Royal Navy/Royal Marines – Casualty Records, Ratings & Officers

Nature of Source

Registers documenting casualties, including deaths, wounds and discharges, of Royal Navy and Royal Marines ratings and officers began to appear from the mid-19th century.

Casualty Records
The service registers for Royal Marines non-commissioned men (other ranks) in series ADM 159 at The National Archives cover men enlisted from 1842 onwards and record enlistments, postings, transfer, discharge and sometimes reasons for discharge and death. It is worth noting that many service registers in ADM 159 were created retrospectively. The Royal Navy registers of seamen’s services held in series ADM 188 and ADM 362 focus on enlistment and career details but occasionally note deaths, desertions and pension or bounty payments.

The Admiralty/Pay Office and Navy Board created a range of dedicated Royal Navy and Royal Marines casualty and death registers and war graves rolls from the mid-19th century. These include:

• ADM 104, Registers of Deaths and Casualties (covering personnel killed, missing, or dying in service, both in peace and war).
• ADM 242, War Graves Rolls (mainly for the First World War).
• ADM 102, Medical Department records, including hospital registers, patient musters, and medical returns from naval hospitals at home and overseas.

The registers record seamen, ratings and officers who were killed, wounded, taken prisoner or died as a result of war service. Entries often use standard terms such as ‘killed in action’, ‘died of wounds’ or ‘wounded and subsequently discharged’. These records, held at The National Archives, are largely accessible via subscription online or as free digital microfilm copies.

Muster Books
Muster Books contain a list of those killed in action, if any. They also contain those ‘discharged dead’ with a note of the circumstances such as ‘at sea’ ‘slain in battle’ ‘fell from aloft. Deaths may be assumed to be from illness unless otherwise noted. The Muster Books held in series ADM 102 consists chiefly of monthly musters of the patients in naval hospitals at home and abroad and of stationary hospital ships in harbour.

Wills
Wills of Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel are found in series ADM 48 from 1786 to 1882. These cover the testamentary documents of sailors and marines who died in service, whether by disease, accident or combat and whose wills were proved before the Admiralty. Sailors who died at sea or abroad had their wills proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. These wills are kept in series PROB 11 at The National Archives. Digital copies of Wills 1384-1858 can be searched and downloaded via The National Archives.

Psychiatric and Medical Asylums
The Admiralty also recorded cases of ‘lunatics’ or ‘insane’ Royal Navy seamen and officers suffering mental illness. Relevant files are held within ADM 102, including:

• ADM 102/415: Patients at Hoxton House Asylum, London (1755-1818).
• ADM 102/356: Records from the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar, Gosport, where a section was set aside for mentally ill officers and seamen from 1818 onwards.

Essential Research Resource
The War Graves Photographic Project
The project is a global volunteer initiative aimed at photographing every known war grave, memorial and Ministry of Defence burial of every service casualty since the outbreak of the First World War to the present day. The project maintains a searchable online database of over 1.9 million images of war graves and memorials, helping relatives and researchers access photographs of military resting places that may be difficult or impossible to visit in person.

The project operates independently from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, relying on donations to cover its costs for high-resolution emailed images.

Post-1920 Service Records
Service records for all ranks who served after 1920 remain with the Ministry of Defence with each military service maintaining its own record office. To access these records consult the MOD Guide ‘How to apply for access to personal data held by the Ministry of Defence’. Please note, The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently in the process of transferring ten million personnel service records to The National Archives for permanent preservation.

