Advanced Genealogy
Before the World Wars
Early Military Records
Before the Civil War of 1642-9 there was no regular army; earls and kings raised their own militias and kept no formal records. Some records relating to this war – lists of regiments and their officers – can be found at the PRO. But better service records were kept from 1660 onwards, and most of these are also held at Kew, for both the army and navy, and for all ranks, including officers.
Knowing which regiment or corps your ancestor fought in if he was in the army, or which ship he sailed on if he was in the navy, will save you lots of time, particularly if you are searching before the mid-nineteenth century because until then service records were commonly organized by unit.
It is equally important to know whether the person you are searching for was an officer or a common soldier or sailor. Records for ranks are different. You can, of course, wade through the Army List or Navy List, held on microfilm at the PRO. These give all officers, so if your ancestor’s name does not appear, you can deduce from this that he was a soldier or a sailor – but it will be time-consuming. Knowing his economic background – put bluntly, was he wealthy or poor? – Would help because, as a rule, officers were from the landed classes, and ordinary soldiers and sailors were working class. A few men from the ranks were made officers, but this was rare. Life as an ordinary soldier usually meant 21 years of harsh service, cut to six in the 1870s. As a consequence of the tough conditions of army naval life, desertion was common. A sailor’s period of service was between five and seven years; much of this spent on half-pay on dry land, waiting for a posting to a ship.
A Soldier’s Life
Life in the army in the mid-nineteenth century was not a freeze. The daily ration consisted of 1lb (450G) of bread for breakfast and 12oz (340G) of meat, boiled, for midday dinner, and this food had to last all day. Conditions in the barracks were squalid and overcrowded. As a result, many men deserted, while others sought solace in drink. Rare was the soldier who went through his entire service without some form of punishment for drunkenness. If you know which regiment your ancestor belonged to, it is well worth discovering whether there is a regimental museum. Even if the staff are unable to supply specific information about him, they will be able to furnish you with background information about life in the regiment at the time he served, and the campaigns he may have been involved with.