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British Army

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The '''British Army''' is the land-based forces of the United Kingdom. The British Army was heavily involved in Imperial affairs in India and most regiments (both infantry and cavalry) served in India at some point. Throughout the nineteenth century, a significant number of British troops were stationed at India at any one time. In 1847, for instance, around 20% of British Army regiments were on the sub-continent. The General staff were supported by the Staff Corps and the Office of the [[Quarter Master General]].
A Up until the early 1860s, a British man, or man of British descent could also be a soldier/officer in one of the [[Presidency Armies]]. These were seperate from the British Army, instead consisting of regiments formed by the [[East India Company]] and under their control.
==Regiments==
===Army Lists===
''Army List''s are useful if you are researching an officer.There were Monthly, Quarterly and Annual editions published. At least during the [[First World War]], only the Monthly Lists cover the officers in “battalion order”.<ref> rflory [http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=228278&p=2267381 Army List - copies at Kew?] ''Great War Forum'' 27 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014<br/ref>The Monthly Lists are available on the open shelves at the National Archives and major libraries. For volumes available online, see '''[[Military periodicals online]]'''
===The [London] Gazette===
[[Image:72nd Married Roll 1877 (close up).JPG |right|thumb|325px| ''Detail from a 1877 Married Roll'']]
<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> 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.
An 1889 example of data from a Marriage Roll can be seen Muster roll records are unfortunately NOT available on [[LDS]] microfilms. If you are are unable to visit Kew, the [http://webwww.archivefibis.org/web/20040417222802research/members.ozemail.com.au/~clday/married.htm hereFIBIS Research team] on Cathy Day’s archived site.should be able to assist
Muster '''Please note that muster roll records are unfortunately NOT available on [[LDS]] microfilmsmay be missing for some Regiments and periods''', in India and generally. If you For example, there are are unable to visit Kew, read the National Archives' guide[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/virtually no muster roll records/paid_research.htm Paying for Research]. FIBIS also has a research service for FIBIS membersthe 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]*Findmypast has the records '''Please note that muster roll records may be missing for some Regiments and periods1861 Worldwide Army Index'''extracted from the National Archives April-June quarter Paylists held in WO 10 (Royal Artillery), WO 11 (Royal Engineers) and WO 12 (Cavalry, Guards, in India Infantry and generallyother units) series War Office records, including men serving overseas. For exampleSearching the records is free, there are virtually no muster roll but charges apply to view the records , although they can be viewed for free at TNA (and other institutions with a FMP subscription). Also on Findmypast is the Royal Artillery in India.'''1871 Worldwide Army Index'''
Findmypast has the records '''1861 Worldwide Army Index''' extracted from the National Archives April-June quarter Paylists held in WO 10 (Royal Artillery), WO 11 (Royal Engineers) and WO 12 (Cavalry, Guards, Infantry and other units) series War Office records, including men serving overseas. Searching the records is free, but charges apply to view the records, although they can be viewed for free at TNA (and other institutions with a FMP subscription). Note that soldiers of the East India Company Armies in 1861 would not generally appear in these records as most of these soldiers appear to have been transferred to the British Army after June 1861, although some soldiers appear to have transferred earlier and are included in these records. Also on Findmypast is the '''1871 Worldwide Army Index'''
====Service and pension records====
**[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/britisharmysoldierafter1913.htm Looking for records of a British Army soldier after 1913]
*The National Archives has published the book ''Army Records: A Guide for Family Historians '' by William Spencer 2008. 160 pages. It is mainly about records in the National Archives and the India Office at the British Library. It contains a chapter "The British Army in India and the Indian Army", in addition to over twenty chapters about British Army records. Available at the [[British Library]].
=====British Library Guides=====
====Prisoners of War - ICRC Archives====
*[http://grandeguerre.icrc.org Prisoners of the First World War - ICRC Archives]. Free online records of the International Committee of the Red Cross. These records may be quite complex to search, and there are many helpful hints about searching on the Great War Forum.<ref>Evers, Maureen [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/2015-01/1421673008 Online WW1 Red Cross records (two free datasets)] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List '' 19 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015</ref> Include soldiers of the Indian Army taken as POWs on the Western Front and sent to Germany.
*[https://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/icrc-archives/ ICRC Archives] in Geneva has records for the [[Second World War]]
===Army personnel serving after January 1921===
The Army Personnel Centre Historical Disclosures Section holds Army Service records for officers whose service ended after April 1922 and soldiers whose service ended after January 1921.
