Service Records / Medals
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Medals
- Criteria for award of ALL medals issued since 1914 [more.....].
- Search recommendations for military honours and awards 1935-1990 [more.....].
- If the recommendation is approved and the award granted it is published in the London Gazette. When searching the Gazette remember to tick the box "Include Supplement".
- Search the London Gazette [more.....].
- Apply for medals [more.....].
Service Record information
National Archives Cataloguing WO 423: Army Other Ranks Service Records
In February 2023, the National Archives commenced the mammoth task of processing just over 1.5 million records of the men and women who served in the British Army between 1939 and 1963. For most of the series, military service ends in the 1940s as they are primarily Second World War records, but it also includes National Service.
A separate digitisation project is also taking place alongside the cataloguing and access service provision. A vast section of The National Archives, previously occupied by the Record Copying Department, was repurposed and the work is being carried out by Ancestry [more......].
Apply for a Service Record
Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air Force - born between 1909 and 1939.
The Commando Veterans Archive does NOT have access to official military service records of any individual. They are an essential source of information for those looking for information and getting a copy of them is the best starting point. You can apply for them with a Freedom of Information (F.O.I.) request. Follow this link to Apply for a Service Record. (updated May 2025).
Apply for a Service Record
Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air Force - born between 1909 and 1939.
The Commando Veterans Archive does NOT have access to official military service records of any individual. They are an essential source of information for those looking for information and getting a copy of them is the best starting point. You can apply for them with a Freedom of Information (F.O.I.) request. Follow this link to Apply for a Service Record. (updated May 2025).
Royal Marines who served in Combined Operations
Unlike today in World War 2 and for some time afterwards not all Royal Marines were Commandos.
Service records of Royal Marines that show reference to certain shore bases such as HMS Copra, HMS Quebec, HMS Dinosaur indicate service in Combined Operations either as commando personnel, non commando Landing Craft personnel, or in some other capacity. There were also other Combined Operations shore bases.
Victualling records were kept on all who served in the Royal Navy. They are kept at Restore Records Management, Navy Search, PO Box 7814 William Nadin Way Swadlincote DE11 1EG. ( Tel: 01283 227912 ). They will only advise if they have received a formal request via the service record application process to check on an individual.
Victualling records were kept on all who served in the Royal Navy. They are kept at Restore Records Management, Navy Search, PO Box 7814 William Nadin Way Swadlincote DE11 1EG. ( Tel: 01283 227912 ). They will only advise if they have received a formal request via the service record application process to check on an individual.
Follow this link for an explanation of Royal Marines Register Numbers.
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