Where Found

The National Archives

• Series ADM 106/3017-3035, Names of Seamen slain, 1675-1822; Bounty list of relatives of men killed in action, 1739-1787; Bounty Papers, 1675-1822. These records relate to applications for financial aid awarded to the widows, dependent children, or mothers of officers and sailors killed in naval service. Pay lists detailing the recipient’s name, relation to the deceased, the rank and ship of the dead serviceman. Marriage certificates and death certificates are found in the papers.
• Series ADM 44, 1800-1860. Applications from the next of kin of deceased ratings and Royal Marine other ranks for their unpaid wages. Some applications are supported by wills, birth or marriage certificates. These papers are indexed by ADM 141.
• Series ADM 48, 1786-1882. Seamen’s Wills. Original wills of ratings, warrant officers and some Marines who died (accident, disease, war) including ship, rank, next-of-kin, executors.
• Series ADM 154, 1859-1878. Registers of the names of ratings who died in service, giving their ships, and the names and relations of their next of kin and of legal representatives. The fact of leaving a will is also noted. The numbers can be used as a means of reference to ADM 44.
• Series ADM 104, 1742-1957. Registers of killed and wounded; Registers of Reports of Deaths: Naval Ratings; Indexes to Registers of Killed and Wounded. Records within this series are available to download as digital microfilm.
• Series ADM 242, 1914-1933. Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War. A card index of naval officers killed 1914-1920, including some officers of the Royal Marines and Naval Reserve, and of the Canadian and Australian navies; a card index of ships lost, 1914-1919; a war graves roll, 1914-1919, and statistical casualty books 1914-1933. ADM 242 piece numbers 1 to 5 inclusive has been scanned/digitised and available on online.
• Series ADM 101, Medical Journals, 1785-1963. The journals contain an account of the treatment of medical and surgical cases, and usually a copy of the daily sick list, statistical abstracts of the incidence of diseases, and general comments on the health and activities of the ship’s company. The name index covering series ADM 101 is available at the TNA Discovery First click on ‘Advanced search’ and then type in the name being searched. Then under ‘Search for or within references’ type ‘ADM 101’.
• Series ADM 102, 1740-1926. The series consists chiefly of monthly musters of the patients in naval hospitals at home and abroad, and of stationary hospital ships in harbour. Either with these musters or bound up separately are pay lists and accounts of the same hospitals.
• Series ADM 30/20, Pay book of the royal bounty to widows of ratings and marines killed in action.
• Series ADM 11/51, 1833-1838. Obituary book of commissioned, warrant & Marine officers.
• Series ADM 6/445, 1846-1872. Commissioned & Marine Officers Obituary Book.
• Series ADM 116/529, 1899. South African War. Reports regarding casualties.
• Series ADM 10/16, 1903-1933. List of naval officers who died.
• Series ADM 261/1, 1939-1945. Reports from medical officers of treatment of casualties in named ships and vessels; list of RN medical officers killed or dying in service 1939-1945.
• Series ADM 164/23, 1911-1915. Relatives of officers slain, Royal Marine officers’ widows, retired naval officers, naval ordnance officers and special grants to officers.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Debt of Honour Register records and commemorates the names of some 1.7 million men and women from all three services killed in the two world wars and others who died up to 31 December 1947. The register is produced by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission which cares for military cemeteries worldwide. The Resister also includes merchant sailors as well as civilian casualties from WWII, known as the Civilian Roll of Honour.

General Register Office for England and Wales
The Office holds the following death and casualty registers:
GRO War Deaths Register includes deaths of British Army soldiers, Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel, Royal Air Force casualties, and Merchant Navy personnel who died as a result of these armed conflicts.

• Boer War (1899-1902)
• World War I, including deaths and wounded until 1921
• World War II, including deaths recorded until 1948

Other military related registers include:

• British Army regimental registers of births/baptisms, marriages and some deaths, 1761-1924.
• Army chaplains’ records of baptisms, marriages and deaths, 1796 to 1880.
• Births, marriages and deaths of members of the British Army or their families, which took place abroad.
• Births, marriages, civil partnerships and deaths of members of the British armed forces or their families.

The full set of index reference numbers on microfiche can be viewed at the Library of Birmingham, Bridgend Local and Family History Centre, the City of Westminster Archives Centre, Manchester Central Library, Newcastle City Library, Plymouth Central Library, and The British Library.

