29,525
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
→Military records at the National Archives
An associated database is '''British Army Service Records Image Browse'''<ref>[http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/british-army-service-records-image-browse British Army Service Records Image Browse] findmypast</ref>, located in Armed forces & conflict/Service Records which contains the above records, excluding the First World War and Scots Guards records.
A separate online dataset is '''British Army Pensioners - Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Ireland, 1783-1822''' <ref>[https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/british-army-pensioners---royal-hospital-kilmainham-ireland-1783-1822 British Army Pensioners - Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Ireland, 1783-1822] findmypast</ref> located in Armed forces & conflict /Regimental & service records. These records are from the National Archives WO 119 records.
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).
For some findmypast blogs about these records, see below.<ref>FindMyPast blogs "Behind the scenes":[https://web.archive.org/web/20150925025431/http://blog.findmypast.co.uk/2010/behind-the-scenes-the-chelsea-pensioners-records-with-paul-nixon-content-licensing-manager/ The Chelsea Pensioners records with Paul Nixon, content licensing manager] 15 Sep 2010 and [https://web.archive.org/web/20150620082830/http://blog.findmypast.co.uk/2010/behind-the-scenes-our-expert-stephen-rigden-on-spelling-variations/ Our expert, Stephen Rigden, on spelling variations] 29 Oct 2010, both pages now archived.</ref>
'''[[FamilySearch]] ''' includes two collections of index records, with the data created by findmypast. <br>[https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1952868 United Kingdom, Chelsea Pensioners' Service Records, 1760-1913] . The database description states that it includes index records from WO 97, WO 119, WO 121, WO 122, WO 131, but the associated browse images appear to be for WO97 only. The index records include name, place of birth and estimated date of birth. <br>[https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2345429 United Kingdom, Royal Hospital Chelsea: Discharge Documents of Pensioners 1760-1887 (WO 122)] . Note that the latter title is inaccurate, as WO 122 records are for the period 1816-1817 only. The index records include name, birth and place, and date of discharge. <br>To view related images, you can search on [[findmypast]], and view the images on findmypast. This will be the most convenient option for most people. Alternatively you can access the images as digitised microfilm at a FamilySearch Family History Centre, see '''[[FamilySearch Centres]]'''. <br>Some of these records are also available through the Family Search catalogue, where the individual digitised microfilms may be described: [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1952868 United Kingdom, Chelsea pensioners' service records, 1760-1913 [WO 97<nowiki>]</nowiki>], [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2345429 United Kingdom, Royal Hospital Chelsea: discharge documents of pensioners 1760-1887 (WO 122) and in addition WO 119, WO 121, WO 131 records], [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/254431 Probably WO 119, although not stated)]. From these catalogue entries, it is clear that the database of Index records covers less records than the digital microfilms available through the catalogue.
======Ancestry======
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 name=Skel > ''Victorian Wars Forum'' thread [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=5904#p23104 Pension?] quoting from ''The Victorian Army at Home ''by AR Skelley</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 [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=3511&start=15#p23904 Victorian Wars Forum post] dated 1 October 2011 by Meurig. This further Victorian Wars Forum [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=7112#p30127 post] 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 [http://newsarch.rootsweb.com/th/read/DEVON/2010-03/1269096802 Chelsea Pensioners] dated 20 March 2010 from Rootsweb Devon List.</ref>. WO 97 records are also unlikely to include men who immediately went on active service with a Milita unit, (whose discharge papers may have been transferred to the Milita unit)<ref>India List [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/2011-06/1308580161 post] dated 20 June 2011</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
records, even though the man did not serve in WW1.
For the period 1760-1854 (WO 97/1-1271) a name index has been produced, which may be [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14305 Searched] on the National Archives website. The webpage also advises for the period 1760-1872 the documents are arranged alphabetically by name within regiment.
For details of '''FamilySearch''' indexes and digitised microfilms for WO97 records, see above under [[British Army#Findmypast|Findmypast]].
This [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=5904#p23104 link] <ref name=Skel /> has some general information about pensions, quoting from ''The Victorian Army at Home'' by AR Skelley
