Great Britain, Prisoners of War Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Great Britain

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes military records from the wars in which the United Kingdom took part, covering the period 1715-1947. The records were filmed at the National Archives of England and the index is being created by findmypast.com.

Collection Content
The collection contains mostly British Prisoner of War records.

What Can this Collection Tell Me?
The following lists indicate potential information given in each type of record. It must be remembered that every record may not provide all of the listed information. Information contained in these records will vary depending on the war and the country where the prisoner was captive.

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before beginning a search in these records, it is best to know the full name of the individual in question, as well as an approximate time range for the desired record. When entered into the search engine on the Collection Page, this information provides the quickest, most reliable path to finding the correct person. Of course, other information can be substituted as necessary.

Search by name by visiting the Collection Page: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page to return a list of possible matches. Compare the individuals on the list with what is already known to find the correct family or person. This step may require examining multiple individuals before a match is located. Compare the information found on the images with what is already known determine if a particular record relates to the correct person. This process may require examining multiple records before the correct person is located.

For Help Reading These Records
Although some of the WWII records of prisoners in Japan are written in Japanese, English translations are included for most information on the record. If you should need further help, see the following resources:
 * Glossary of Japanese Genealogical Terms

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

 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the index entry record for future reference. See below for assistance in citing this collection. Save or print a copy of the image if allowed to do so.
 * Use the information which has been discovered to find more. For instance, use an estimated age to determine an approximate year of birth, if that is yet undetermined.
 * Use the information which has been discovered to find the individual in civil records. Particularly useful for research in nineteenth-century England are the England Census and the England Civil Registration records.
 * WWII Japanese prisoner of war records may include “destination of report”. This may be where the prisoner’s family were living at the time. Use this location to search for family members’ names in local records.

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

 * When looking for a person with a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which individual is correct. Use other information, such as place of birth, age, or names of parents, to determine which candidate is the correct person. If listed, a personal title may be a clue to property ownership or occupation, either of which might be noted in other records.
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names. Remember that it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name.
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of possible candidates which can then be examined for matches.
 * Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information found in the online description, if possible.

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

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.