Discover Your Family’s Military Story: How Interpretation of Military Records Can Enrich Research

Have you ever wondered what your ancestor actually did during the First or Second World War? Or tried searching for their military records, only to be confronted by jargon, missing files, and confusing online results?

You’re not alone.

As a professional genealogist, one of the most rewarding parts of my work is helping families go beyond vague family legends—“Grandad was in the Army” or “Great-uncle died in France”—and uncover the real stories behind them.

Military records can seem daunting or patchy to the untrained eye. But with careful research and interpretation, they can add extraordinary depth to your family history. In this post, I’d like to show you how these records can transform your understanding of your ancestors’ lives—and how I can help you discover them, even if you’ve hit a wall in your own research.

Why Military Records Matter

Military records don’t just confirm that your ancestor served. They tell you how, where, and when they served. They show you the choices they made, the places they went, the battles they fought, and the wounds—physical or emotional—they carried home.

For many families, these records fill in the biggest gaps in family stories. They help you understand who your ancestor was in one of the most defining periods of their life.

Unlocking the Soldier’s Story

Service records are among the richest sources we have. Depending on the time period, they can reveal personal details such as age at enlistment, occupation, home address, physical description, medical history, next of kin, and unit movements.

But interpreting these records isn’t always straightforward. Many WW1 service records were partially destroyed in the Blitz. What survives is often damaged, hard to read, or full of military abbreviations and codes.

As a genealogist with experience in these sources, I can help you make sense of them. Even fragmentary records can be carefully pieced together to tell a coherent story of your ancestor’s service. I know where to look for supporting evidence—other battalion records, pension files, or medal rolls—to fill in the gaps.

Medals and Awards: Clues to Overseas Service

Many people inherit old medals but have no idea what they really mean. Medal Index Cards and rolls often survive even when service records don’t. These records can confirm overseas service, indicate the campaign medals awarded, and even give dates of entry into a theatre of war.

Understanding these records can transform family lore like “he served in France” into concrete details: which unit, which battles, which period.

If you have medals at home, I can help you research and explain precisely what they represent, connecting them to your ancestor’s individual history.

Beyond the Individual: War Diaries and Unit Histories

One of the most powerful ways to add context is by looking at unit war diaries. These don’t usually name ordinary soldiers, but they describe what their unit did day by day.

When you know your ancestor’s regiment and battalion, you can see exactly where they were, the conditions they faced, and the actions they took part in.

This can turn a family story from “he was in the war” to “he was at Ypres during the gas attacks” or “he took part in the D-Day landings.”

I can help you trace these movements and interpret the often-dense language of war diaries to build a clear, accessible narrative for your family.

Casualty, Prisoner, and Commemoration Records

For families whose ancestors were wounded, captured, or killed, military records can also provide vital answers. Casualty lists and prisoner of war records help explain gaps in other documentation and can even reveal camps or hospitals.

If your ancestor died in service, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records provide burial or memorial details, personal inscriptions chosen by the family, and connections to broader commemorative projects.

Helping families trace and understand these details is one of the most meaningful parts of my work.

Second World War Records: What’s Available

Many people are surprised to learn that WW2 service records for British forces aren’t fully open to the public yet. However, they can still be ordered from the Ministry of Defence—with the right forms and proof of kinship. These records often hold remarkably complete career details: enlistment and discharge dates, postings, training, promotions, and medical information.

Navigating the application process and interpreting the results can be tricky. I regularly help clients obtain these records and make sense of what they find.

Other Sources to Build the Story

Even when service records are lost or incomplete, there are many other ways to uncover your ancestor’s military story:

• Pension records for details of wounds or support

• Absent Voter Lists to confirm regiment and number while at home

• Regimental museums for unpublished rolls, photos, and histories

• Local newspapers, memorial plaques, and honour rolls

  
  

I specialise in using all these sources to create a complete, well-researched, and compelling account of an ancestor’s military service—even when the main records are missing.

Why Work with a Professional Genealogist?

It’s not unusual to feel stuck with military research. Records can be scattered across archives, damaged or hard to read, or full of unfamiliar military terms.

That’s where I can help.

As a qualified genealogist with experience in interpreting military records, I know where to look, how to read them, and how to connect the dots between different sources. I don’t just hand you the documents—I help you understand them and turn them into a family story you can share and preserve.

Whether you want to know more about a single ancestor’s wartime experience or trace the military service of an entire family, I can tailor my research to your needs.

Ready to Discover Your Family’s Military Story?

If you’ve always wanted to know what your ancestor did in the war, but felt overwhelmed by the records or unsure where to start, I’d love to help.

Please get in touch to discuss your research goals, and let’s see what stories are waiting to be uncovered in your family’s past.