Prisoners of War - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The records in this collection identify refugees and individuals taken as prisoners of war during major conflicts around the globe. The records contain the names of military personnel, civilians, diplomats, missionaries, and merchant seamen from nations all over the world. While the records are housed at the National Archives of the United Kingdom, the events included took place all over the world. Conflicts include:
 * Napoleonic Wars, 1747-1889
 * Crimean and Boer Wars, 1795-1951
 * World War I, 1913-1918

This collection includes records from the following record series:
 * ADM 1, Admiralty, and Ministry of Defence, Navy Department: Correspondence and Papers
 * AIR 1, Air Ministry: Air Historical Branch: Papers (Series I)
 * BT 167, Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Precedent Books, Establishment Papers, etc.
 * CAB 45, Committee of Imperial Defence, Historical Branch and Cabinet Office, Historical Section: Official War Histories Correspondence and Papers
 * CO 693, Colonial Office: Dominions (War of 1914-1918), Prisoners Original Correspondence
 * FO 372, Foreign Office: Treaty Department and successors: General Correspondence from 1906
 * FO 383, Foreign Office: Prisoners of War and Aliens Department: General Correspondence from 1906
 * MT 9, Board of Trade and Ministry of Transport and successors: Marine, Harbours and Wrecks (M, H and W Series) Files
 * WO 161, War Office: Miscellaneous Unregistered Papers, First World War
 * WO 900, War Office: Specimens of Series of Documents Destroyed

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 2

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the United Kingdom.
 * England Guided Research, Ireland Guided Research, Scotland Guided Research
 * England Record Finder, Ireland Record Finder, Scotland Record Finder, Wales Record Finder
 * England Research Tips and Strategies, Ireland Research Tips and Strategies, Scotland Research Tips and Strategies, Wales Research Tips and Strategies

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Great Britain, Admiralty and Ministry of Defence, Navy Department, 1915
 * Great Britain, Admiralty: Service Records, Registers, Returns and Certificates, 1812-1814
 * Great Britain, Admiralty, Transport Department: Correspondence and Papers, 1900-1902
 * Great Britain, Air Historical Branch Papers, 1915-1918
 * Great Britain, Auditors of the Imprest and Successors, 1793-1795
 * Great Britain, Auditors of the Imprest and Successors: Establishments and Registers, 1793-1795
 * Great Britain, Board of Trade and Ministry of Transport records, 1901-1944
 * Great Britain, Committee of Imperial Defence, Historical Branch and Cabinet Office, Historical Section: Official War Histories Correspondence and Papers, 1916-1927
 * Great Britain, Foreign Office registers regarding British prisoners of world war one, 1915-1917
 * Great Britain, Foreign Office: Treaty Department and successors: General Correspondence from 1906, 1914
 * Great Britain, Records of the Colonial Office, Dominions : War of 1914-1918
 * Great Britain, Registers of prisoners on ships and depots, 1793-1815
 * Great Britain, War Office: Correspondence and Papers, South African War, 1899-1902
 * Great Britain, War Office: Miscellaneous Unregistered Papers, First World War, 1915-1919
 * Great Britain, War Office: Specimens of Series of Documents Destroyed, 1915
 * Great Britain, War Office: Records of Military Headquarters, 1854-1856

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.