How to Trace Your British Ancestor’s Service in the First World War

Tracing a WWI British Army ancestor can be challenging — especially when you only have a name or photo. This hub shows you exactly how to trace WWI military ancestors, with expert guidance on service numbers, medal records, war diaries, and more — even when records are scarce.

How to Identify Their Regiment When Records Are Missing

Magnifying glass over handwritten documents, symbolising the process of identifying a soldier’s regiment from wartime records

Not Sure Which Regiment They Served In?

Don’t worry — it’s one of the most common problems. Start here:

👉 What to Do If You Don’t Know Which Regiment Your Ancestor Served In

👉 Common Regiments in WW1 and Where They Fought

👉 The Royal Scots Regiment in WWI

👉 The Essex Regiment in WWI

👉 The Kings Liverpool in WWI

 

Want an expert to trace your ancestor? Explore our research services.

WWI Service Records & What They Reveal

Old archival volumes representing sources used for tracing WWI and WWII military service histories

Understanding the Documents

Once you know their regiment or service number, these posts help decode what their records actually say:

⏳ Guide to WWI Service Numbers

⏳ Understanding Army Forms and Abbreviations

⏳Using a Service number to unlock records

⏳Researching military records online

How to Use War Diaries to Reconstruct Your Ancestor’s Journey

SOld military-style volumes representing firsthand wartime accounts found in war diaries and service records

Reconstruct Their Wartime Journey

Learn how to use battalion war diaries to uncover daily movements, battles, and locations:

⏳ How to Use Regimental War Diaries in WWI Research

⏳Finding a family member who served in WWI

⏳ Follow a WWI soldiers timeline template

Using Medals, Casualties & Memorials to Trace WWI Ancestors

Rows of Commonwealth war graves for World War I soldiers, symbolising research into military casualties, medals and memorial records

Were They Wounded, Honoured, or Lost?

Honour their service by exploring medal rolls, casualty lists, and memorial records:

⏳ Using the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Website

⏳ What Medal Records Can Reveal 

⏳Understanding Medal Index Cards (MIC)

Don’t Have Time? Let Us Help

Professional WWI Military Research Services

If you’d prefer expert help, explore our affordable research packages:

🧾 View Research Packages

💌 Gift Packages

Tracing a WWI British Army ancestor can be complex, but with the right guidance and tools, it’s possible to uncover their wartime story in remarkable detail. Use the blogs above or get in touch for personalised support. Their story deserves to be told.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I trace my WWI British Army ancestor’s service record?

To trace a WWI British Army ancestor, start with their service record if it survives. About 40% of WWI records were destroyed in the Blitz, but surviving files are held at the National Archives and available on Ancestry and Findmypast. These can show enlistment date, regiment, battalion movements, next of kin and medical history.

How can I find a WWI service number if records are missing?

If your soldier’s service record was lost, you can often find their WWI service number in Medal Index Cards (MICs), medal rolls, pension files, casualty lists, or the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) database. Once you have the number, you can use it to estimate regiment, battalion and enlistment period.

What does a WWI service number tell me about my ancestor?

A WWI British Army service number can reveal a soldier’s regiment, sometimes their battalion, and often the approximate enlistment date. By comparing the number against known regimental sequences, you can build a timeline of their military service even without a full record.

Where can I access WWI war diaries?

WWI war diaries (National Archives series WO 95) provide daily reports from the front, detailing battalion movements, battles, and conditions. They rarely mention ordinary soldiers by name but are invaluable for reconstructing what your ancestor’s unit was doing when he served. Many diaries are digitised and searchable online.

How do I trace medals and casualty information for a WWI soldier?

To trace WWI medal records, start with the Medal Index Cards and medal rolls which list all soldiers who qualified for campaign medals. Casualty information can be found in the Soldiers Died in the Great War database, CWGC memorials, and surviving regimental casualty lists. These sources can confirm service numbers, regiments, and dates of death or wounding.