This resource has been created to assist in exploring British military history and heritage.
It offers a selection of web links that can be useful for researching family war records; although not exhaustive, these links serve as helpful starting points.
Beyond resources for war record research, you’ll also find information on military museums, memorials, and notable sites across the UK.
Royal British Legion: www.britishlegion.org.uk
This link gives information on the works of the Royal British Legion, including supporting Veterans, charity fund raising events and the shop to purchase RBL products.
Research your family’s military past:
The following can assist with finding family war records; some are free and some of these charge for detailed access.
If you are aware of specific army regiments, RAF units, of Royal Naval ships this can assist with finding more information. Especially army regiments, as you contact the regimental museums directly.
1. gov.uk – this is the probably the best starting place, most information is free there may be fees for certain items.
Most records are in the process of being transferred from MOD records to here, this has the links for both. Links on this site can also be found for the following.
2. uk.forceswarrecords.com – this site charges and covers conflicts before WW1.
General Ancestry Websites:
National:
NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM (Staffordshire); www.thenma.org.uk.
Situated in 150 acres of outdoor space, there are over 400 memorials commemorating the Armed Forces and Emergencies Services.
IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUMS: www.iwm.org.uk.
This houses many military collections and informs of conflicts from The First World War to the present day. They have a number of different nation-wide locations.
ARMY MUSEUMS OGILBY TRUST: www.armymuseums.org.uk.
This is a list of UK wide regimental museums, both active regiments and those that no longer exist.
The British Army ‘Regimental’ System is very unique, not many armies have this, and they have been critical to the army’s organisation and strength for over 400 years.
The oldest regiment being the Coldstream Guards dating back to the English Civil War of 1640.
They offer detailed and specific histories and collections telling, individuals’ stories of those who served in these regiments.
ROYAL AIR FORCE MUSEUM: www.rafmuseum.org.uk.
Museum covering the history of the RAF including many aeroplanes and collections. Based in two locations. Note that entry is FREE.
ROYAL ARMOURIES MUSEUMS: www.royalarmouries.org.
There are several locations containing large collections across the country, these can be found in the following locations.
ROYAL NAVY MUSEUMS: www.nmrn.org.uk
Tracking the very long history of the ‘Senior Service’ situated with in a number of locations throughout the country, the largest being Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
The locations and collections are as follows.,
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE:
BLETCHLEY PARK (Milton Keynes): http://bletchleypark.org.uk.
Famous location for WW2 ‘Code Breakers’ which proved pivotal in bringing the war to an end. Original buildings tell the story of those who serve there.
DORSET:
BOVINGTON TANK MUSEUM (Wareham, Dorset): www.tankmuseum.org
The largest UK collection of tanks and armoured vehicles from all over the world, and home of the British Army Royal Armoured Corp, with over 300 on display. The whole history of tanks is tracked from World War 1 to the Present Day.
They frequently display their collections of working tanks and vehicles.
EAST SUSSEX;
FORT NEWHAVEN (Newhaven): www.newhaven.org.uk
Built in the 19th century and decommissioned in 1956, this fort overlooks Newhaven and the Channel. It features gun emplacements and exhibits on WW1, WW2, and the Home Front.
ESSEX:
ROYAL GUNPOWDER MILLS (Waltham Abbey): www.royalgunpowdermills.com
Museum at the site of the former Royal Gun Powder Mills and its three hundred years history.
COMBINED MILITARY SERVICES MUSEUM (Maldon, Essex): https://cmsm.co.uk
A collection of arms and artifacts from the last from before the World Wars to the present day.
KELVEDON HATCH SECRET NUCLEAR BUNKER (Brentwood, Essex): https://nuclearessex.com
The site of the former nuclear bunker, with collections and set up as it was in the Cold War period.
HAMPSHIRE:
PORTSMOUTH HISTORIC DOCKYARD: www.historicdockyard.co.uk
Located in the ‘home of the Royal Navy’ and many of the old docks and Naval buildings, there a large variety of collections telling of the Royal Navy’s history over many centuries. Including a number of warships, notably.
