Nature of Source
Pension Returns detail out-pension payments paid by the Chelsea and Greenwich Royal Hospitals as well as records of annual mortality returns. The returns are arranged by districts covering the UK, Channel Islands, India, other colonies and some foreign stations as well as the East India Company and mercantile mariners. The returns are useful as a way of tracing changes of address and to establish the name of the regiment served with. The records only cover from 1842 to 1862 with Irish entries covering up to 1883.
Regimental Registers lists those discharged to a pension from the Royal Hospital at Chelsea. The registers are arranged by regiment and cover the years from 1715 to 1857.
Knowing which regiment a man served in is of great benefit when researching a soldier’s career at The National Archives (TNA). If the person’s place of service is known, then the Monthly Returns held at TNA will help in identifying his regiment as the returns show the location of each regiment on a monthly basis. The returns are held in series WO 17 and WO 73 and cover the years from 1759 to 1865. Additionally, the monthly journals United Service Journal and the Naval and Military Magazine (some editions can be found at the Internet Archive or at Google Books) also publish similar information as well as a number of reference books. Alternatively, his will might mention his regiment or possibly the birth certificates of his children. If the person (whether a soldier or officer) married, died or had children at a station abroad, then the Chaplain’s Returns (1796-1880) which record such events, provide the regiment’s name. The registers are available online at findmypast.co.uk. The Army Regimental Registers also provide the name of the regiment. For further help in identifying regiments, consult John Kitzmiller’s ‘In Search of the Forlorn Hope: A Comprehensive Guide to Locating British Regiments and Their Records’. The Forces War Records & Military Genealogy website holds information on over 4000 units, bases and ships of the British Armed Forces offering a search facility for a specific units including regiments, ships, airfields.
Also see
Army – Applications for Pensions for Widows and Children – Officers before 1914 (Military)
Army – Casualty Lists, Other Ranks before 1914
Army – Pensions (Medical & Service) Admission Books, Other Ranks before 1914 (Military)
Army – Soldiers’ Documents (Service Records) from Pension Claims (‘Unburnt Collection’), Other Ranks, WWI (Military)
War Memorials, Graves & Rolls of Honour (Military, including WWI) Including Scotland
Where Found
Pension Returns
The National Archives (WO 22, returns of out-pensioners of Chelsea and Greenwich Hospitals)
Regimental Registers
The National Archives (WO 120, Chelsea Hospital regimental registers of pensioners 1715-1857. A partial index to WO 120/23-30 by James D Beckett is available in the reading room. The index is otherwise known as the Beckett Soldiers’ Index and covers soldiers discharged to pension covering 1806 to 1840. The index is also available at a number of local family history libraries. Also consult the published editions of the Index which cover more ground)
National Army Museum/Templer Study Centre (The museum houses a wealth of information on the history and traditions of the Army including officer Army Lists, regimental and campaign histories, soldier’s effects records, military memoirs and diaries, regimental and other military periodicals and books and other archives relating to the pre-1914 Army. The museum also holds the enlistment and discharge books for the Buffs, the Middlesex Regiment, and the five Irish regiments disbanded in 1922. See the web site for details of their collections and a series of information sheets for researching army family history)
Period Covered
1715 – 1883
Genealogical Value
- Name and regiment served with.
Further References
General
- Beckett, James Deuchar (ed). The Beckett Soldiers Index, A-C: Jade Publishing, 2003
- Beckett, James Deuchar (ed). The Beckett Soldiers Index, D-G Jade Publishing, 2009
- Beckett, James Deuchar (ed). The Beckett Soldiers Index, H-K: Jade Publishing, 2009 (Listing of soldiers from 1793 to about 1854 extracted from TNA series WO 120 and WO 116 and other sources such as marriage registers and medal awards. Arranged alphabetically by surname, forename and regiment including whether discharged at either Chelsea or Kilmainham Hospital. These published editions cover more ground than the Beckett Soldiers’ Index available at The National Archives)
- Bevan, Amanda. Tracing Your Ancestors in the National Archives: The National Archives, 2006
- Brereton, J.M. A Guide to the Regiments and Corps of the British Army: Bodley Head, 1985
- Blank, Dr. Stuart. Researching British Military History on the Internet: Alwyn Enterprises, 2007
- Cox. Reginald H. W. Military Badges of the British Empire 1914-18: Ernest Benn, 1982
- Farmer, John, The Regimental Records of the British Army: Grant Richards, 1901 (Free download available at the Internet Archive)
- Fowler, Simon. A Guide to Military History on the Internet: Pen & Sword, 2007
- Fowler, Simon. Tracing your Army Ancestors: Pen & Sword, 2006
- Fowler, Simon. Tracing Your Army Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen & Sword Books, 2013
- Gaylor, John. Military Badge Collecting: Pen & Sword Books, 2002
- Grehan, John & Mace, Martin. British Battles of the Crimean Wars 1854-1856: Pen & Sword Books, 2014
