Author Topic: Is it worth applying for service record?  (Read 3150 times)

Offline carom

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Is it worth applying for service record?
« on: Wednesday 06 February 19 23:12 GMT (UK) »
My uncle Corporal David George Porter  1924-1987.
I know he served in a tank regiment as his father had done in WW1.
He gave me a cloth badge, cream background with a black rat, from this I assume he was in 4th armoured brigade. I also remember him mentioning going into France shortly after D-day.
Given his age I think he would have served from 1942-45?
He never married, so no next of kin, I would have to pay£30 plus cost of a death cert.
Looking at the govuk site it seems the amount of info you get is variable.

My question to fellowrootschatters who have bought records is how
detailed/useful is the info?

Online ShaunJ

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Re: Is it worth applying for service record?
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 06 February 19 23:24 GMT (UK) »
In my case the MoD were really helpful and provided a very comprehensive record.
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Offline Sandy_W

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Re: Is it worth applying for service record?
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 06 February 19 23:52 GMT (UK) »
I bought my father's service record a few years ago although I knew it wasn't going to be wildly exciting. He had an easy time compared to many people - he originally joined The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) but after several spells in hospital with severe bronchitis, he was transferred to the Catering Corps.

I still found it interesting though, just finding out where he'd trained and how long he was stationed in Italy, and also that he'd gone AWOL from camp (in England) for a few days!

My father's record was about six pages long even though he didn't see any action, so I would expect your uncle's record to be longer and more interesting!

Offline jaybelnz

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Re: Is it worth applying for service record?
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 07 February 19 06:17 GMT (UK) »
Although I'm in NZ, getting my Father's WW2 RNZAF War record was incredibly useful for me!  There were some things in there that were previously unknown to me, but they were able to remind my Mum of things he told had her about his time in Suva, Fiji.

For instance, (and I've posted this story many times before ( simply because I love it). Briefly, his 24 hr Demob leave when WW2 ended, was in September 1944. Due to travel restrictions, and the distance involved, he had to hitchhike part of the way, and needed 2 changes of train.  In fact, he was only home for 4 hrs, before he had to journey back to camp!  After he died in 1973, My Mum had  told me I had been conceived during that 4 hrs! After my Mum Died, I told my brothers that special story, and they simply didn't believe me!  I had just started doing my FH by then, and had recently purchased his WAR Record! 

1. The 24 Hr Demob date of leave was recorded early September.
2. My birth date was mid July 1945!  Woohoo - YAY, Did I enjoy delivering that wee bit of news to my
    2 big brothers!! 😍😍😍😜😜 I sent them both a copy!

So yes, just do it, you never know what you're going to discover!  😂😂

     
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Offline carom

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Re: Is it worth applying for service record?
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 07 February 19 12:25 GMT (UK) »
Thanks for the replies, you've convinced me to go ahead. Had been dithering as it's quite expensive, but I suppose someone has to manually retrieve the record.

Offline Lisajb

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Re: Is it worth applying for service record?
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 07 February 19 12:34 GMT (UK) »
I'd like to apply for my recently deceased fathers records, but his third wife is still alive, doesn't like me and would never give me permission.

I think that would mean I would not get much detail?
Mullingar, Westmeath Ireland: Gilligan/Wall/Meagher/Maher/Gray/O'Hara/Corroon (various spellings)
Bristol: Woodman/James/Derrick
Bristol/Somerset: Saunders/Wilmot
Gloucestershire:Woodman/Mathews/Tandy/Stinchcombe/Marten/Thompson
Wiltshire: Mathews
Carmarthen: Thomas, Lewis
Australia: Mary Lewis, transportee, married Henry Brown - what happened to her?

Offline Sandy_W

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Re: Is it worth applying for service record?
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 07 February 19 12:48 GMT (UK) »
I'd like to apply for my recently deceased fathers records, but his third wife is still alive, doesn't like me and would never give me permission.

I think that would mean I would not get much detail?

Lisa, you could try applying anyway. My Dad's wife was still alive but I hadn't had contact with her for many years when I applied for my Dad's record. Strictly speaking, she was next-of-kin and I shouldn't have been allowed his record, but they obviously didn't check. Having said that, my Dad had been deceased for about 15 years when I applied, and his wife was 17 years younger than him. They probably assumed she was about the same age as him and therefore deceased too.

Offline Mart 'n' Al

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Re: Is it worth applying for service record?
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 07 February 19 13:05 GMT (UK) »
I'd love to see my father's national service record from the late 1940s, but £30 is a bit steep. I think they'd make a lot more money if they made them £10.

Martin

Offline Ruskie

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Re: Is it worth applying for service record?
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 07 February 19 13:17 GMT (UK) »
I'd like to apply for my recently deceased fathers records, but his third wife is still alive, doesn't like me and would never give me permission.

I think that would mean I would not get much detail?

You are second on the list Lisa. You could still go ahead and apply, marking yourself as second next of kin and include a note explaining the situation (maybe omit that she doesn't like you and would not give her permission, but rather say you do not have contact with her if that is true?).
I have no idea if, given the circumstances, they would issue you the full service record. It must be a frustrating situation for you, and a bit unfair that you, as his child, need permission from someone who (for all intents and purposes) you are not related to, to obtain your own father's records.

Alternatively you could do as Sandy did? Maybe you misunderstood the nok requirements?  ;) Maybe you thought your mother, as his spouse, would be nok and she is deceased? (is she?)

Otherwise you could apply as a "General Enquirer" for the reduced info records (which doesn't seem to include much). I could also apply for your father's records under this category if I could get a copy of his d/c.  :-\