War Memorial Project - Guidance and Links
On this page we provide some signposts to resources which we have found helpful in the research for the DTI War Memorials Project. It is not intended to be a comprehensive guide and we recommend that anyone interested in starting research for the first time should visit the websites of record offices, military museums and other organisations connected with naval and military research, of which we name just a few below.
For men and women who served in the forces in WW1, there are many sources available at the National Archives (formerly the Public Record Office), eg campaign medal index cards and medal rolls, individual records of service, unit war diaries and operational records, trench maps, etc, etc. The Archive's project to film the "burnt records" (in series WO 363) was completed in summer 2002. The WW1 Medal Index became available online in November 2004. Please note that we have so far exploited these sources for only a very small proportion of the men listed on the WW1 index of this memorial website.
See full list of Sources used in The War Memorials Project
The National Archive website provides links to other archives on the web. The National Archive also publishes leaflets and more substantial guides to the records it holds, eg Public Record Office Readers Guide No.19, Army Service Records of the First World War by William Spencer, 3rd edition, 2001. There are equivalent guides available for Naval and Air Force records.
For the whereabouts of service records for men and women who served in the forces in WW2, see the pages on the Ministry of Defence website relating to the three services.
Some other useful links
National Army Museum
Imperial War Museum
Friends of War Memorials
Ministry of Defence
List of Army Museums
Commonwealth Wargraves Commission
War Graves in Britain
Naval and Maritime Libraries and Archives Group
Second World War Experience Centre
Western Front Association has links to sites offering research guidance.
Great War Forum - A group of very knowlegable and helpful people.
More Than a Name - The Story of Stockports Fallen: Great example of an on-line War Memorial.
War Memorials Trust National Inventory of War Memorials
War Memorial Transcriptions
