Records of army officers were kept as early as 1702. These lists named the officer, their regiment, and usually the date they received their current commission and when they retired. The first official Army list was published in 1740 and since 1754 they have been published regularly as annual lists (1754-1879) and quarterly lists (1879-1922). Since 1939 they have been classified and not available to the public.
Army & Navy Lists
Army Lists: Provide details on officers, regiments, and commissions. Essential for tracing military careers from 1740 onwards.
Navy Lists: Official records of naval officers, ranks, seniority, and ships. Vital for researching ancestors in the Royal Navy.
Service Details
An outline of an officer's career is usually fairly easy to discover from official army lists. The most important information is usually organised by regiment, so if you need to trace a military ancestor, you aren't going to get very far without their regiment details.
The Navy List is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc. These records are useful for tracing an ancestor in the Navy – most Navy Lists include a person's name, date when rank was acquired, rank, and whether they’re active or retired.
The World Wars
World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945) records offer a fascinating insight into heroic officers, overseas deaths, and the daily lives of those who served.
These records are invaluable for tracing ancestors who fought or died during these global conflicts, providing context to their service and sacrifice.
Tips and Things to Remember
- Consider spelling variants, wrong names and ages, and the possibility that some people were not recorded.
Searching a Directory
For more detailed information on Army Lists, go to armylists.org.uk.
Try S&N Genealogy Supplies, as they have one of the largest highest-quality selections of directories available to purchase via download or on CD.
Also try The Genealogist – there are a number of specialist records available to search, including crew lists, landowner records, army lists, and more.
