Genealogy Chat

Hi Everyone My grandad served in the army in ww2. I applied to the army records office for his service records and they informed me that it is taking 9 - 12 months to post records out. They advised me that I would probably benefit more from his regimental diaries. I like this idea as it only takes a couple of weeks. The problem I have is that they need to know what regiment he was in and were he served but I dont know. I have asked my family and one says the Royal artilery and another says the Royal Engineers. I was willing to pay for both but even that information wasnt enough. They needed to know which section also. Does anyone know if there is any other way I could find out this information without having to wait a year.. Jayne

Do you have his discharge papers or any of his papers?

If he was an officer or was awarded a medal, I think that you might be able to find a reference to him in the London Gazette: http://www.gazettes-online(.)co(.)uk [remove brackets to get address to work]

No I dont have his discharge papers. But I will ask the family. He did have four medals I know that one was the burma star. But he wasnt from London, could he still be in the gazzette? Jayne

The London Gazette is so-called because it's published in London; it's used for publishing official announcements for the Government, and for various legal notices. As such, it's for the whole of the United Kingdom. There's also a Belfast Gazette for Northern Ireland, and an Edinburgh Gazette for Scotland; both at the same URL that I posted above.

If he was an officer I think that you would also be able to look him up in the Army List, which is published annually. I think that you should be able to do that at your local authority's central library.

If he earned the Burma Star then I recommend you contact the Burma Star Association. They have a website http://www.burmastar.org.uk/

Jayne, A quick note to urge patience! If you formally apply for his papers now, they'll come eventually .... otherwise later you might wish you had just done it. The Army Staff Section was busy when I applied for papers too - however, they beat their own time estimate and I got the papers in 2 months instead of 3. The risk if you don't is that you'll be tracking the wrong regiment - my father certainly moved around quite a bit in different regiments. Regs Jane

I guess the Burma Star Association would be able to help you with which regiments would have been eligible for this award and that will narrow it down. Doesnt anyone in the family have any photos of him in uniform?

If you still have access to the medals check the rims, some medals (not the star) still had in WW2 - Name, Rank, Regiment and service number stamped on them. Keith