Note however that some records may not have survived, such as some records for those who were awarded a disability pension.<ref>JeffH01 [http://boards.ancestry.com.au/topics.Military.uk.britarmy/2537.2.3/mb.ashxJohn Henry James Fairbrother (Harry)] ''Rootsweb British Army Message Board'' 21 March 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015</ref> The service records of Army personnel serving after these dates remain closed to the public. To obtain details from such records you will often have to prove kinship. Charges may apply. Application forms should be sent to
:The Army Personnel Centre
:MS Support Unit, P & D Branch
*"They will accept anything that is proof of death, even a undertakers receipt or a photograph of a post war civilian headstone”. <ref>Drew5233 [http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/49481-clarification-of-provision-of-death-certificate-service-records/?p=582017 Clarification of provision of death certificate (Service records)] ''WW2Talk Forum'' 07 September 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2014</ref> However, you do not have to supply a death certificate when the date of birth of the individual was more than 116 years ago.<ref>"Veterans:UK" fact sheet [http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140805133045/http://www.veterans-uk.info/pdfs/service_records/army_pack.pdf Army Personnel Records And Family Interest Enquiries] UK Government Web Archive. </ref>
*The next of kin hierarchy is explained on a WW2Talk Forum topic which also advises that “There is currently about a 12 month wait to receive the records once you apply”<ref> Wayne [http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/41567-ww2-soldier-research-tips-and-links-for-new-researchers WW2 Soldier Research - Tips and Links for New Researchers], ''WW2Talk Forum'' 28 August 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2014</ref>
 
====Died in military service from 1948====
*[http://www.afm-veterans-uk.info/index.php Online Roll of Honour] contains the names of members of the Armed Forces who died in military service, on or after 1 January 1948 (and Palestine 1945-47), who are commemorated on the official single service rolls of honour. Ministry of Defence: Veterans UK
==FIBIS resources==
*[[Doctor]]
*[[Duke of York's Military School]]
*[[Hill station cantonments and camps]]
*[[Mailing lists]]
*[[Medals]]
*''The Royal Military Calendar, Or Army Service and Commission Book: Containing the Services and Progress of Promotion of the Generals, Lieutenant-generals, Major-generals, Colonels, Lieutenant-colonels, and Majors of the Army, According to Seniority: with Details of the Principal Military Events of the Last Century Third Edition'' by John Philippart 1820 Google Books [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=ETmnfShFw-8C&pg=PR1 Volume 1], [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=vg6zfusHsSAC&pg=RA1-PR3 Volume 2], [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=uQt4PleGb8QC&pg=PP11 Volume 3], [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=bNbre3lCAawC&pg=PP11 Volume 4], [http://books.google.com/books?id=e_BhWkIKNUoC&pg=PP15 Volume 5]
*''A History of the British Army'' by Sir John William Fortescue. Archive.org. This [http://www.naval-military-press.com/fortescue-s-history-of-the-british-army-complete-set-20-volumes-including-six-separate-map-volumes..html link]<ref>Naval and Military Press</ref> describes the contents of the volumes.
**[http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofbritish02fortuoft#page/n7/mode/2up Volume 2, 1713 to 1763] (1899), [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofbritish03fortuoft#page/n5/mode/2up Volume 3, 1763-1793] (1911), [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofbritish04fortuoft#page/n5/mode/2up Volume 4, 1789-1801] (1906), [http://www.archive.org/stream/ahistorybritish00fortgoog#page/n9/mode/2up Volume 4, Part II 1789-1801] (1906), [httphttps://wwwarchive.org/details/historyofbritis05fort Volume 5, 1803-1807] (1910) with [https://archive.org/stream/britisharmy06fortuofthistoryofbritis05fort#page/n7n465/mode/2up 1up Maps], [https://archive.org/details/historyofbritis06fort Volume 6, 1807-1809] (1910), with [https://archive.org/stream/historyofbritis06fort#page/n480/mode/1up Maps], [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofbritis07fortuoft#page/n5/mode/2up Volume 7, 1809-1810] (1912), [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofbritish08fortuoft#page/n5/mode/2up Volume 8, 1811-1812] (1917), [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofbritish09fortuoft#page/n7/mode/2up Volume 9, 1813-1814] (1920), [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofbritish10fortuoft#page/n7/mode/2up Volume 10, 1814-1815] (1920), [https://archive.org/details/historyofbritish11fort Volume 11, 1815-1838] ( 1923) With [https://archive.org/stream/historyofbritish11fort#page/n566/mode/1up Maps]. [https://archive.org/details/historyofbritish12fort Volume 12, 1839-1852] ( 1927) (Maps were in a separate volume) [https://archive.org/details/historyofbritishmap13fort Maps and Plans for Volume 13)] (Two maps of India appear to be missing)**Relating to India: [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofbritish02fortuoft#page/170/mode/2up Volume 2, page 167], [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofbritish03fortuoft#page/48/mode/2up Volume 3 page 49], [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofbritish04fortuoft#page/402/mode/2up Volume 4 page 402], [http://www.archive.org/stream/ahistorybritish00fortgoog#page/n137/mode/2up Volume 4, Part II, page 711], Volume 5, 1803 to 1807, includes detailed treatment of the situation and operations in the East Indies and Ceylon, [httphttps://www.archive.org/stream/britisharmy06fortuofthistoryofbritis06fort#page/40/mode/2up Volume 6 page 40], [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofbritis07fortuoft#page/n5/mode/2up Volume 7 page 563]:The following volumes are available to read online on the [[Online books#Digital Library of India| Digital Library of India]] website: Volume 5, 1803 to 1807, includes detailed treatment of the situation and operations in the East Indies and Ceylon. Volume 11,1815-1838, includes the War with Nepal, the Pindari War, the War in Ceylon and the War with Burma. Volume 12, 1839-52. This volume is mainly concerned with India, and covers operations in Afghanistan and on the Khyber Pass, together with internal security operations in India itself. ::Volume 13, 1852-1870, includes the Indian Mutiny, is available to read online on the [[Online books#Digital Library of India| Digital Library of India]] website.
