Most Valuable British Army Records for Officers

MOST VALUABLE BRITISH ARMY RECORDS FOR OFFICERS 

Several War Office (W.O.) class record exist for officers and their families which do not have indexes or are not alphabetically arranged and thus are not mentioned in the above section. This list provides quick identification of records which have an extensive coverage for much of the British Army as a whole but which lack an index or alphabetical arrangement. Listed below by title and W.O. class numbers, these are only a few of the more significant record collections within the War Office class records which can be consulted for research. These records provide information about army personnel and their families.

Be sure to do a Place-names search in the Catalog at www.familysearch.org for the country of settlement, as many compiled books exist pertaining to British military personnel, i.e. "New Zealand - Military". Unless otherwise indicated, the records listed below by title and W.O. number are located at The National Archives in England.


 * 1) Regimental Registers of births and baptisms, marriages and burials, 1760-1924
 * 2) Chaplains' Returns of births, marriages and burials:1796-1880
 * 3) Monthly Returns (Station Returns): W.O. 17, 1759-1865
 * 4) Royal Chelsea Hospital Pension Returns: W.O. 22, 1842-1883
 * 5) Royal Chelsea Hospital, Chelsea Registers, etc.: W.O. 23, 1702-1933
 * 6) Royal Chelsea Hospital, Chelsea Registers, etc.: W.O. 25, 1660-1878 (FHL has some)
 * 7) Establishments for Half-pay: W.O. 24, 1686-1829
 * 8) Ireland Commission &amp; Succession Books: W.O. 35, 1775-1831
 * 9) Certificates of Births, Baptisms, Marriages, Deaths &amp; Burials, Wills, &amp; other personal papers: W.O. 42, 1755-1908 (FHL has some)
 * 10) Quarter Books: W.O. 54, 1594-1883
 * 11) Records of Officers' Service (whole military): W.O. 76, 1790s to 1800s (FHL has many)
 * 12) Royal Military College, Sandhurst: W.O. 99 (records at Sandhurst Military College, Berkshire)
 * 13) Campaign Medal Rolls: W.O. 100, 1793-1912
 * 14) Medals &amp; Awards; Long Service &amp; Good conduct: W.O. 102, 1831-1902
 * 15) Miscellanea Submission Papers: 1803-1914
 * 16) South African War Papers: Returns of Officers, NCO's &amp; soldiers, W.O. 108, 1899-1902
 * 17) Royal Chelsea Hospital Admission Books - Outpensioners (for long service): W.O. 117, 1823-1913
 * 18) Royal Chelsea Hospital Admission Books - Outpensioners (Disability) Records: W.O. 116, 1715-1913
 * 19) Royal Hospital, Kilmainham Out-Pensions Records - Admission Books (&amp; some Discharge Books): W.O. 118, 1704-1862
 * 20) Royal Hospital Kilmainham Discharge Documents of Pensioners - Out-Pensions Records: W.O. 119, 1783-1822
 * 21) Royal Hospital Chelsea Regimental Registers of Admissions - Out-Pensions (includes Militias): W.O. 120, 1715-1857
 * 22) Royal Chelsea Hospital Out-Pensions - Discharge Documents of Pensioners: W.O. 121, 1782-1813
 * 23) Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst - Register of Cadets: W.O. 151, 1806-1946
 * 24) Royal Hospital Chelsea - Prize Records: W.O. 164, 1720-1899
 * 25) Pay Master General Army Establishment Retired Pay &amp; General Officers' Pay &amp; Allowance: PMG 3, 1813-1920
 * 26) Pay Master General Army Establishment Retired Pay &amp; General Officers' Pay &amp; Allowance: PMG 4, 1737-1921
 * 27) Pay Master General - Commissariat Half Pay: PMG 5, 1834-1855
 * 28) Pay Master General - Army Establishment; Ordnance, Half Pay, Pensions, etc.: PMG 12, 1836-1875
 * 29) Pay Master General - Army Establishment; Miscellaneous Books: PMG 14, 1756-1772; 1797-1861