Finding WW2 service records

[Pieman68]

I really don't know where to start with this one (well I've tried Forces War Records without any luck)

Granddad served in the RN during WW2. With the advent of lockdown I would love to see if I can find his records and possibly look to build a model of one of the ships he served on but I have nothing to go on. Over the years I think records etc. have got lost and it's hard to know what were tall tales told to an interested young boy in my youth

When we tried to do our family tree we had a nightmare finding his birth certificate as I believe he was illegitimate - from what he told us the only time he met his birth father was on his wedding day and he told him to pi** off

I'm stuck and any advice would be much appreciated

[Hoink]

Did you try here?

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-recor...

I managed to get a copy of my grandad's service records without any problems.

ETA. I also found this site helpful under the military section of the forums; https://www.british-genealogy.com/

Edited by Hoink on Wednesday 27th January 19:29

[r159]

http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/Records...

I wish you the best of luck, we’re fortunate to have some papers from my grandfather, looking through them just before Christmas I found out something new which even my mum didn’t know about.

[thenetwork]

I spent a lot of time on this over a few years.

I paid for Ancestry for a year. Shared the log in with my brother. Do that.

I had collected from the relo's a lot of paperwork that got me well underway but you still need links and info.

Let Google find you free stuff or even a library.

I went a far back as the early 1800's for some lines and I called time there as I would have had to pay someone.

My brother joined a website which I forget the name and it works like Facebook. He found miles of relatives which he did not share as he is a first grade tosser.

I was happy with all that.

Be prepared for things you didn't know.


I got 2 great Uncles ww1 medal details.

Some of the places were bombed in ww2 and the details were lost.

One great Uncle was in a machine gun crew and was gassed by a bomb less than a year from the finish.

Died and buried in Rouen France.

[pidsy]

Interesting. I didn’t realise you could do this.

I’d love to get my grand fathers records. I know he served in Egypt but don’t know any more.

Thanks for the links.