There is a wide-ranging variety of records from the Second World War where you can research British soldiers and their histories. These are kept in different archives, all held by the Ministry of Defence. In this guide we will list them so you can search for information about those that put their lives at risk (and frequently lost them) during WW2.
Records Available Online
A lot of records can be accessed online, for free or for a very small fee. These include registers and documents provided in large by the National Archives and the Ministry of Defence.
1939
The 1939 Register
This 1939 register allows you to browse for documents by name or address. The site is paid, as it belongs to Findmypast.co.uk. Th register contains a survey of the civilian British population and was used as the basis for issuing ID cards and ration books, among others.
1915-1978
The Cabinet Papers
The Cabinet Papers lets you check records from the Cabinet Office. This includes documents concerning decisions and discussions before, during, and after the Second World War.
1943-1945
The Allied Expeditionary Force Papers
This website allows you to browse copies of documents from the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force and 21 Army Group, which relate to a variety of headquarters responsibilities. The records are also available as digital microfilm in their catalog.
Service Records
1920 – Present
Service Records by Veterans UK
Veterans UK offers summaries of service records from the Ministry of Defence. One important note: Only those who are next of kin can request access, as these are not available to members of the general public.
National Archives in Kew Records
1939 – 1945
War Diaries from British Army Units
This website allows you to search British Army unit war diaries for the Second World War. They have a nice research guide you can use to get started.
1939 – 1945
UK Wartime Diaries and Personal Papers
This link will connect you with the Imperial War Museum website. Here, you will be able to access different records from their document archive, as well as from the various collections held by the museum and that refer to the Second World War.
Government and Military Records
The National Archives has an immense collection of documents you can consult, divided into Departments that cover government and military records for the Second World War. Just note that there’s likely to be some overlap between separate departments.
Most armed forces and general war records will be found in one of these:
Correspondence, policy and negotiation with other states can be explored in:
Correspondence to and from the Prime Minister’s office:
Domestic and internal affairs:
