Military records can be valuable sources of information for genealogists, helping you to find enlistment dates, learn about famous battles and discover the unique stories of the heroes in your family tree.
We’ve put together some tips to help you get the most out of Ancestry’s extensive collection of military records:
- The best way to find a military record is to enter as much information as you can into your search. The more you tell us about your ancestor, the easier it will be to find good matches about him or her.
- In your searching, remember to allow for name spelling variations and that sometimes records only used one or more initials for the given names.
- Since each collection includes different information, it is valuable to search collections that apply to your ancestor individually. Once you see the result for some individuals, you can see what terms might be useful in the Keyword field to refine your search.
- With some record collections, the description provides instructions for how to receive additional information. For example, when you locate someone in the Australian WWII Military Service Records, 1939-1945, you can request copies of the original records from the National Archives of Australia.
- Once you find a matching military record, save it to your family tree – that way you can provide evidence to back up the information in your family tree, easily share your discovery with your family and quickly find the historical record again later.
What’s your top tip for searching military records? Let us know on our Facebook page.