Books to Help Trace Wartime Ancestors

Tracing Your Air Force Ancestors Ref: TYAFA
- Price:£9.95

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Pages: Phil Tomaselli

Pen and Sword Books

2007

1844155730

Paperback

A5

211

Comprehensive guide to tracing the careers of air force men and women.
Covers the Royal Flying Corps, the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm.
Graphic account of air force history and development.
Explains air force organisation and unit histories.
Information on all the major archives and museums.

Whether you are interested in the career of an individual air-man or woman, researching medals awarded to a pilot or crew member or just want to know more about a particular squadron or operation, this book will point you in the right direction. Assuming that the reader has no prior knowledge of the air force, its history or organisation, Phil Tomaselli explains which records survive, where they can be found and how they can help you in your research. He also recommends resources available online as well as books and memoirs.

Each era in air force history is described, from the pioneering days of early aviation and the formation of the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War to the creation of the Royal Air Force, its operations during the Second World War and its postwar development. The author explains the evolving organisation of the air force in each period. He also provides pointers and examples which should help researchers find the records of units and bases that individuals served in, the kind of work they did, the aeroplanes they worked with and the men and women they worked alongside.

Phil Tomaselli has written extensively on family history topics, in particular for Ancestors magazine, and he has made a special study of the men and women who have served in the RAF.

- Price:£9.95

Tracing Your Royal Marines Ancestors Ref: TYRM
- Price:£9.95

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Pages: Richard Brooks & Matthew Little

Pen and Sword Books

2008

9781844158690

Paperback

A5

211

Whether you are interested in the career of an individual Royal Marine or just want to know more about the part played by the Marines in a particular battle or campaign, this book will point you in the right direction. Assuming that the reader has no prior knowledge of the Royal Marines, their history or organization, Richard Brooks and Matthew Little explain which records survive, where they can be found and how they can help you in your research. They also describe in vivid detail the evolution of the Royal Marines, from the tentative beginnings of the service in the seventeenth century to their present position as a key part of the British armed forces.

- Price:£9.95

Tracing Your Army Ancestors Ref: TYAA
- Price:£9.95

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Pages: Simon Fowler

Pen and Sword Books

2006

1844154106

Paperback

A5

194

Shows how to trace the careers of individual soldiers from 1760 to the present day.
Explains army organisation and regimental histories.
Information on all the major archives and museums including The National Archives.

Whether you are interested in the career of an individual officer, researching medals awarded to a soldier or just want to know more about a particular battle or campaign, this book will point you in the right direction. Assuming that the reader has no prior knowledge of the British army, its history or organization, family historian Simon Fowler explains which records survive, where they can be found and how they can help you in your research.
The author also describes resources available online as well as books and campaign histories. Worked examples are included which show how the records can be used to discover the career of an individual or a specific action, and particular attention is paid to explaining the records and the reasons behind their creation - this information can be very important in understanding how these documents can help your research.

- Price:£9.95

First World War Army Service Records Ref: ASRF
- Price:£12.95

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Pages: William Spencer

The National Archives

2008

9781905615261

Paperback

Quarto (7.5" x 10")

112

This fourth expanded and fully updated edition of the bestselling Army Service Records of the First World War brings you the most up-to-date information on the records relating to service in the British and Indian Armies between 1914 and 1918.

Reviews:
**'The guide deserves to become the standard work on the subject' - Family History Monthly
**'An essential publication of anyone interested in military history' - The Gallipolian
**'For anyone wanting to find and understand records relating to their First World War ancestors this book is a must.' - BIGWILL

Synopsis: Army Service Records of the First World War (Fourth Expanded Edition) is the latest edition of this best-selling guide, updated to include all of the recent releases of records relating to personnel of the First World War. This title has been one of The National Archives Publications' most successful titles in recent years.
This title covers officers, other ranks, and nurses, explaining in detail what you can find from their records. It explores documents held at The National Archives and elsewhere on battles, medals, casualities, prisoners of war, and the Dominion forces. Through case studies, examples and illustration, William Spencer brings to life the remarkable records of the Great War and the people they concern - and provides an invaluable aid to your research.
More about this book

- Price:£12.95

Army Records: A guide for Family Historians

By William Spencer

An accessible, up to the minute guide for all those interested in the British Army or ancestors with an Army past.

The National Archives’ exceptional collection of military material includes the personal files of hundreds of thousands of First World War soldiers as well as Army nursing services, the WAAC, prisoners of war from the Second World War and Korea, and a wide variety of orders, decorations and medal rolls – from the Napoleonic Wars to the Falklands. This practical and accessible guide to records in the Archives and the British Library’s India Office covers over four centuries of Army life. Written by a military specialist and adviser on family history, it provides an insider’s knowledge of material newly released, soon to become available and recently deposited in regimental museums.

Army Records explores the documents surrounding key regiments, such as the Household Cavalry and the Royal Artillery, as well as the administrative backdrop to the service – pensions, casualty lists, deserters and the decisions of the Chelsea Invaliding Board. New online releases are charted, such as:
- Medal Index Cards
- World War II Unit Diary
- WAAC
- London Gazette
- Overseas records
- Updated sections of records of the Dominion Forces

Whether you are tracing an ancestor, auxiliary service, regiment or campaign, this is an invaluable guide to Britain’s military past.

