Service Records & Research Enquiries
Quick Links
RAMC Charity
Providing welfare and financial support to members of the Corps community when it matters most.
Important Information
The Association Does Not Hold Service Records
Military Records
Accessing Military Service Records
Whether you are looking for your own records or researching a relative who served, this guide explains how to find what you need.
Personal Records
Requesting Your Own Service Records
If you are a veteran or currently serving, you can request a copy of your service records from the Ministry of Defence. There is no fee.
Veterans can submit a request online via the GOV.UK military service records form. The MOD will also accept requests by post or email if you prefer.
Currently serving personnel cannot use the online portal. Instead, download a Subject Access Request (SAR) form from the MOD Data Protection page and submit it to your local unit by email or in person. The address and email details are included on the form.
In both cases, you will need to provide proof of identity (such as a passport or driving licence) and proof of address.
If you wish to request records on behalf of a living person, you will need written authorisation from them, such as a letter of permission or a lasting power of attorney.
Deceased Relatives
Records for a Deceased Relative
Where you apply depends on when your relative served and when they were born.
Pre-1939 Records
Born Before 1 January 1939
Records for personnel born before 1939 have been transferred to the public domain and can be searched through The National Archives Discovery Catalogue.
Many have been digitised and are also available via Ancestry and Findmypast, though both sites charge a subscription or search fee.
Note that from February 2026, the National Archives introduced fees for some search and copying services relating to MOD personnel records.
Post-1940 Records
Born On or After 1 January 1940
The MOD is currently transferring approximately 9.3 million historic records to The National Archives. This is a large-scale project being carried out in stages, and not all records have been transferred yet.
Your first step should be to check the National Archives catalogue to see whether the record has already been transferred.
If it has not, apply directly to the MOD via the GOV.UK Deceased Records portal. You can apply online or by post. There is no application fee.
To apply, you will need the person’s full name, date of birth, and service number if known.
A death certificate is not required, but without one, some information may be withheld unless the person died in service or was born more than 115 years ago.
If applying online, the death certificate must be uploaded in digital format (PDF, PNG, or JPEG).
Please be aware that, due to the volume of requests, processing can take up to a year.
RAMC Research
A Note on RAMC-Specific Records
If you are researching someone who served with the Royal Army Medical Corps specifically and need further guidance, the National Army Museum offers research support and advice on tracing Army service records across different eras.