A guide to obtaining Records of Service and how the REME Museum can
help to interpret them for you
Introduction
People seek service records for a variety of reasons: some to acquire their own
service/medical records and some in connection with the growing interest in
family history. Whatever the reason, obtaining copies can be a surprisingly
straightforward process. However, the process differs, depending on whether
you are requesting your own record; if you are the next of kin of a deceased
Service person; or if you simply have a general interest in an individual.
The Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA98) provides access for individuals to
personal data held about them by any organisation. Currently, the MOD does
not charge for requests made under DPA98
(note: DPA98 does not give individuals access to personal data about other
people or non-personal data).
Requests for personal data made in accordance with the Freedom of Information
Act 2000 (FOIA) are also dealt with under DPA98, if the applicant is also the
person to whom the personal data relates. Requests relating to third parties (ie
living individuals other than the applicant) may also be considered in accordance
with DPA98 or under FOIA if certain conditions apply. DPA98 does not apply to
requests for personal information relating to deceased individuals. Such
requests will be considered in accordance with FOIA and other relevant
legislation (eg European Convention Human Rights (ECHR) as embodied in the
Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA98) and Access to Health Records Act 1990
(AHRA90)).
A Request for Information held on those currently serving in the Armed
Forces
Please follow your Service instructions. If you do not know what these are,
contact your unit Data Protection Officer (DPO).
A Request for Information held on those who have previously served in the
Armed Forces
You must download, print and complete a DPA SAR Form 1694, in accordance
with the following link: enter www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-servicerecords in your internet browser and then click on “DPA SAR Form 1694”. Use
this form to make a “Subject Access Request”, stating clearly the information you
require, and send it, with the necessary proof of identification requested, to the
following address:
Army Personnel Centre Secretariat
Disclosures 2
Mail Point 515
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow G2 8EX
(note: if you do not have access to the internet, copies of the DPA SAR Form
1694 can be obtained from the Army Personnel Centre by post).
A Request for Information held on the Personnel Records of Deceased
Service Personnel
The Army Personnel Centre Historical Disclosures Section holds Army service
records for officers whose service ended after April 1922 and soldiers whose
service ended after January 1921. Information from these records can be
requested under the MOD Publication Scheme. Records of service prior to these
dates, such as World War 1 records are held by the National Archives (formerly
the Public Record Office) at Kew (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk).
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the custodian of the records of service of
Service personnel, until they are opened to general public access at The National
Archives. Subject to the payment of a search fee of £30 per record and provision
of a death certificate (except where death was in service), certain information can
be provided from these records on request under the MOD Publication Scheme.
Under the scheme, and 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
subject and without the consent of the next of kin, MOD will disclose only:
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; and any orders of chivalry
and gallantry medals (decorations of valour) awarded, some of which may
already have been announced in the London Gazette.
However, after this period, in addition (if it is held) MOD will disclose without the
requirement for next of kin consent: 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 World War 2 campaign medals.
(note: the search fee of £30 will be waived for requests from those who were the
spouse or civil partner of the subject at the time of death (or parent if there was
no spouse or civil partner)).
Where the consent of the immediate next of kin has been given for its release to
a third party, the 25 year threshold will not apply allowing the release of all the
information available under the MOD Publication Scheme at any time, subject to
the payment of a search fee of £30 per record and the provision of a death
certificate (except where death was in service).
While MOD aims generally to provide information where the above conditions are
met, it will not disclose any information under the MOD 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 record might be
prejudicial, the applicant will be advised of the relevant Freedom of Information
Act statutory exemption that applies to its non disclosure.
How to Apply for Information held on the Personnel Records of Deceased
Service Personnel
For those who are the immediate next of kin or who are applying with the
immediate next of kin’s consent: follow the MOD link above
(www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records) and then click on
“Service Records Enquiries” under “Related Pages”. Download and complete
the “Application Part 1 Next of Kin Consent Form” and the “Application Part 2
Form for the Army” (or other appropriate Service).
For those who are not the immediate next of kin, and who are applying
without the consent of the immediate next of kin: follow the MOD link above
(www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records) and then click on
“Service Records Enquiries” under “Related Pages”. Download and complete
the “Application Part 1 General Enquirer's Form” and the “Application Part 2 form
for the Army” (or other appropriate Service).
On completion, these forms (for both categories of enquiry) should be sent to:
The Army Personnel Centre
MS Support Unit (P & D Branch)
Historical Disclosures, MP 555
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow G2 8EX
(note: if you do not have access to the internet, copies of all relevant forms can
be obtained from the Army Personnel Centre by post).
How can the REME Museum help when the research service
recommences?
The REME Museum of Technology exists to preserve material and documents
relating to the Corps' history and to make the collections available for display, or
research. Within the Museum are the Corps Archives, consisting of the
Documentary Archives, Technical Archives and Pictorial Archives. These
Archives act as a custodian of our memories to inspire, inform and even enjoy. It
is a resource that enables us to unlock a world of information and provides a
unique picture of our past.
The official records of service provided by the MOD are copies of the actual
documents written at the time (eg during World War 2) and are steeped in the
acronyms of the day – to the ‘untrained’ eye, these can be extremely confusing.
By way of example, a recent record of service received in the Museum stated:
“65 Transit Camp 16 Aug 45 Liap leave”
The correct interpretation of this statement provided by the Museum was:
“On 16 August 1945 he received 28 days “Leave in Anticipation of Python
(LIAP)” – see Note below. To participate in LIAP he was attached to 65
Transit Camp; the journey was made by train starting in Milan and
travelling through Italy and France to Calais, with a sea crossing to Dover.
The return journey would have been via the same route.
{Note: Python was the code name for the end of an overseas operational
tour of duty. Soldiers who had been away from the UK for a long period of
time, but were not due to end their service, were granted home leave but
then had to return overseas}”.
It is part of the Corps Archivist’s remit to provide interpretations of official records
of service – by using the record of service obtained from the Army Personnel
Centre, together with added material from the Archives and general references
on Army history. In short, we are able to produce a complete ‘potted’ history of
the person’s time in the Army. A fee is charged for this service, which enables
the Museum to maintain the Corps Archives.
Any record of service sent to the Museum will be returned intact, together with
our interpretation. We prefer to receive the actual original photocopies received
from the MOD, rather than a ‘copy of the copy’, as the originals were hand written
using dip pens and poor quality ink – each successive copying reduces the clarity
of the image, which can impair our ability to interpret the original.
The REME Museum and Corps Archive is moving location. The Corps Archives
is held in hundreds of boxes which all need to be shipped and audited before
research can re-commence. There will be a period of stand-still for research from
mid 2015 until the end of the year. The museum and archive will be unable to
except any research requests during this time.