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British Army

701 bytes added, 06:18, 2 August 2020
Military records at the National Archives: fix link
====Muster rolls====
Unlike those of the presidency armies, muster rolls for British Army regiments stationed in India are not at the British Library but are instead at [[The National Archives]] at Kew in London.  Refer [[British Army#National Archives Guides|National Archives Guides]], below, in particular the linked webinar "Army Musters". The majority of the Muster records up to '''1878''' are in [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14223?v=h '''WO 12'''], including [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C52579?v=h '''Cavalry'''] and [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C88062?v=h '''Infantry'''], with Royal Artillery muster records in [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C14221 '''WO 10''']. The catalogue describes the records as:
<blockquote>"...a comprehensive means of establishing dates of enlistment, movements throughout the world, and of discharge or death. The first entry may show age on enlistment. An entry on the form "Men becoming non-effective", sometimes to be found at the end of each quarter's musters, shows the birthplace, trade, and date of enlistment of any soldier discharged or dead during the quarter. From about 1868, at the end of each muster, may be found a Marriage Roll, which enumerates wives and children for whom married quarters were provided." </blockquote>
[[Image:72nd Married Roll 1877 (close up).JPG |right|thumb|325px| ''Detail from a 1877 Married Roll'']]
An 1877 example of data from a Marriage Roll can be seen in the image on the right.
From '''1878 to 1898''', all muster rolls are in [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/details?Uri=C14227 '''WO 16''']. The majority of the records for the years 1878 to 1888 contain detailed pay lists with names. From 1888 onwards (WO 16/2917-3049) the series consists of company muster rolls only, and these do not contain pay lists.From about 1890, the muster rolls generally are only for men at Depots, and recruits, and do not generally include Battalions overseas.<ref> See National Archives webinar "Army musters – more than just accounts", around 14:30 min., above in [[British Army#National Archives Guides|National Archives Guides]]</ref>
The Muster Rolls for the 63rd Regiment of Foot in the period 1819-1840 are known to contain Officers names<ref>Tilley, Megan [https://lists.rootsweb.com/hyperkitty/list/india@rootsweb.com/thread/87403/ Troopships] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'' 3 July 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2018.</ref>, but generally the rolls are of enlisted men.
Muster roll records are unfortunately NOT available on [[LDS]] microfilms. If you are a FIBIS member and are unable to visit Kew, the [http://www.fibis.org/research/ FIBIS Research team] should be able to assist.
'''Please note that muster roll records may be missing for some Regiments and periods''', in India and generally. For example, there are virtually no muster roll records for the Royal Artillery in India, .
=====Online records=====
*Ancestry (pay site with a free search) has a collection [http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=60546 UK, British Army Muster Books and Pay Lists, 1812-1817]. In addition there are some rolls outside this date range, from 1779 and also up to 1821. Comprises selected WO 12 muster books and pay lists of the Cavalry, Foot Guards and regular infantry regiments of the line. Also included are special regiments or corps, colonial troops, various foreign legions and troops, garrison battalions, veteran battalions and depots.
**[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-officers-after-1913/ Looking for records of a British Army officer after 1913]
**[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-soldiers-up-to-1913/ Looking for records of a British Army soldier up to 1913]
***[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-muster-rolls-pay-lists-1730-1898/ British Army: Muster Rolls and Pay Lists, c1730-1898] ****[https://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/webinar-army-musters-just-accounts/ Webinar: "Army musters – more than just accounts"] by William Spencer 13 February 2014.
**[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-soldiers-after-1913/ Looking for records of a British Army soldier after 1913]
**Additional guides may be located in [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/?research-category=military-and-maritime Military and maritime]. including
=====British Library Guides=====
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130320010401/http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/offpubs/ukofficalpub/servlists/armylist.pdf British Library Guide to Service Lists for the [British<nowiki>]</nowiki> Army, Navy and Air Force], now an archived webpage.
===India Office military records at the British Library===
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