Military

Military and army records, history, research and family history

Victorian wars British soldiers crossing a river during the Boer War, c.1900

Victorian wars: What wars took place during the Victorian era, and how can you research them?

Prime minister Winston Churchill inspecting Home Guard volunteers

What was the Home Guard?

RAF records

RAF records: How do I find WW2 RAF service records?

Royal Marines records. Royal Marines practice a bayonet charge, 1940

Royal Marines records: How to find them

British soldiers at Anzio in Southern Italy, 1944. Second World War Army records

Second World War Army records: Where to find them

Royal Navy service records Sepia photograph of 16 Royal Navy ship's officers posed for a photograph on board ship in 1890, with the ship's cat

How to find Royal Navy service records

Hawker Hurricanes flying in formation during the Battle of Britain in 1940 Battle of Britain pilots

Battle of Britain pilots: How many pilots were killed, are any still alive and how can you trace them?

British prisoners of war at Dunkirk.

How to find WW2 POW records

British prisoners of war at Oflag 1XA camp in Germany, 1940

Ancestry adds Second World War POW questionnaires

Crowds outside Buckingham Palace on VJ Day 1945 (colourised by MyHeritage)

When is VJ Day?

William Robert Gibson in the Royal Naval Division

The Royal Naval Division: What was it, when was it founded and where can you find service records?

General Richard Mulcahy, the minister for defence, inspects Free State Soldiers at Beggars Bush Barracks in Dublin, 2 February 1922 Irish volunteers

Overseas ancestry

How to research your family during the Irish Civil War

Chelsea Pensioners service records

Chelsea Pensioners’ service records: How to find them online

Second World War memorabilia

How to support the Their Finest Hour project

British Army records

British Army records: Where to find them online