How to find grandparent's WW2 service information?

[Patrick Bateman]

Would anyone know the best way to go about trying to find out the service history of a relative?

I know my grandad served in the Royal Navy in WW2 but not much else, no service number, years active etc. to go on. Dad and Uncle don't know much more other than he went somewhere hot so not much help! He died in 2009 but there was no stories of finding a box of old pictures/letters or anything along those lines that you often hear.

Have been curious for a while now but not sure where to even start given so little information.

[C&C]

Although it's not free, it looks like you can search on just name and narrow it down with a guess at year - so WW2 maybe go 1942, on ancestry site.

[Riley Blue]

Have you tried here? https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk

[john2443]

Riley Blue said:

Have you tried here? https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk

I've got the original of my dad's WW2 navy record so don't need to find it on line, but search on that site doesn't find him, so I guess the records aren't complete unfortunately.

I did get my grandad's WW1 record from there though.

[Patrick Bateman]

john2443 said:

I've got the original of my dad's WW2 navy record so don't need to find it on line, but search on that site doesn't find him, so I guess the records aren't complete unfortunately.

I did get my grandad's WW1 record from there though.

Yeah that's what puts me off paying to be honest! Especially given so little information to work with in the first place.