Changes

Discharge papers ([http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14305?v=r'''WO 97''', (to '''1913''')]), usually containing service/attestation information, and pension records ([http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14231?v=r '''WO 22''']) may also be found at TNA. Records in WO 97 are usually only for men discharged with a pension (i.e. for long service or having been invalided <ref> ''Victorian Wars Forum'' thread <nowiki>http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=5904#p23104</nowiki> Pension? (now no longer available) quoting from ''The Victorian Army at Home '' by AR Skelley. This book includes general information about pensions. Full title: ''The Victorian Army at Home: the recruitment and terms and conditions of the British Regular, 1859-1899'' by Alan Ramsay Skelley 1977, now available at the British Library UIN: BLL01009462756 online, see above. </ref>) as these were the papers sent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea and preserved, but from 1883, most causes of discharge, (apart from death (with a few exceptions)<ref>There are WO 97 records for a few men who died in the Anglo- Boer War (and papers in the Ancestry "WWI" series for men who died during the Anglo-Boer War) according to this [https://web.archive.org/web/20111012005227/http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=3511&start=15 Victorian Wars Forum post] dated 1 October 2011 by Meurig, now archived. This further Victorian Wars Forum [https://web.archive.org/web/20130709030547/http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=7112 post], now archived, dated 30 May 2012 by Mark A Reid also mentions a few other deaths. George Francis died in the Tochi Valley in 1897, yet his papers appear in the WO 363 WW1 records on findmypast.</ref>) were included. Note however, '''the survival rate of discharge papers appears to be low for men discharged overseas<ref>''My Ancestor was in the British Army'', page 63 by Michael Watts and Christopher Watts 2009</ref> [ie not in Britain, and therefore low for India]. If a man went on to serve during World War 1 then his records would normally have been removed from WO97 and placed with his WW1 service records<ref> ''My Ancestor was in the British Army'', page 64 by Michael Watts and Christopher Watts 2009 and Sly, John. [https://web.archive.org/web/20201031005454/https://mlarchives.rootsweb.com/listindexes/emails?listname=devon&thread=1588076 Chelsea Pensioners] ''Rootsweb Devon Mailing List'' 20 March 2010, archived.</ref>. WO 97 records are also unlikely to include men who immediately went on active service with a Militia unit, (whose discharge papers may have been transferred to the Militia unit)<ref>List user. [https://web.archive.org/web/20200806224429/https://lists.rootsweb.com/hyperkitty/list/india@rootsweb.com/thread/1315499/ Frederick PAGE And WO 97 records] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'' 20 June 2011, archived.</ref>'''. The records often contain a wealth of genealogical information, including birth date and location, physical description, service locations, medical history and medals. Records after 1883<ref>The National Archives record description [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14305 Royal Hospital Chelsea: Soldiers Service Documents]</ref> usually contain fuller particulars, such as next of kin and details of marriages, births of children or deaths of family members. '''Note''': There are examples of records to 1913, which are located in the WW1 records, rather than in the WO 97