Period Covered

1790 – Onwards

Genealogical Value

• Name, date and place of birth, date of death, cause of death, place of burial.
• Family relationships, next of kin.
• Rank, number, ship’s name.

Further References

• Addis, C.P. The Men Who Fought with Nelson in HMS Victory at Trafalgar: Nelson Society, 1988
• Adkins, Roy & Lesley. Jack Tar: The Extraordinary Lives of Ordinary Seamen in Nelson’s Navy: Abacus, 2009
• Bevan, Amanda. Tracing Your Ancestors in the National Archives: The National Archives, 2006
• Blank, Dr. Stuart. Researching British Military History on the Internet: Alwyn Enterprises, 2007
• Brooks, Richard & Little, Matthew. Tracing Your Royal Marine Ancestors: Pen and Sword Books, 2008
• Burt, R.A. British Battleships of World War One: Seaforth, 2012
• Clarke, John D. Men of HMS Victory at Trafalgar Including the Muster Roll, Casualties, Rewards and Medals: Naval & Military Press 2002
• Cock, Randolph & Rodgers N.A.M. A Guide to the Naval Records in The National Archives of the UK: Institute of Historical Research, 2006
• Coleman, E.C. Rank and Rate: Insignia of Royal Naval Ratings, WRNS, Royal Marines, QARNNS and Auxiliaries: Crowood Press, 2012
• Divall, Ken. My Ancestor was a Royal Marine: Society of Genealogists, 2008
• Fenton, Roy & Briody, Nuala & Macdonald, Mike. Maritime Information : A Guide to Libraries and Sources of Information in the United Kingdom: Maritime Information Association, 2004
• Fowler, Simon. A Guide to Military History on the Internet: Pen & Sword, 2007
• Fowler, Simon. Tracing Your Naval Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen & Sword Books, 2011
• Gregson, Keith. Nelson’s Navy 1793-1815: Federation of Family History Societies, 2006
• Hurst, Norman (comp). Naval Chronicle, 1799-1818: Index to Births, Marriages and Deaths: N. Hurst, 1989
• Ingham, Mary. Tracing Your Service Women Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen and Sword Books 2012
• Lavery, Brian. Life in Nelson’s Navy: The History Press, 2011
• Lavery, Brian. Empire of the Seas: The Remarkable Story of How the Navy Forged the Modern World: Conway, 2012
• Lavery, Brian. Nelson’s Navy: The Ships, Men and Organisation, 1793-1815: Conway, 2013
• Mackenzie, Robert Holden. The Trafalgar Roll: The Ships and the Officers: Chatham, 2004
• Morris, Stuart. Dorset, The Royal Navy: Dovecote Press, 2011
• Pappalardo, Bruno. Tracing Your Naval Ancestors: PRO, 2003
• Pappalardo, Bruno. Royal Navy Lieutenants’ Passing Certificates 1691-1902: List & Index Society, 2001 (Available in The National Archives reading rooms)
• Pope, Dudley.Life In Nelson’s Navy: Chatham Publishing, 1997
• Prysor, Glyn. Citizen Sailors: The Royal Navy In the Second World War: Penguin Books, 2012
• Rodger, N.A.M. Naval Records for Genealogists: PRO, 1998
• Royal Marines Historical Society. A Register of Royal Marine Deaths, 1914-19: 1991
• Spencer, William. Family History in the Wars: The National Archives, 2007
• Storey, Neil. Military Photographs and How to Date Them: Countryside Books, 2009
• Tracing Your Family History. Royal Navy: Imperial War Museum, 2006
• Tracy, Nicholas. The Naval Chronicle: The Contemporary Record of the Royal Navy at War, vols 1-5: various publishers
• Usher, George. Dictionary of British Military History: A&C Black Publishers, 2006
• Waller, Ian. My Ancestor was in the Royal Navy: Society of Genealogists, 2014
• Watts, Christopher T. and Watts, Michael J. Tracing Births, Deaths and Marriages at Sea: Society of Genealogists, 2004
• Willis, Sam. In the Hour of Victory: The Royal Navy At War in the Age Nelson: Atlantic Books, 2014
• Wills, Simon. Tracing Your Seafaring Ancestors: A Guide to Maritime Photographs for Family Historians: Pen and Sword Books, 2016
• Wilson, Alastair. A Biographical Dictionary of The Twentieth Century Royal Navy: Volume 1 Admirals of the Fleet and Admirals: Seaforth, 2013

