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The Museum is frequently asked questions on:
Record of Service,
War Graves, Citations, Medals,
Pensions,
The following provides a list of contacts for organisations which can provide such information.
Further information is available in
A 'record of service' is a document including the serviceman or woman's service number, date entering service, promotions, postings and units, honours and awards, civilian qualifications and the date of leaving the service. This may be used as a basis for further research.
Personal records are confidential. Only an ex-serviceman or, in the case of the deceased, the official next of kin or the person nominated by the next of kin, will be allowed access to the information.
To obtain a copy of a record of service, for discharge after 1920, visit the Veterans UK web site.
For discharge prior to 1921, contact the National Archives.
Your enquiry will bring 'Request for Service Details' forms and, for some enquirers, a request for a fee (currently £30) for the search.
Records are held at:
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
2 Marlow Road
Maidenhead
Berkshire SL6 7DX
United Kingdom
Telephone 01628 634221 (ask for Enquiries Section)
http://www.cwgc.org/
For certain records since World War 2, the Commission may refer enquirers to an appropriate branch of the Ministry of Defence.
Records are held at:
The National Archives
Ruskin Avenue
Kew, Richmond
Surrey TW9 4DU
United Kingdom
Telephone 020 8876 3444
Fax 020 8878 8905
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
Records can also be found at places where copies of the London Gazettes are held.
For information on entitlement to medals or obtaining unissued medals, contact:
Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency
Ministry of Defence Medal Office
Building 250
RAF Innsworth
Gloucester GL3 1EZ
United Kingdom
Specific information on the situation with regard to the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal can be found here
Enquiries on entitlement to pensions should be made to:
Ministry of Defence
Army Pensions Office
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow G2 8EX
United Kingdom
Email apc-pens-enquiry@dial.pipex.com
If the REME soldier draws an Army pension, his current address will be known to the Army Pensions Office. An unsealed letter in a stamped addressed envelope can be forwarded by:
REME MCM Division
Army Personnel Centre
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow G2 8EX
United Kingdom
There is a 'Where are you now' column in the Craftsman Magazine, contact:
The Editor
The Craftsman Magazine
RHQ REME
HQ DEME(A), H075
Isaac Newton Road
Arborfield
Berkshire RG2 9NJ
United Kingdom
Email craftsman@rhqreme.demon.co.uk
The REME Association has branches all over the country and the Coventry branch has a Lost Pals page. There is also the REME page on the Army web site.
Visit the REME Association Bulletin Board and leave a message.
There is a Lost Trails page of 'Legion', the magazine (and web page) of the Royal British Legion, contact:
The Editor
'Legion'
48 Pall Mall
London SW1Y 5JY
United Kingdom
http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/losttrail.cfm
Other Associations to contact include:
Dunkirk Veterans Association (Dunkirk evacuation)
Normandy Veterans Association (North West Europe Campaign)
The Djebels Association (North Africa Operation TORCH)
The Burma Star Association
The Korean Veterans Association
Various REME, ex-REME and other ex-Army members have pages for contacting lost friends and comrades. These are worth visiting, even if you are not searching for a lost comrade, as you might be able to help others.
Bill Brown at http://www.lostcomms.co.uk/
Philip Chinnery at http://prisonerofwar.freeservers.com/ (WW2 and Korea Prisoners of War)
Mick Little at http://www.helicraft.com/kluang/
Jim Matthews at http://www.findanold.com/
Mark Plater at http://www.oldoppos.co.uk/army/index.html
Kevin Sandland at http://www.sandland.freeuk.com/milserv.htm
Brian Straiton at http://groups.msn.com/REMEPastPresent/home.htm
John Walker at http://www.webusers.warwick.net/~u1012902/oldpals/reme/index.html
Wives and Partners of REME Soldiers can chat at http://groups.msn.com/REMEPartners
Forces Reunited claims it can find your old friends Fast and Free!
Magazines such as Soldier, Yours, Saga Magazine and Evergreen have contact columns specifically for ex-service personnel. In addition, when the soldier's home town is known, it is worth advertising in local newspapers or on local radio. Other contact requests can be made through Ceefax and Teletext.
Information on a Regiment, rather than an individual, may be held by the Imperial War Museum. If you wish to view a particular regimental history, you should ring and make an appointment:
Imperial War Museum
Lambeth Road
London SE1 6HZ
United Kingdom
Telephone 020 7416 5000
http://www.iwm.org.uk/
REME Museum of Technology Home Page
Email Enquiries or telephone 0118 976 3375 for further information
Page produced by Peter Eldred - Last updated 6 June 2007