Northern Territory Library
Military Websites for Family History
Northern Territory Resources
Northern Territory ANZAC’s
Territorians who fought in the great war
Four online exhibitions have been compiled to assist families in researching their relative’s service in the
Northern Territory during World War 2.
Northern Territory Military Units Exhibition
online exhibition showcases military units that
served in the Northern Territory during the Second
World War, indexed by military service, then unit
name.
The Track : 1000 miles to war is an online
exhibition focusing on the transformation of a rutted
dirt stock-route to a fully functioning highway
supporting crucial military operations during the
Second World War.
World War II online
exhibition showcases some
of the Library's rich
holdings relating to the
devastation and destruction
inflicted on the Northern
Territory during the Second
World War, especially
during the bombing of
Darwin in 1942.
The Roll of Honour lists those who died during the
Bombing of Darwin on 19 February 1942.
www.ntl.nt.gov.au
Dep a rtm ent of A rts & Mu s e ums
Australia’s Military Service
Australian War Memorial
The Honour Roll lists those Australians who died in War. The Commemorative Roll provides details
of Australians who died while on active service with allied forces. Nominal Rolls and Embarkation
Rolls give the unique service number for each individual, next of kin, date and place of birth and their
period of service.
WW1 Nominal rolls and embarkation rolls
WW2 Nominal Roll
Honours and Awards gives nominations and citations for Mentions in Despatches, Medals whether
awarded or not. War Diaries, Unit Histories and Official Histories record the operations of the
various units. The Official Histories of WW1 and WW2 are available in PDF format online. The War
diaries, a day by day account of the activities of the unit, are progressively being digitised.
National Archives of Australia
Service records
Using the service number you can quickly locate service records. Often service personnel would have two
service numbers, one for the Militia unit and one for the AIF or RAAF or RAN. Personal records of all WW1
and Boer War servicemen and women are available as images. These include physical descriptions, dental
charts, record of units and places served, hospital records and promotions and disciplinary actions. There may
be separate files for an individual’s Militia service, immigration, casualty and accident reports and courts
martial. Overseas marriages are often records, as well as pension details, next of Kin and, wills.
Discovering our ANZACs is a service where you can search by place of enlistment, and
add a note or photograph to the record. A growing number of Australian profiles on
Discovering Anzacs have a repatriation record attached which shows what happened to that
person after the war.
Unit Histories
National Library of Australia
Published Unit histories can be located in all libraries of Australia including the Northern Territory Library.
Many Australian units published records of their war service known as unit histories. They may be for a
particular ship, squadron or battalion. They can be borrowed from other libraries where they are not held
locally.
INFORMIT
Published Unit histories and articles on individuals units and campaigns from MIHILIST. (ADFA’s Australian
Military History database). This database is freely available through the Northern Territory Library subscription.
Digitised Images
Trove Australia in Pictures
Australian photographs on Flickr
Trove Australia - This is a one stop shop for indexing digitised images on Australian library
databases. Picture NT is indexed on Trove as well.
Honours & Awards
Department of Defence
Images of Medals and ribbons, and a description of the conditions of award. Covers Campaign, Gallantry and
Distinguished Conduct awards.
Memorials & Cemeteries
Department of Veteran’s Affairs
Databases on Servicemen from WWII to the Gulf War.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Locate the graves of Commonwealth service men and women, and where they have been commemorated.
Describes the cemeteries and how to get there.
Defence Services Sites
First World War
Australian Light Horse research aims to present an accurate history of
early Australian military developments from 1899 to 1920.
Australian ANZACs in the Great War by the Australian Defence Force Academy The AIF database is drawn
from a range of official sources, including personal files on the National Archives website, and Embarkation
and Nominal Rolls on the Australian War Memorial website.
Navy & Merchant Navy
RAN Ship Histories The Naval History Section continues to work on updating this list however
researching each individual ship history is an involved process that entails reviewing monthly
Reports of Proceedings and official logs for each year of a ship's commission. Often this material
can span a period of greater than 20 years and it takes considerable time to review it and author an
accurate history suitable for publication. Your patience in this matter is appreciated.
Australian Merchant Navy photographs. This website is dedicated to the Australian Merchant Marine. This
site is aimed at all merchant marine ratings, officers and engineers , currently serving, ex or retired. We also
would like to welcome all other Merchant Mariners from all other countries, and enthusiasts across the globe.
World War II merchant ship movement records for Australia
These merchant ship papers have been scanned from the original documents and
are posted in PDF format.
RAAF
RAAF Museum - Indexes Squadrons of the Royal Australian Air
Force.
Radar
Radar Units WWII - The main aims of this site are to keep World War II RAAF and WAAAF veterans informed
and to stimulate and record their memories, to draw attention to the role of radar as a key factor in the defence
of Australia in WWII, a story long suppressed for security reasons and to record the developing role of RAAF
radar and of radar people since WWII.
Women’s Army
Women's Land Army - Researching those who served in the AWLA. See also the National Archives series
C610 for individual service cards)
United Kingdom Military Records
RAF Bomber Command - The RAF Bomber Command website, a
tribute to over 55,000 members of Bomber Command who paid the
ultimate sacrifice. On 22nd February 1942, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur
Harris took over his new appointment as the Air Officer Commanding
Bomber Command.
Forces War Records - Transcibes military personnel records from a vast array of sources,
many of which are untapped by anyone else, and unavailable anywhere else on the internet.
The archive has been built from sources such as the following:
 National and Local Archives
 Military Museums
 Official Army, Navy and Royal Air Force lists
 Rare books such as university or company rolls of honour
 Battalion histories
United States Military Records
US Service Personnel - The National Archives holds Federal military service records from the Revolutionary
War to 1912 in the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C.
US Department of Veterans Affairs Grave Locater - The VA's National Cemetery Administration maintains
131 national cemeteries in 40 states (and Puerto Rico) as well as 33 soldier's lots and monument sites.
US National Archives Access to Archives Database
The National Personnel Records Centre in St. Louis, MO has 20th Century military records for discharged and
deceased veterans. In 1973 fire destroyed about 80% of the Army records (1912-1959) and 75% of the Air
Force records (1947-1963).
New Zealand Military Records
Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph database - Welcome to this gathering point for the
personal and official memory of people who served for New Zealand Aotearoa.
New Zealand Defence Force Archives - Provides information about how to apply for
military service records and medals from NZDF Archives, what to expect from the files and
where to go for further information.