Located very near to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, this museum covers the preparation for the WW2 D – Day landings in France to recapture Europe from Nazi Germany, includes recently restored LCT (Landing Craft Tank), one of the few remaining transporters used to carry tanks across the Channel.
ALDERSHOT MILITARY MUSEUM: www.hampshireculture.org.uk.
The home of the British Army for hundreds of years. This museum tells the story of how this base has evolved over many years and it’s connection with the Town, situated in old barrack buildings surrounded by the Army’s barracks which are still in use.
THE WW1 REMEMBERANCE CENTRE (PORTSMOUTH): www.ww1rcorg.uk
A small collection of artifacts covering WW1, they can also organise Battlefield tours to France and Belguim.
KENT:
DOVER CASTLE: www.english-heritage.org.uk
Centuries of military history through to the Cold War, many original collections can be found, which houses the Regimental Museum of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment (PWRR – army regiment for the Home Counties).
You can also discover how Operation Dynamo (Dunkirk evacuation) was planned and organised from the Castle.
THE HISTORIC DOCKYARD CHATHAM: https://thedockyard.co.uk
On the site of the former Royal Naval Docks in Chatham, this houses a lot of exhibits from our naval past.
You can explore a number of warships including a WW2 Destroyer, Cold War Sub Marine, and a Victorian Sloop.
There are many original buildings including a working Victorian era Ropery.
ROYAL ENGINEERS MUSUEM (Gillingham): www.re-museum.co.uk.
Near to the Chatham Dockyard, Gillingham is the ‘home’ of the Royal Engineers, this museum displays artefacts, vehicles, weapons and equipment from centuries of the Regiments past.
BATTLE OF BRITAIN MEMORIAL (Folkstone): www.battleofbritainmemorial.org
Memorial and visitors centre dedicated to those in the RAF who fought in the Battle of Britain.
BIGGIN HILL MEMORIAL MUSEUM: www.bigginhillmuseum.com
Located at the former RAF base includes a museum and Chapel, to commemorate the actions fought throughout WW2.
SHOREHAM AIRCRAFT MUSEUM (Shoreham, Kent): www.shoreham-aircraft-museum.co.uk.
Small museum started by enthusiasts in the North Kent area collecting remnants of aircraft which were shot down and crashed during the war.
RAF MANSTON HISTORY MUSEUM (Ramsgate): www.rafmanston.co.uk
The museum tells the story of the RAF Base from its beginning in 1916 to the departure of the RAF in 1996, includes many artifacts as well as aircraft.
SPITFIRE & HURRICANE MUSEUM (Ramsgate): www.spitfiremuseum.org.uk
Located next to the RAF Manston History Museum, this has two buildings, one with a real Spitfire the other with a Hurricane.
KENT BATTLE OF BRITAIN MUSEUM (Folkstone): www.kbobm.org
Located at the former RAF base at Hawkinge, this museum which contains various replica and real aircraft from the war.
LONDON:
NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM (Chelsea): www.nam.ac.uk
A museum with large collection of uniforms and exhibits, tracing the history of the British Army from the 1600s to the present day. This is the British Army’s official museum with and lot of original and unique items and displays.
NORFOLK
MUCKLEBURGH MILITARY COLLECTION (Holt): www.muckleburgh.co.uk
Large collection of vehicles and exhibits from the World Wars and Cold War period; it’s situated on a former Royal Artillery Anti-Aircraft training camp.
NORFOLK TANK MUSEUM (Forncett St Peter): www.norfolktankmuseum.co.uk
Collection of tanks and vehicles from the whole 20th Century Period
RAF REGIMENT HERITAGE CENTRE: www.rafregimentheritagecentre.co.uk
This museum tracks the history of the Regiment who is charged with guarding RAF bases around the world, from its official creation in 1942 to the present day.
CITY OF NORWICH AVIATION MUSEUM: www.cnam.org.uk
A museum with a collection of military and civil aircraft and engines mainly from the post war period.