*''British Battles on Land and Sea'' by James Grant. First published c 1873 [https://archive.org/details/cu31924091765655 Volume I: to 1743] [https://archive.org/details/cu31924091765663 Volume II: 1745-1826]. [https://archive.org/details/recentbritishba00grangoog ''Recent British Battles on Land and Sea''] [1875-1884] by James Grant 1884. Later called Volume IV. Archive.org
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofscottis00murrrich#page/n5/mode/2up ''History of the Scottish regiments in the British Army''] by Arch. K. Murray 1862 Archive.org
*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=sioAAAAAQAAJ&pg=PP9 ''‪Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire Into the Sanitary State of the Army in India‬: ‪With Précis of Evidence‬''] ‪Presented to both Houses of Parliament 1863 Google Books. Contains information on many topics including
**[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=sioAAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA68 Duties] page 68, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=sioAAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA116 Dress] page 116, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=sioAAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA118 Intemperance] page 118, [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=sioAAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA128 Means of Recreation and Instruction] page 124.
:This is the first part of Volume IFor additional volumes, to page 265. There is also Volume II (total pages over 2000). The balance of the pages, which provide more details, may be found on the see [[Subscription websitesPublic health#Historical books online|Public health -Historical books online newspapers, journals and directories| subscription website]] "House of Commons Parliamentary Papers", as part of Paper number 3184 of 1863.
*[http://books.google.com/books?id=lnMIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA62 "Adulterated Liquor sold to Sailors and Soldiers in the Bazars of Calcutta"] and [http://books.google.com/books?id=lnMIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA65 "The dangers to which Sailors and Soldiers are exposed in the Bazars of Calcutta"] from ''On the preservation of the health of seamen, especially of those frequenting Calcutta and the other Indian ports'' by Norman Chevers MD, Surgeon, Bengal Army 1864 Google Books
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/akingshussarbei00compgoog#page/n159/mode/2up "Cantonment Life [c 1876<nowiki>]</nowiki>"] , page 151 from ''A King's Hussar: Being the Military Memoirs for Twenty-five Years of a Troop-sergeant-major of the 14th (King’s) Hussars'' by Edwin Mole 1897 Archive.org .
*''The Queen's Regulations and Orders for the Army'' [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=G9mgAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR3 1 July 1844 3rd edition] Google Books; [http://archive.org/stream/queensregulation00grea#page/n3/mode/2up 1 December 1859] Archive.org; [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=RCsAAAAAQAAJ&pg=PR2 1 January 1868] including [http://books.google.com.au/books?id=RCsAAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA287 "Discharge of Soldiers", page 287] Google Books; [http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.c095000452?urlappend=%3Bseq=7 Part I 1889] Hathi Trust; [http://archive.org/stream/queensregulatio00armygoog#page/n9/mode/2up 1 July 1899] Archive.org
*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=GgUHAAAAQAAJ&pg=PP5 ''Revised Army Regulations Volume 1: Royal Warrant for the Pay and Promotion, Non-effective Pay, and Allowances of Her Majesty's British Forces serving elsewhere than in India''] dated 27 December 1870 HMSO Google Books
*[http://historyoffashiondesign.com/part-13-date-unknown-the-cutters-practical-guide-to-cutting-making-all-kinds-of-british-military-uniforms ''Part 13 The Cutter’s Practical Guide to Cutting & Making all kinds of British Military Uniforms'']. Pages from an undated publication, but known to be close to 1902.<ref>Frogsmile [http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=225848&p=2241295 Where can I buy a sewing pattern for officer's tunic?] Great War Forum 20 March 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015</ref> Pages 2-4 are about rank badges, including those for NCOs, with illustrations. historyoffashiondesign.com
*[https://archive.org/details/trumpetbuglesoun00ingl ''Trumpet and bugle sounds for the army: with instructions for the training of trumpeters and buglers''] HMSO 1914 Archive.org
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/catalogueofbooks00cockrich#page/n1/mode/2up ''A catalogue of books relating to the military history of India''] drawn up by Maurice J.D. Cockle 1901 Archive.org
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