tracing ww2 military records

[opps]

My stepfather's 80 is next month.

My sister has suggested that we try to find out more about his father's military record.

In the past I found mention of him in the London Gazette when he was one of two people at different ends of England who were the first to defuse a new German bomb.

He seldom talked to my stepfather about his time during the war, bar telling him about his time on the Khyber pass- he mentioned that only one in three of them has a real rifle, the rest were wooden replicas.

Does anyone know if there is a way of finding out more info?

He died in 1989 so there should not be any privacy issues.

Thanks in advance.

 

[IT Minion]

Try his regiments association. There's a good chance they'll have been merged into a new regiment but the army doesn't like letting the history die out and it shouldn't be too hard to track down the inheritors.

If he was a sapper (based on the EoD) then they've got a museum down in Kent that might also be worth a visit, and worth asking about the regiments work in the Khyber pass.

 

[blup]

Write to the MOD and they will send a form in which you have to confirm you are next of kin. The address will be on their website, when I did it twenty years ago it was an address in South Derbyshire iirc, may have changed.

 

[Highway Man]

My stepfather's 80 is next month.

My sister has suggested that we try to find out more about his father's military record.

In the past I found mention of him in the London Gazette when he was one of two people at different ends of England who were the first to defuse a new German bomb.

He seldom talked to my stepfather about his time during the war, bar telling him about his time on the Khyber pass- he mentioned that only one in three of them has a real rifle, the rest were wooden replicas.

Does anyone know if there is a way of finding out more info?

He died in 1989 so there should not be any privacy issues.

Thanks in advance.

Get a copy of military records of service

Get military records of service for the Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), British Army and Royal Air Force - who can apply, how long it takes, cost, how to apply.

www.gov.uk

 

[Tricky-Dicky]

Try some of these links, do NOT pay for info, there are many genuine free sites available!

Get a copy of military records of service

Get military records of service for the Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), British Army and Royal Air Force - who can apply, how long it takes, cost, how to apply.

www.gov.uk

Select the service - Apply for a deceased person's military record - GOV.UK

www.apply-deceased-military-record.service.gov.uk

Discovery | The National Archives

The official archive of the UK government. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow and bring history to life for everyone.

discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14519

How To Get Polish Military Records From The UK MOD | Swooping Eagle

The 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade (1 Samodzielna Brygada Spadochronowa) Donate How To Get Polish Military Records From the UK MOD Share on Email ...

swoopingeagle.com

I have recently used the last one to obtain info on my father, details on his parents, place of birth, time lines, job offers in the UK etc etc was obtained, some 33 pages of scanned documents, although mostly in polish! All at no cost.

All the best, and happy hunting

 

[blup]

Italian military records are available fromLondon and Berlin

 

[Justin Passing]

Standard stuff for family history people. My wife was one.
She had loads of books on that sort of stuff. I've given most of them away now. They get approx £3 on ebay.

 

[bernardgreen]

Get a copy of military records of service

Get military records of service for the Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), British Army and Royal Air Force - who can apply, how long it takes, cost, how to apply.

www.gov.uk