Websites

Imperial War Museum
Casualty Records.
Who Do You Think You Are Magazine?
Royal Marines records: How to find them. Naval history expert Simon Wills explains how to find Royal Marines records for your family history research.
Global Maritime History
Manacles or Moral Management? Treating Insanity at Haslar Naval Lunatic Asylum.
The National Archives Research Guide
How to look for records of Royal Navy ratings’ service records 1853-1928. Available here are over 700,000 Royal Navy service records for ratings who entered the service between 1853 and 1928. Some of the records cover periods of service up to at least 1950.
The National Archives Research Guide
How to look for records of Royal Navy ratings’ pensions 17th-20th centuries. This guide provides advice on how to find pension records of Royal Navy ratings and of some merchant seamen who served in Royal Navy employment.
The National Archives Research Guide
How to look for records of Royal Navy ratings up to 1913. This is a guide to finding records of Royal Navy ratings who enlisted before the First World War, covering enlistments all the way back to 1667.
The National Archives Research Guide
How to look for records of Royal Navy ratings of the First World War.
The National Archives Research Guide
How to look for records of Royal Navy ratings enlisted after 1918. This is a short guide to records of Royal Navy ratings that enlisted and served after the First World War.
Imperial War Museum Guide
Tracing your Royal Navy Family History.
Imperial War Museum Guide
Where to find Royal Navy Service Records.
National Museum of the Royal Navy
Researching Naval Personnel. This guide sheet provides information on how to research naval personnel including find an individual’s service records.
National Museum of the Royal Navy
Identifying Naval Uniforms. Want to identify an old naval uniform or learn about its significance?
Findmypast
How to find British Royal Navy records. The guide explains the main types of British Royal Navy records and how to search them effectively.
Caird Library and Archive
Family history research. Find out about your family history at sea using resources available in the National Maritime Museum’s Library and Archive.
Forces War Records
7 essential military records for discovering navy ancestors.
UKMFH
Military Family History Online. This site provides links to web sites that offer online information in a wide range of categories to help you with your Military Family History research.
GENUKI
UK and Ireland: Military Records.
GENUKI
British Military Records by Jay Hall
National Maritime Museum
Caird Library: Research Guides. National Maritime Museum Caird Library: Research Guides. The guides will help you research maritime records so you can discover more about your ancestors, family history or famous people. A number of guides deal with tracing and researching Royal Navy ancestors as well as ship records, administrative records and naval gunnery.
Roll of Honour
World War 1 British Warship Losses. The list covers the warships lost between 4th August 1914 to 11th November 1918, issued as a House of Commons paper, as published in 1919 by His Majesty’s Stationery Office.
Naval-History.Net
The website is dedicated to naval history research and includes a wide range of naval history resources. The site offers information on naval operations during both World Wars, including detailed accounts of battles, ship movements and compilation of naval casualty lists. The site also has detailed histories of various naval vessels.
Navy Records Society
The Society publishes in print and online rare and original documents on naval history. Since 1893 it has produced over 160 printed volumes covering a wide array of topics, including major figures in British naval history, naval strategy and politics and shipbuilding, The Society also hosts an online magazine which features articles, updates and discoveries on naval history.
Price Genealogy
Royal Navy Part 2, Ordinary Sailor (Ratings).
Forces War Records
What are the Royal Navy Ranks and Royal Naval Trades?
Who Do You Think You Are? magazine
How to find Royal Navy service records. Simon Wills reveals how family historians can find their ancestors’ Royal Navy service records, from the Napoleonic Wars to the First and Second World Wars.
Naval Dockyards Society
The Society’s primary aim is to stimulate the production and exchange of information and research into naval dockyards and associated organisations including victualling, medicine, ordnance, shipbuilding, shipbreaking, coastguard stations, provisions and supplies.
The National Archives Blog
A lot to be excited about: Admiralty Allotment Registers. What are these allotment registers? To what do we owe their existence, and why are they such a potentially valuable source? by Bruno Pappalardo.
Genealogy Jude
Tracing a British Seaman in the Royal Navy before 1853.

