Request records of deceased service personnel

How to apply

What is held by MOD

The MOD is the custodian of the records of service personnel and Home Guard records until they are opened to general public access at The National Archives.

Subject to the payment of an administration fee and provision of a copy of a death certificate (except where death was in service), certain information can be provided from the records of service of deceased service personnel on request under the publication scheme.

In recognition of the duty of care owed to the family of the deceased subject, for a period of 25 years following the date of death of the service person, the MOD will (if held) disclose:

• surname
• forename
• rank
• service number
• regiment/corps
• place of birth
• age
• date of birth
• date of death where this occurred in service
• the date an individual joined the service
• the date of leaving
• good conduct medals (for example, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (LS&GCM)), any orders of chivalry and gallantry medals (decorations of valour) awarded, some of which may have been announced in the London Gazette.

After the 25 year period, MOD will also disclose the additional information (if held) below:

• the units in which he/she served
• the dates of this service and the locations of those units
• the ranks in which the service was carried out and details of campaign medals awarded.

Within the 25 year period, where the consent of the immediate next of kin has been given, the additional information above will be released to a third party applicant.

Other ways to find service records

Before applying, you are advised to carry out searches from sources that provide access to the details of deceased service personnel at no cost:

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• Armed Forces Memorial Roll of Honour
• The National Archives

How long it takes

It can take up to a year for records to be processed. However, we are working hard to reduce this as quickly as possible.

Further information about service records held by MOD

Information held by MOD on Royal Navy (RN), Royal Marines (RM), British Army, Royal Air Force (RAF) service records and Home Guard records.

Royal Navy and Royal Marine

The RN Disclosure Cell holds service records for commissioned and non-commissioned officers (both RN and RM) from 1926 onwards. Information from these records can be requested under the MOD Publication Scheme.

Records prior to 1926, including records for World War 1 service, are held by The National Archives.

British Army

The Army Personnel Centre (APC) Historical Disclosures Section holds army service records for officers whose service ended after April 1922 and soldiers whose service ended after January 1921. APC also holds some records for the Foot Guards (not Scots Guards) back to 1750. Information from these records can be requested under the MOD Publication Scheme.

RAF

The RAF Disclosures section holds service records for non-commissioned and commissioned RAF personnel dating back to 1920. Information from these records can be requested under the MOD Publication Scheme.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) considerations

While MOD aims to provide information where the above conditions are met, it will not disclose any information under the publication scheme where this could prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of its forces.

In the very rare case where release of information from a service record might be prejudicial or cannot be released for other reasons, the applicant will be advised of the relevant FOIA statutory exemption that applies to its non-disclosure.