Genealogy Chat

Hi All,
I was just wondering where I might obtain a copy of my Grandads Army Service records? He fought in the second world war, he was posted away from home between 1939 - 1945.
Any help / advice / or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for reading my request for help.
Kind regards,
Caroline.

You can apply for them, if you are next of kin. £30.

Army Personnel Department,
Historical Disclosures unit,
Mail Point 400,
Kentigern House,
Brown Street,
Glasgow G2 8 EX

Thank you Heather Posi, do you know where and how or who I need to contact please?
Thank you Caroline.

Oops sorry, full message didn't appear straight away. Thank you so very much for your very swift reply.
Caroline.

Should you wish you can download the application form on this site
Plus it explains all about who and how you can apply


http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/army.html

George

Thank you to you too George. I knew someone here would know and point me in the right direction. Was it normal for a soldier to be away for the full duration of the war? As far as I know he never returned home on leave. Sorry, I'm wanting too much now. Thank you. I will find all I need to know when I obtain his records.
Caroline.

Caroline

It would be a bit unusal for someone to away for the whole of the war, inasmuch that if he went to France at the outset of the war he would have returned here with the evacation at Dunkirk.
But of course he may have been sent to the Far East then he may not have come home.

There are too many instances of why he may not have come home, so anything was possible.

My Dad served in the Royal Navy he only came home once in the six years of the war, and that was only because he had been injured.

George

George,
Thank you for that. Will be interesting to see his records as he never really spoke of the War (but he could speak French, Italian and German and I think Dutch - not basic language but very well). Would that be normal for a soldier?
Thank you for your help and advice.
So did your Dad go back to active duty after he had become well again?
Kind regards,
Caroline.

Carioline

Yes he did return to his duties again

That sounds very interesting about your Grandfather and his many languages, dare i suggest this was the sort of person the Special services were recruiting for undercover work in occupied Europe?and could be one of the reasons why he never came home on leave.

I hope you get his records, there may be some interesting info if it is as i suggest.

I would be very interested to know what you find

George

What was your fathers civil occupation - to have that many languages?

Hi Heather Posi,
Sorry haven't been on for a few days. My Granddad was a baker / chef! I know a little odd eh? So I'd be very interested to get hold of his war records, perhaps that would explain the languages - maybe he had a talent for learning and picking up languages? I really don't know. Is it something that you have ever come across at all in your research?
Caroline.

Caroline,

Just to warn you they make take a while to arrive. We sent off for my husband's father's records and had a letter back acknowledging our request but saying they were snowed under with welfare cases so family research was having to take a back seat.

Sue

Thank you Sue, that is handy to know. I will bear that in mind when I get around to applying for his records.
Regards,
Caroline.

Did he speak fluently or just the odd word? I mean, did you know him and hear him holding conversations or just throwing the odd words in?

Seems strange. Were his parents English?

Hello Heather Posi,
I have been talking to my Dad tonight about this, and he can recall his Dad knowing German. I never heard him have a conversation with any else who could speak these languages, but he would talk in various languages, and say them again slower, and provide a translation. Which to be honest as a teenager I never verified them as being correct. In honesty, my Dad doesn't recall his Dad knowing other languages....but, Grandad never discussed the War at any great length with me, he had told Dad more, which Dad has told me tonight, but I guess these accounts may or may not be confirmed by his War records.
Caroline.

Yes, his parents were English.

Amokavid
Yes that would be awfully frustrating. Were the forms big and scary or straightforward?!?!?! I mentioned getting them to my Dad, and now he really keen to get the ball rolling!
I hope you get lots of interesting info from yours. Perhaps you will be kind enough to let me know how long they take to arrive as Sue said there has been a delay (a few posts back on this thread).
Best wishes,
Caroline.

The forms are 2 pages.

One asking for details of the person you are looking for and a next of kin form which asks how you are related.
Both quite straightforward

Sue

Thank you Sue. That's a long time Annie, I knew there was a period of time to wait, but I didn't think it would be such a long time! Well worth knowing though. Thank you both very much.
Caroline.