Grow Your Family Tree
If your ancestors fought in World War 2, you’ll like Ancestry’s newly digitised collection. Follow Richard Holt’s advice to…
Search British Army Service records
In October 2024, Ancestry released the first batch of World War 2 service records for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (www.snipca.com/57165). In November 2025, it added 106,000 new infantry records to its existing ‘UK, Military Service Records, 1939–1959’ collection, covering non-commissioned officers and other ranks (officers are not included).
These records let you trace your ancestors’ movements during their service and reveal details such as the medals they earned. They’re part of a wider, ongoing project to digitise Ministry of Defence records and make them available online, though for legal reasons only records for people born more than 100 years ago can be accessed. The collection will continue to grow as more documents are digitised and transferred to the National Archives.