Online Databases

Ancestry

• UK, Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919. Names of Royal Navy and Royal Marine officers who died in The Great War are listed in this database. While the collection is an index without attached images, it contains a great deal of information about each individual. The original collection is housed in The National Archives in London.
• Great Britain, Royal Naval Division Casualties of The Great War, 1914-1924. This database is a register of the deaths of Royal Navy servicemen who served in the Royal Naval Division (RND) in World War I (WWI). It was compiled from original service records and all other sources listing RND casualties. Original data: Jack Marshall, comp. The Jack Clegg Memorial Database of Royal Naval Division Casualties of The Great War.
• UK, WWI Hospital Registers, 1915-1919. Records are available from several types of medical facilities, including casualty clearing stations, field ambulances, ambulance trains, and hospital ships.
• UK, Wills of Royal Navy and Royal Marines Personnel, 1786-1882. This collection includes wills written by sailors and marines before embarking on dangerous missions or during service, drawn from series ADM 48 held by The National Archives. The records includes the wills of warrant officers and some ratings but does not include commissioned officers.
• Web: UK, Wills of Royal Naval Seamen Index, 1786-1882. Original data: Wills of Royal Naval Seamen (1786 – 1882). The National Archives of the UK (TNA), Kew, Surrey, England. Series ADM 48.
• England, Dreadnought Seamen’s Hospital Admissions and Discharges, 1826-1930. Search seamen admitted to the Dreadnought hulk treating those with cholera and needing isolation. The original data is kept at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England.

Findmypast
Did your ancestor serve in the British Royal Navy or Royal Marines? These records span over 200 years from 1704 up to WWII, providing important dates and the name (s) of your ancestor’s next of kin. The datasets draw primarily from original records held at The National Archives and include service histories, pensions, musters, pay, allotments and reserve service.