Ref: ARGFH

- Price:£12.95

Family History in the wars Ref: PGFHW
- Price:£7.95

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William Spencer

The National Archives

2007

9781903365953

Paperback

A5

As both wars begin to pass into history, this is the perfect tool for discovering how your family suffered and served.

The World Wars of last century were the greatest conflicts ever known. Over a million men and women enlisted and served in British armed forces alone between 1914-18, and the figure for the Second World War was even higher. Almost every family has ancestral links to the Services, but finding details on individuals has often proved a difficult task.

This clear, accessible guide shows how to get the very best from all sources now available. It gives expert advice on researching men’s and women’s service records for World War I and II, including Army, Navy, Air Force, nursing and merchant seamen. Wide-ranging in scope and practical in approach, it shows how best to trace an individual’s career, including medals and gallantry awards, prisoner of war files and casualty lists.

Women who served in both conflicts are well represented, from the online releases of Women’s Auxiliary Corps records to First World War nurses, and newly available naval records open whole new avenues for research. Special techniques and tips are provided for tracing family members in the Commonwealth and Dominion forces and the Indian Army, and a special section considers how to use British and American sources to discover details of American servicemen and GI brides.

- Price:£7.95

Air Force Records A Guide For Family Historians Ref: AFRE
- Price:£12.95

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William Spencer

The National Archives

2008

9781905615254

Paperback

Quarto (7.5 x 10 inches)

160

This practical and accessible guide shows how to explore British air forces – and ancestors who served in them – through the wealth of material at The National Archives and elsewhere. Thoroughly revised and updated, it covers air forces as varied as the Royal Engineers Balloon Section, the Royal Flying Corps, the RAF and WRAF, Fleet Air Arm, Glider Pilot Regiment and Royal Naval Air Service, in campaigns spanning the Boer War and two World Wars to Korea, Kenya and Suez. Written by a military specialist who served in the Fleet Air Arm, it considers all aspects of air force records, from operational record books and unit war diaries to individual service records, medal rolls, gallantry awards and casualty lists. Air Force Records draws on an insider’s knowledge to chart the online releases of records such as: • Medal Index cards • World War II Unit Diaries • London Gazette • Repatriated prisoners of war (World War I and II) debriefs • Courts martial and shows how to use them in your own research. Whether you are tracing an ancestor, squadron, airbase or campaign, this is an invaluable guide to Britain’s air forces and the thousands who served in them. Contents: • Military Flying up to 1914 • Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force up to 1918 • Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm, Glider Pilot Regiment and Army Air Corps from 1919 • Royal Engineers Balloon Section Records of Service • Royal Flying Corps Records of Service • Royal Naval Air Service Records of Service • Royal Air Force and Women's Royal Air Force Records of Service • Operational Records • Casualties and Air Crashes • Medals and Awards • Courts Martial • Prisoners of War and War Crimes • Medical Records • Photographs • Records Held by Other Instutions • Research Techniques Author: William Spencer has been the military specialist at The National Archives since 1996. He served in the Fleet Air Arm for 13 years, including active service with 848 Squadron in the South Atlantic, and holds an MA in War Studies from the prestigious Department of War Studies at King’s College, London. He is the author of the bestselling Medals: The Researcher’s Guide (The National Archives, 2006), Family History in the Wars (2007), and two other flagship titles for the new series, Army Records and First World War Army Service Records (2008).

- Price:£12.95

Tracing Your First World War Ancestors Ref: FWWA
- Price:£10.95

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Simon Fowler

Countryside Books

2008

9781846741302

Paperback

(8.25 x 5.75 inches)

192

Researching The First World War has never been more popular. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world are trying to trace family members whoo fought in the war in order to discover more about their experiences in the 'war to end all wars'. This book is designed to help the complete beginner and also more experienced researchers.

- Price:£10.95

Medals: The Researcher's Guide

by William Spencer

The authoritative guide by The National Archives' renowned medal expert and best-selling author, covering military and civil awards, orders, decorations and medals - from 1793 to 1990.

This unique approach to researching medals focuses upon tracing individuals and actions through the medal roll. Ranging from Java to New Orleans, Copenhagen to Egypt, it explores both campaign and commemorative medals to show how the awards system helps research into an ancestor, regiment, medal or campaign.

Structured geographically for ease of use, the guide draws together information from the National Archives and the India Office, as well as associated records at the British Library. It advises on the best online access and places to visit, as well as strategies for extending research into sources such as the census and the War Diaries. Combining detailed descriptions - far fuller than those in online catalogues - with an insider’s knowledge on imminent record releases, this is the perfect, time-saving tool for family historians, military enthusiasts and collectors alike.

Paperback

Ref: MRG

- Price:£9.95

Military Photographs & How to Date Them Ref: MPHDT
The military photographs in family albums stand out as different and distinctive and the sight of an ancestor in uniform stirs thoughts of what he or she did and where they served. Neil Storey offers advice on identifying military uniforms, badges, insignia, ranks, medals and the equipment worn by our military ancestors. These items can provide a wealth of information about the person or people in the photograph and can lead to many new avenues of research. The book covers our Nation's military history from the 1870's to the 1940's.

A5 (softcover) 192 pages

- Price:£12.95