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In particular, the Army Chaplains Returns of Burials most likely do not include many deaths in action, or associated deaths in camp or on the march, including deaths from disease, such as cholera or heat stroke, where a chaplain did not conduct the burial service. The documentation does not appear to cover this point. The [[British Army#Muster rolls| Muster roll]] records should include these deaths.
The Chaplain Returns records were compiled by regimental chaplains and may also be duplicated within the regimental records. The Overseas Section of the [[General Register Office]] in Southport holds these volumes and the indexes can be viewed at [[The National Archives]] (TNA) and online. The Overseas Section of the [[General Register Office]] also holds additional records of regimental marriages taking place between 1761 and 1924 that have never been indexed. As these additional records have never been indexed, they are not included in the data on findmypast or other websites. If you can provide the man's name and regiment, and approximate date the GRO will search their records. Email the [[General Register Office|GRO]] with GQ in the subject header, eg "GQ Regimental Marriage Registers", to avoid receiving an automated reply. A list of the regiments covered in the unindexed records used to be available, but it is not known if it currently is. <ref>"At the FRC [now closed] is a list of the marriage registers, arranged by regiment; if your regiment is there, with entries for the right period, ask at the enquiry desk in the FRC to be put in touch with the Overseas Section, which may conduct a search for you." [http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?4364-GRO-Regimental-Birth-Indices/page2 Thread from British-Genealogy.com], quoting ''Tracing your Ancestors in The Public Record Office'' by Amanda Bevan (Public Record Office Handbook No.19, sixth edition) page 187-188: Section 181.1.1 For details of this book see [[Waiting for review]]</ref>
As an example of a record from the Army Birth Returns, a researcher has advised he has a “certified copy” from the GRO taken from “Army Book 112 (Register of Births) of the -th Bn. -th Punjab Regiment for the six months ending 30th June 19-- reported from the Military Station at Isak (North Waziristan)”. Note this Regiment was part of the [[Indian Army]]. He advised: I suspect the official recording and reporting of such events as births to British or foreign Indian Army soldiers’ wives were likely to have been done almost entirely through their Army channels with not a Chaplain in sight and would be dependent on the British/foreign father reporting the birth, although one needs to allow for delays in reporting - I was born before the six months specified above In my case it looks as if my father reported my birth to his adjutant a couple of months or more after the event when he was on operations (that means in a war situation) in Waziristan. <ref> By email to User:Maureene, 23-24 Feb 2010</ref>
The indexes in respect of the overseas registrations are most commonly called the British Army Overseas Indexes.
The [[LDS]] have microfilmed some of the indexes, as listed in this [httphttps://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlehitlist&columns=*%2C0%2C0&keyword=officers%2C+soldiers%2C+%26+their+families%29++...+at+stations+abroad%2C&prekeyword=officers%2C+soldiers%2C+%26+their+families%29++...+at+stations+abroad%2C catalog-search Search the Library Catalogue entry] and you can order the microfiches and view them at [[Family History Centres]]. However, the indexes are available online, see below.
Note that if a record is available both in the India Office [[Church records]] (now available on findmypast) and in the General Register Office records, the latter may contain more information, at least for some time periods. By way of example, in 1903 the additional information available for a marriage record was the nationalities of the groom and bride, and the occupations of the fathers of the groom and bride.
There is also a series of records which includes India, (held by the General Register Office, and not on open access), known as the '''Regimental Registers 1761-1924''' which are original entries of births/baptisms, marriages and (far fewer) deaths/burials kept by various regiments and relate to the families of officers and other ranks at home and on foreign stations from 1790.<ref name=FSW >[https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/British_Births,_Marriages_and_Deaths_Overseas#Regimental_Registers Regimental Registers] FamilySearch Wiki. </ref> Included in this series are records of regimental marriages taking place between 1761 and 1924 that have never been indexed. As these additional records have never been indexed, they are not included in the data on findmypast or other websites. If you can provide the man's name and regiment, and approximate date the GRO will search their records. Email the [[General Register Office|GRO]] with GQ in the subject header, eg "GQ Regimental Marriage Registers", to avoid receiving an automated reply.<ref>Downes, Pam [https://www.british-genealogy.com/threads/4364-GRO-Regimental-Birth-Indices GRO Regimental Birth Indices] 04-03-2005 British-Genealogy.com Forum. Retrieved 6 April 2015.</ref> There is a summary list of regiments and of dates covered for births and marriages in an Appendix to ''My ancestor was in the British Army'' by Michael J. and Christopher T. Watts (Society of Genealogists, 1995). <ref name=FSW /> In respect of "Regimental Birth Indexes –[these] may show several index references for the same person. As a soldier moved from one regiment to another, he had to register himself and his family each time for pay purposes. If you find more than one index reference for same person, provide all references and we will produce the entry with the most information".<ref>[http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/most_customers_want_to_know.asp Certificate ordering Service: Most customers want to know...] www.gro.gov.uk (Scroll down)</ref>
==Other National Archives records==
== External Links ==
*[http://www.familyrelatives.com/index.php Familyrelatives.com] contains the [http://www.familyrelatives.com/search/search_browseoverseas.php Overseas Indexes], which include images from the British Army Overseas Indexes which you can access for free, (even though most other records on the site require a subscription) However first you must log in. This site requires a [http://www.adobe.com/au/downloads.html?promoid=KAWQL Adobe Flash 11] plug-in. Log in from the [http://www.familyrelatives.com/index.php Home Page]. Then select 'Search' and then 'Overseas Records'. Then select the database you are interested in. '''Note, some pages from the indexes appear to be were missingat one time, so the database is may not be complete'''. Missing marriage pages have been were noted.*[http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=2114&id=201071 findmypast] has the British Army Overseas Indexes for which there is a charge to search. However the findmypast records have the advantage that at least some, (possibly all) indicate the relevant regiment. In addition, the database contains indexes for births in the U.K. and overseas, 1761-1924, taken from regimental registers, including births in India. Search in the category Birth records. The records themselves are held by the General Register Office, and are not on open access. In respect of "Regimental Birth Indexes –[these] may show several index references for the same person. As a soldier moved from one regiment to another, he had to register himself and his family each time for pay purposes. If you find more than one index reference for same person, provide all references and we will produce the entry with the most information".<ref>[http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/most_customers_want_to_know.asp Certificate ordering Service: Most customers want to know...] www.gro.gov.uk (Scroll down)</ref> As noted above, WO97 records are also available.
*If you have found an index reference and you then want to order a certificate, this can be done [http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates online from the GRO]. (A charge applies). This will be a transcript, not a copy of the original document.
*National Archives Guide [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/birthmarriagedeatharmedforces.htm Looking for records of a birth, marriage or death in the armed forces]
