Free Access to Ancestry Military Records

[Chris Doran]

Different country-specific links but each says it covers worldwide records and has new data (including for WW2) since last year:-

Ancestry UK until 11:59pm GMT on 12th November
Ancestry CA until 11:59pm ET on 12th November
Ancestry AU until 11:59pm AEDT on 12th November

You need a separate account for each country-specific site (free with no card details taken on registration). You do not need to click on the Start Free Trial box at top right.

Fold3 until 11:59pm MT on 16th November, which I make to be 6:59am GMT on Monday 17th.
You can sign in with an Ancestry account or create a free Fold3 one. If it detects you're in the UK, redirects you to Forces War Records, which I'm told has the same data. However, at the time of writing they didn't seem to have got this set up and FWR wasn't free.

As always with free periods, save anything of interest on your own device, as you'll need a sub to see it online after the offer closes.

Many of these records are available on other sites, sometimes always free, so check before using up too much midnight oil.

[PrawnCocktail]

Fold 3 does not appear to be free. It says it's free, but then demands card details, just as normal, when I try to view anything.

[purplekat]

Yes I've been trying fold3 this morning, even though it says free records they're not.

[Jool]

I have the same problem even though I am logged in to Ancestry and Fold3.

[Nick_Ips]

Fold 3 does not appear to be free. It says it's free, but then demands card details, just as normal, when I try to view anything.

I don't think Fold3 was free last year either.  They did have a free weekend this year around Memorial Day (USA) in May, I think.

[Chris Doran]

I have checked with my source who has found that Fold3's free records are primarily US ones and that it isn't easy to see which are or are not included. Apologies to those who have been disappointed by this and the limited range of FindMyPast's databases available compared to last year, as was I.

I don't have any inside information on these free offers which I find out mainly from forums elsewhere. In order to put alerts out a.s.a.p., I do little looking at gift horses in the mouth other than checking that the links work, converting any Americanisms, that the free tickets aren't already gone, and adding any advice or warnings based on past experience. I think that people would prefer this to hearing much later or not at all.

Please always report on experiences, good or bad. At least it bumps the announcement up the HOME page listing so that more prople will see it.

[sandiep]

Well there was certainly eails came saying it was free access till 16th Nov but very little UK if you look at list of available bits

[Nick_Ips]

...Apologies to those who have been disappointed by this and the limited range of FindMyPast's databases available compared to last year, as was I.

No need for apologies Chris, your 'heads up' for these free offers is always much appreciated and we all understand you don't have any control over the extent/limitations of the offer. 

Thank you again.