those First World War records survive. Janet

Try Kew. I have attestation and discharge papers for 4 great uncles (but not my g-father of course) for the late19/early20C and also for my g-g-gf who served 1831-1846, none of whom rose higher than the lofty rank of private.

The Nat Arcives hold servise records but they might not be of any uses, it depeds on your g/grand dads rank. Only Officers had a detaild record. If he did wed in the Army there might be a record of it in the Regamentel records. as permistion had to be got.

Hi, Can anyone please let me know how I can search army records dating to 1871 (my g grandfather is shown on the census of 1871 as a soldier and between then and 1881 was with my g grandmother either Ada Wright or Ada Webb, but cant find a marriage, so as she was born in the USA wondered if the army records would throw some light on to the mystery. Do you experts think the army reocrds may beable to assist in clearing my brick wall? Many Thanks - Jayne