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General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: Keston on Tuesday 18 June 19 11:16 BST (UK)

Title: Service numbers of WWII personnel
Post by: Keston on Tuesday 18 June 19 11:16 BST (UK)
Hi,

I would like to source records for a relative who we served a nurse in the Second World War.

I understand that records for this period are held at the MOD.  On this site though they say that you need a service number to request records.

Can anyone help with where this could be found or how records can be sourced if you don’t have a service number.

Many thanks,
Keston.
Title: Re: Service numbers of WWII personnel
Post by: KGarrad on Tuesday 18 June 19 11:35 BST (UK)
I understand that records for this period are held at the MOD.  On this site though they say that you need a service number to request records.

No it doesn't say that! ;D

If you read the forms carefully, it says you need either a service number OR a date of birth.

I have successfully applied for records without giving a service number.
Title: Re: Service numbers of WWII personnel
Post by: Keston on Wednesday 19 June 19 11:05 BST (UK)
Many thanks for this, I need to read more carefully!  I was getting worried how I would get around this!
Title: Re: Service numbers of WWII personnel
Post by: macwil on Wednesday 19 June 19 11:53 BST (UK)
Actually the OP is correct.

 The MOD site has this on its initial page:-

Apply for the records of someone who's deceased

You can apply for a copy of someone else’s service records if any of the following apply:

  . . .
You need to know the person’s full name, date of birth and service number.
. . .

However when you get to the actual forms it does say . . . Service number and/or Date of Birth.
Title: Re: Service numbers of WWII personnel
Post by: IMBER on Wednesday 19 June 19 15:48 BST (UK)
Although, as we discovered when applying for my father in law's RAF records his name, John Robinson, was too common for the records to be found without a service number. However, not a problem that should arise too often.

Imber