Request for WW2 Army Service Records - being told i will have to wait until 2029

[ankerdine]

We wanted to apply for my father-in-law's service records but are now doubting whether it will be possible. He was born in 1912 and died in 2000. He gave up 6 years of his life fighting in Egypt and then Italy, his young son grew up not knowing his father which made relationships on his return very difficult.

In the case of this thread it sounds like "the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing".

Thanks for this topic.
Judy

[Ruskie]

Thanks for clarifying the payment offer Ross.

It makes sense for the MOD to do a “free”check to see if they hold the records before asking for payment.

Still not clear if a family member gets the full medical records after providing a d/c though. I would think these would be of huge interest to family members. I’d be annoyed if my family member’s medical records, or even worse, some of them, were ‘blacked out’.

Can anyone hazard a guess about what might be deemed a “sensitve” medical record, and what they have the power to decide that family members can and can’t see?. Presumably if a serviceman had bullet would to the shoulder or dysentery that would be ok to pass on to the family, but if they had VD or a mental issue, that would be kept secret from family?  Someone working in the office at TNA can read my relatives medical records and decide if they are suitable for me to read??? 

I’m glad I don’t have any service records On my wish list. 

[Rosinish]

Archives said we can't access the records until 2029 and 2032 respectively !  115 years after birth - and reason given is "Medical Records"  -  both grandfathers have sadly been deceased for 25+ years .   We have the service numbers and death certificates, but i am at a loss on what to do next

How very odd considering a DC gives cause of death...

Medical Records can be very helpful, giving reasons as to why our families have certain illnesses &/or conditions etc.

Research teams also have an interest in certain conditions which may be inherited...

I was asked to send a list of my ancestors' known 'death' details to Aberdeen University who were (at the time) dealing with a close family members' terminal illness which will hopefully help in their research for others in the future.

Annie

[Cell]

I am not quite sure about this free check theory after the 1st April  (  because it is currently  a free check  with the MOD, via the TNA online application portal) .  I applied for my grandfather's my records via the TNA on the 15th Jan ( last month) , it was sent to the MOD -  which is basically  a  free check ,  you don't  pay anything when you apply now  ( as I  haven't paid anything for them to check)
I am still waiting for an email   to know who holds my grandfather records. And if the Mod still hold it - then I will sent be a link  to pay the MOD if they hold it . The below  is from the email I recieved after I lodged the application on the TNA site.
" Your application has been sent to the British ArmyYour reference for this
****
What  happens next

The disclosure branch WILL PERFORM  search based on the data you have given.

The search will tell the disclosure branch where the record is held.

You may be contacted for further information, using the contact details you provided.

You will be sent a payment link if you need to pay for a record held by the Ministry Of Defence.

"
It seems  all very confusing,  has anyone, besides myself ,applied in the past couple  of weeks through  the online application on the TNA?  They do not ask for payment  when you lodge the  online form .I am  totally confused now .
It  all seems  like an almighty mess by the TNA.
Kind regards

Ps 
Looking at  the TNA application page,   the "free check from the 1st April "  is under the postal application bold  heading. " Apply by Post". Scroll down to  postal applications on the page
 https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records . 
The words are not  situated under the   *online application  ( *which to my mind - is a  totally  free check , as I haven't paid anything at all  to check if they hold  them,  when I submitted  my  application online ) .

 Maybe (?) the whole  confusion  about this " free check"  is that   the free check is relating to  the* postal applications  only,  given that the free check words, from the 1st April   is situated under the" Apply by Post"  header on their page . I assume you still  have  to  send off the  30 pounds with the paper application  to the MOD ,if you're applying by the  postal application route,  ( which is unlike submitting it online to them , where you do not  pay anything for them to check  )

Kind regards

[Cell]

Just an update on mine, as I applied through the new online  portal on the TNA site ( just  a couple of months ago,)  and I  didn't really know what to expect, and how long it  would take for the MOD to  find  my grandfather's records and get back to me.

I received a letter in the post from Scotland yesterday ( I am in Aus). They have informed me that my grandfather's have been moved over to the TNA. They have given me the *index numbers ( *where my grandfather's records can be found)  and his service number ( I had his old army number , which I added to my application so they could find him easier,  but  I didnt know what his newer updated one was- his army number was changed during his time in service, as he began his service prior to the new updated numbering system  , he joined up sometime in the very early 1930s or very late 20s  , and continued to serve for around thirty years  until around the  very early 1960s ,when he finally retired) to give to the TNA. I now need to apply to the TNA via the email address they provided to me in the letter.

Hopefully I won't  have any problems with the TNA. I don't know what the costs will be from the TNA for his records   ( if they do release them to me of course), but I will pay it regardless of the costs, as I've  been meaning to apply to the MOD for his records for years .

The  online application to the MOD to find his records  was  totally free, I haven't paid anything  for them to look, send me out a letter to Australia , informing me where it is , giving me his  new service number and the index numbers it filed  under at the TNA.
So far, a very good service . I was very pleasantly surprised how quick the MOD got back to me ( I was expecting it to be far longer  than just a couple of months).  I wish mine was still with the MOD ,as I am  expecting problems with the TNA  . Hopefully I won't get any.
Kind regards

[jmp]

Hi there,
Just a quick update from me
I applied for my uncles service record via the MOD just before the cut off date just in case the records were still with them. Unfortunately it appeared that they had already been moved to Kew but the MOD gave me a reference number which I then used to apply for them to Kew. After an initial email from them I received a rather badly cut and pasted email from them today. I copy the relevant info below ( the sentence in bold is my addition)
 
Thank you for your patience with your Freedom of Information request into the service records of APV000630459 I.W.H. HOWLETT Service Number:2326973.

We have reviewed this record and are unable to open it because information within this record is exempt under Section 41 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 until 20XX.
This means we cannot make the record make the record open to you or to the public in general.

The FOI Act gives you the right to know whether we hold the information you want and to have it communicated to you, subject to any exemptions which may apply.
 
The record has been closed until 115 years have passed since the serviceman’s date of birth, or 25 years after the serviceman has been deceased (if proof of death has been received by this department.) Please be aware that any death certificates sent to the Ministry of Defence are not available to The National Archives (TNA).
 
It seems from this that I can apply again next year when my uncle would have been deceased for 25 years rather than having to wait the full 115 years from birth.

It goes on to say
A significant proportion of this record contains medical information. TNA has decided that a partial release of this record (the release of material which is not medical) would require a redaction process that would be neither in the best interests of the record’s preservation, nor the public right to the remaining information.

Maybe I am being cynical but I somehow doubt that a significant proportion of the record is medical information and one wonders if this is just a blanket excuse which is going to be trotted out by them to avoid doing the work. I also wonder what if anything Ancestry are going to be able to scan in the interim if these rules apply to their new acquisitions

[rebeccaclaire86]

I did a FOA last year for my great grandfathers WWII service records which are now held at the National Archives and they digitised them and sent them to me, though it took quite a while for them to process it. So they are definitely doing them. That sounds so frustrating!