• British Royal Navy Seamen, 1899-1924. Digitised service records (images and transcripts) covering the Boer War and the First World War. These typically include ships served on, dates of service, physical descriptions and pre-service occupations for ratings. (ADM 188).
• Registers of Seamen’s Services, 1925–1929. Centralised registers giving summary service details for Royal Navy seamen in the inter-war period, (ADM 362).
• Seamen’s Services Continuous Record Cards, 1929–1950. Individual continuous service record cards, (ADM 363).
• Service Records, 1802-1919. Service records for officers and ratings of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Coastguard and associated services (Series II). (ADM 29/1-32, 34-131).
• British Royal Naval Reserve 1899-1930. The dataset consists of over 81,000 service cards of officers and ratings who served with the RNR. (ADM 337 and ADM 240).
• Greenwich Hospital Registers, 1737-1752 & 1859. Registers of candidates for admission to Greenwich Hospital and registers of applications to Greenwich Hospital for admission, out-pensions or other relief. (ADM 6/223-320).
• Greenwich Hospital Out-Pension Pay Books, 1814-1846. Pay books of naval out-pensions at Greenwich Hospital, (ADM 22/254-443).
• Royal Greenwich Hospital Registers, 1704-1869. Registers covering out pensions pay books, general registers of pensioners and their families, school admission papers and miscellaneous registers, (ADM 73/1–69; ADM 95–131).
• Greenwich Hospital Pension Records, 1846–1854. War Office pension records relating to naval pensioners supported by Greenwich Hospital, (WO 4/887–891).
• Mercantile Marine Records, 1852-1853. Miscellaneous returns for England, Scotland, Wales and Jersey, (WO 22/208).
• Greenwich Hospital Pension Registers, (1868–1870). Register of Greenwich Hospital pensions, (WO 23/24)
• British Royal Navy, Ships’ Musters, 1739-1861. This collection of muster rolls is a resource for to find seafaring ancestors in the Royal Navy before service records began in 1853. (ADM 36, ADM 37 and ADM 38).
• British Royal Navy Allotment Declarations, 1795-1852. Search records which allowed petty officers, seamen, non-commissioned officers, and marines to remit part of their wages for the maintenance of their mothers, wives, or families. (ADM 27).
• Naval Casualties 1914-1919. Search the records of more than 43,000 sailors who died between 1914-1920 and find out their place of birth, the ship they served on and the name and whereabouts of their next of kin.
• British Royal Navy Casualty Logs, 1939-1945. These records document Royal Navy ships that were lost, damaged, or involved in serious incidents during the Second World War, recording events such as sinkings, enemy attacks, collisions, groundings, and mine strikes.
• Wills Of Royal Navy & Royal Marines Personnel, 1786-1882. Search transcripts of 20,000 original wills of men in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines and find details such as date of the will, their rank and the boat they worked on.
• WW1 Ships Lost At Sea, 1914-1919. Details of British Royal Navy ships that were destroyed during WWI including details of officers killed or wounded on each ship.

On Findmypast, use “Browse Record Set” within Regimental & Service Records to filter by dataset or place.

Findmypast
Waves of history. From Trafalgar heroes to women among the waves, discover ancestors who served on the seas in British Royal Navy records. Brought online in partnership with the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

• Battle of Trafalgar Prize Book, 1807-1809
• WRNS Officer Attestation Papers, 1917-1919
• Submarine Movement Cards
• Casualty Logs & Allied Warship Losses, 1939-1945
• Royal Naval Division, 1914-1920
• British & Allied Warships Lost in Second World War, 1939-1945

The Genealogist
World War 1 Wounded Collection. Search Over 1.3 million records from daily and weekly First World War casualty lists from British and Commonwealth forces covering soldiers, sailors and airmen from all ranks. The collection covers both those who died of their wounds and those who recovered and returned to the front.

Naval & Military Archive
Naval Casualties 1914-1919. This database gives details of naval other ranks deaths in service during the First World War. The original records are held by The National Archives and are in a perilously damaged state. The Naval & Military Press have had these fragile documents carefully transcribed and checked.

The National Archives
Wills of Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel 1786-1882. These records are the original wills of warrant officers and ratings as well as Royal Marines other ranks. You can search and download the wills in series ADM 48 of around 20,000 men who joined the Royal Navy between 1786 and 1882.

Forces War Records
Search over 645 million British Armed Forces personnel records from 30 completely exclusive collections covering WWII, WWI, Boer War, Victorian Conflicts, Crimean War, Early 19th Century Wars, Napoleonic. Also search hundreds of other sources such as Medal Rolls, Casualties Lists and Memorials. Name searches are automatically cross referenced to the Historic Documents Library that holds over two thousand publications.

Naval History
Casualty Lists of the Royal And Dominion Navies 1889-2009, researched and compiled by Don Kindell.

CD Roms

S & N Genealogy Supplies
First World War-Army Officer and Navy War Deaths. This 3 CD set is part of the Overseas Birth, Marriages and Deaths Records Series.
Naval & Military Press
Sailors Died In The Great War: Royal Naval Other Ranks Deaths 1914-1919.