The Army
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British Army ~ General Information
Army Records and Medals
If you go to this site you can download the forms that you need to order the records for people who served after 1920. Records for before 1920 are held at Kew (those that survive)
You need to complete a search form giving as much info as possible and complete a certificate of kinship declaration. If you are not the next of kin you need a letter from whoever is next of kin stating that you can have the records.
You need to send the forms, death certificate of the person who's record you require, and a cheque for £30. Full details are on the link above.
Address for enquiries and to send the forms to is:
- Army Personnel Centre,
- Historical Disclosures,
- Mail Point 400,
- Kentigern House,
- 65 Brown Street,
- Glasgow,
- G2 8EX
Chelsea Pensioners
Chelsea pensioner records are held at Kew. Their discharge records can be searched online and if you find the one you want, you can send off for the records. You can only search online for those who were discharged to pension up to 1854 - not all pensioners. Those discharged up to this date are the only ones to have been name indexed, although they will all hopefully be online by 2011:-
The Guards Museum
The Guards Museum is located in London, at Wellington Barracks in Birdcage Walk, a short distance from Buckingham Palace.
It is normally open 10-4, but check the website below for details of special events, etc, before you visit.
address for queries in writing -
- The Archivist
- RHQ Coldstream * Guards
- Wellington Barracks
- Birdcage Walk
- London
- SW1E 6HQ
NB * Change the name to that of the Guards Regiment you're enquiring about
- Grenadier Guards
- Coldstream Guards
- Scots Guards
- Irish Guards
- Welsh Guards
Durham Light Infantry (DLI) WW1
Anyone with ancestors who were in the DLI in WW1, or who are just interested in military history, might be interested in this book:-
Durham Pals by John Sheen
ISBN: 1 84415 495 5
It is a history of four battalions of the DLI raised in the Country during the First World War. The 18th (Pals) were the first troops of Kitchener's new army to come under fire when the Germans bombarded Hartlepool in 1914. The 19th were raised as Bantams and the 20th (Wearside) were raised by the Sunderland Recruiting Committee. The 22nd, the last raised became a pioneer Battalion but fought as infantry through much of 1918.
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