- Kitzmiller, John. In Search of the Forlorn Hope: A Comprehensive Guide to Locating British Regiments and Their Records, 1640-WWI: Manuscript Publishing Foundation, 1988
- Murphy, Gerry. Where Did That Regiment Go? The Lineage of British Infantry and Cavalry Regiments at a Glance: The History Press, 2009
- Paterson, Sarah. Tracing Your Family History, Army: Imperial War Museum, 2006
- Pols, Robert. Dating Old Army Photographs: Family History Partnership, 2011
- Saks, David. Boerejode: Jews in the Boer Armed Forces 1899-1902: 2010
- Spencer, William. Family History in the Wars: The National Archives, 2007
- Spencer, William. Army Records: A Guide For Family Historians: The National Archives, 2008
- Storey, Neil. Military Photographs and How to Date Them: Countryside Books, 2009
- Swinnerton, Iain, An Introduction to the British Army: Its History, Traditions and Records: FFHS, 1996
- Swinson, Arthur. A Register of the Regiments and Corps of the British Army: The Archive Press, 1972
- The Great War: A Photographic Narrative: Imperial War Museum: Jonathan Cape, 2013
- Usher, George. Dictionary of British Military History: A&C Black Publishers, 2006
- Watts, Michael and Watts, Christopher. My Ancestor was in the British Army: Society of Genealogists, 2009
- Westlake, Ray. The Territorials 1908-1914: A Guide for Military and Family Historians: Pen & Sword Books, 2011
WWI
- Banks, Arthur. A Military Atlas of The First World War: Pen & Sword Books, 2013
- Bridger, Geoff. The Great War Handbook: A Guide For Family Historians & Students Of The Conflict: Pen & Sword Books, 2013
- Christopher, John & McCutcheon, Campbell. 1914 the First World War in Old Photographs: Over by Christmas: Amberley Publishing, 2014
- Doyle, Peter & Foster Chris. British Army Cap Badges of the First World War: Shire Publications, 2010
- Doyle, Peter. Great War British Tommy Manual: The British Soldier 1914-18 [All Models]-Haynes Owners’ Workshop Manuals: Haynes, 2013
- Doyle, Peter & Foster Chris. Remembering Tommy: The British Soldier in the First World War: The History Press, 2013
- Doyle, Peter & Foster Chris. What Tommy Took to War, 1914-1918: Shire Publications, 2014
- Doyle, Peter. The First World War in 100 Objects: The History Press, 2014
- Forty, Simon. Mapping the First World War: Battlefields of the Great Conflict from Above: Anova Books, 2013
- Gregson, Keith. A Tommy in the Family: First World War Family History Tales and Research Tips: The History Press, 2014
- Holding, Norman, More Sources of WWI Army Ancestry: FFHS, 1998
- Holding, Norman & Swinnerton, Iain. WWI Army Ancestry: FFHS, 2004
- Holmes, Richard. Tommy: The British Soldier on the Western Front 1914-1918: Harper Perennial, 2005
- Holmes, Richard. Shots from the Front: The British Soldier 1914-18: HarperPress, 2010
- Holmes, Richard. The First World War in Photographs: Andre Deutsch, July 2014
- James, Brig. E. A. British Regiments 1914-18: Naval and Military Press, 2009
- Paterson, Sarah. Tracing Your Prisoner of War Ancestors: The First World War: Pen & Sword, 2012
- Rawson, Andrew. The British Army 1914-1918: The History Press, 2014
- Spencer, William. First World War Army Service Records: The National Archives, 2008
- Swinnerton, Iain. Identifying Your World War One Soldier from Badges and Photographs: Federation of Family History Societies, 2001
Websites
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/?research-category=military-and-maritime (The National Archives Research Guides: Military and Maritime. Learn how to trace the voyages made by a merchant seaman, find a Royal Marine’s medal record or track the wartime history of an Army regiment)
www.ukmfh.org.uk (UK Military Family History Online: Links to web sites with online data and information to aid in military family history research)
www.armylists.org.uk (Guide to Army Lists and published lists available on CD)
www.parishchest.com (Online store selling military records from a variety of suppliers)
www.angloboerwar.com (Anglo Boer War: The site’s aim is to make available information on the Anglo Boer War 1899 – 1902 and other South African conflicts in the period 1779-1906 and provide a forum for discussion. The site is owned by David Biggins. Sections include: Biographical information on people who were involved in the Boer War; Details of the medals awarded for the Boer War and other contemporary and South African campaigns; Information on the Imperial, Colonial, South African and Boer units that participated)
www.garenewing.co.uk/angloafghanwar (The Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-1880. Online resource for those interested in the Second Anglo-Afghan War of 1878-1880. It is also the home of the Second Afghan War database project, a collection of names, family histories and stories concerning those who participated in this lesser-known campaign)
www.britishbattles.com (British Battles. The site gives you the battles fought by Britain and its Empire forces from the 18th Century to the end of the 19th Century, illustrated and mapped)
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/veterans-uk (Veterans UK. The organisation provides free support for veterans and their families, including a helpline, Veterans Welfare Service and injury/bereavement compensation scheme payments)
