A starter guide for those researching a relative’s Royal Navy or Merchant Navy service.
This page is not intended as a definitive guide to research, but simply to give anyone who may be interested in finding out information on a relative’s service an idea on where to start. To begin a search, you should try and find out as much information as you are able from family members and any photos or stories that they may hold.
The very least you will need is the name of the person you are researching. The name of the ship or unit they were known to have been in will also be invaluable. A much more detailed guide can be found at the BBC Family History pages.
If your search is for ex-servicemen or women who were your relatives, and they were either Officers or Ratings, then you may contact the Ministry of Defence directly for copies of their Service Record(s). I suggest that you ring them first, as they will only send you a form to fill out, and ringing them first will speed up the process.
You will have to give proof that you are the direct next-of-kin to the serviceman/woman or that you have their permission to ask for their records. Do not expect a great wad of paper to come to you; in most instances, all you will receive is one A4 page. A charge is made in advance for them to search for any information they may or may not hold.
For Merchant Navy information on crew members, ships and ships’ logs:
Department of Transport, Registry of Shipping and Seamen,
Anchor House, Cheviot Close, Llanishen, Cardiff, South Wales CF4 5JA
Tel: +44 (0)29 2074 7333
Please note that information has now largely been transferred to The National Archives (Public Records Office) at Kew, London, so this is probably the best place to start.
For tracing those who died on active service, the Debts of Honour search facility at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission provides personal and service details and places of commemoration (in 150 countries) for the 1.7 million members of the Commonwealth forces who died in WW1 and WW2, together with details on the 60,000 civilian casualties of WW2. This database can tell you what ship or unit the servicemen were in at the time of loss.
All Admiralty documents dealing with events more than thirty years old are held in the custody of The National Archives. The PRO does not undertake research on behalf of others, but is open to the public, Monday to Friday between 0930 and 1700 hours (public and other holidays excepted). Admission is by Reader’s Ticket, obtainable in advance by writing or on arrival with proof of identity.
The National Archives,
Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU
Tel: +44 (0)20 8392 5200
The PRO is a vast library of information; you should plan any trip in advance. If you have internet access, go to their website and do as much as you can online. You should plan at the very least a whole day at the PRO — but from experience, this will not be enough time.
If it’s ex-shipmates you are looking for, a good place to start is Navy News, a monthly publication covering all things Royal Navy. Many veterans and ex-service personnel subscribe. It includes a section entitled ‘Calling Old Shipmates’ where people may advertise to get in touch with ex-shipmates, a Reunion section and ‘Over to You’ where you can ask about any naval subject. There are also lots of advertisements for naval memorabilia, books and medals.
The Editor, Navy News,
Leviathan, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth, Hants, PO13 3HH
Tel: +44 (0)1705 724194 (direct to editor’s secretary)