www.iwm.org.uk/research/tracing-your-family-history/tracing-your-army-history (Imperial War Museum Research Guide: Tracing Your Family History. Guides to help you start your research into your army family history explaining what records you will need and where to find them. Subject areas include: Service records; Casualty information; Medal records; Unit and operational histories)
www.militaryarchiveresearch.com (Military Archive Research, by Dr Stuart C Blank)
www.genuki.org.uk/big/MilitaryRecords (GENUKI Guide: UK and Ireland: Military Records)
www.genuki.org.uk/big/BritMilRecs (GENUKI: British Military Records by Jay Hall)
www.armymuseums.org.uk/museum-directory (The Army Museums Ogilby Trust: Museum Directory: Guide and links to military museums in the UK)
www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/research-guides (National Records of Scotland Research Guide: Military Records. This guide deals with the records held at National Records of Scotland relating to the military. The first part deals with army personnel records while the second part covers more general sources for military history)
Online Databases
www.forces-war-records.co.uk (Military Genealogy Forces War Records: Military records of over two million British Armed Forces personnel cross matched with over 4000 Regiments including Rolls of Honour, Crimean and Boer War Databases, Medal Rolls and Casualties Lists. The site also has a facility to access information on specific units or bases including regiments, ships, airfields)
www.thegenealogist.co.uk (Royal Hospital Chelsea: Admission Books, Registers and Papers, 1702-1933. Search more than 629,000 Chelsea Pensioner records available with high quality scans of the original document pages. The majority of the records relate to pensions payable by the Commissioners of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, to either in-pensioners or out-pensioners)
www.findmypast.co.uk (British Army Service Records, 1760-1939. Search more than eight million British Army documents from eleven different series of records from The National Archives and the Scots Guards. Expect to find officers and other ranks in various Army forms including attestation papers, medical forms, discharge documents, pension claims, and proceedings of regimental boards. The records can tell you when your ancestor joined and left the army, as well as details about where he came from and his military service. The dataset includes records from series WO 23 which has records on pensions payable by the commissioners of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea)
www.ancestry.co.uk (UK, WWI Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923. This collection provides details of military and military-related personnel, who filed for a pension after World War One if injured or, if killed, details of their widow and/or other dependents or their next of kin, if they were unmarried and had no children)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Register of the Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902. The records contain over 258,800 names, including a completely revised casualty list of 59,000 casualty records)
www.ancestry.co.uk (Casualties of the Boer War, 1899-1902: The database lists the names, regiments, dates, locations and nature of casualty of all officers and men of the South African Field Force from the outbreak of war)
www.angloboerwar.com/name-search (Anglo Boer War Name Search: Search soldier medal rolls and enrolment forms and biographies of those who served in the Anglo Boer War)
www.nmarchive.com (Naval & Military Archive: Military Genealogy: Boer War Casualties 1899-1902. This database lists the names, regiments, dates, locations and nature of casualty of all Officers and men of the South African Field Force and the Natal Field Force)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Napoleonic War Records 1775-1817: Databases include the Army of Reserve 1803 consisting of records of Other Ranks who were part of the 1803 England and Wales Army of Reserve; Regimental indexes 1806 consisting of indexes of regimental records of Napoleonic era Other Ranks from 1806; Foot Guards attestation papers 1775-1817 consisting of records of Other Ranks’ attestations to the 1st Foot Guard between 1775 and 1817)
https://soldiersofglos.com (Transcribed summary service details of officers and men who served with the 28th North Gloucestershire Regiment during the 19th Century or the Gloucestershire Regiment in WWI. Database courtesy of Mr. J. Devereux)
www.casus-belli.co.uk (The Register of the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902: Database that lists men and women who served in the British Imperial Forces during the Anglo-Boer War. The register includes soldiers, sailors, nurses and civilians as well as a casualty roll. The data is compiled for sources such as Official Casualty Rolls, A Gazetteer of the Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, Medal Rolls, Anglo-Boer War Memorials Project and Winifred Scott’s Anglo-Boer War Index. The Register will state whether the person listed has an entry in series WO 97 held at The National Archives. For a full list of sources see the website)
CD Roms
Surrey History Trust (Surrey Recruitment Registers, 1908-1933. Details of about 85,000 men who signed up for service in Surrey between 1908 and 1933, including volunteers and conscripts in World War I)
www.officialhistoryofthegreatwar.co.uk (Official History of The Great War: A complete record of the war on the Western Front, 1914-1918)
