family history
The National Army Museum is not a repository for soldiers' service records. As such, it's unlikely that anything in our collection will give you a definitive answer about the service of an individual soldier.
Unless we happen to have that soldier's personal belongings in our collection - we mightUse our online inventory check- Your best place to start is to look for well-kept records. The following guidelines outline the most appropriate viewing positions.
British soldiers to 1920
To date WWI (or earlier) soldiers in service, first determine whether their service records are well kept.
Unfortunately, more than half of the service records were damaged or destroyed in September 1940, when German bombers struck the War Office warehouse in Arnside Street, London. An estimated 2.8 million service records survived the bombing or were reconstructed from Department of Pensions records (about 40% of the total).
If it survives, the service manual is now compatible withKew National Archives.they forServed before 1913, existServed after 1913Damaged records, known as burnt records, are kept in TNA reference WO 363, while undamaged records from the same period exist in WO 364. These records have been digitized andcan check online.
Widower's pension, half pay and disability pension (1755-1938) are documented in WO 25/3995 and WO 25/3069-3072. Men receiving pensions from Chelsea Royal Infirmary and Kilmainham Royal Infirmary are recorded in WO 97.
Although common soldiers are rarely mentioned by name, the official war diaries (WO 95 and WO 154) contain daily records of the units they served in. These can give you an idea of where a person has served and any notable events they have been involved in.
The Department of Pensions files in PIN26 are similar to those in WO 364 and still contain a small number of pension files for medically discharged persons during the war.
There is probably an International Red Cross index card for all soldiers captured during World War I. These are now digitizedcan be found on their website.
If you know which regiment or regiment the soldier served in, we also recommend looking at the records of the relevant regiment or regiment museum. Their contact details can be found atArmy Museum Ogilby Trust website.
British soldiers since 1920
The Department of Defense is currently transferring the personnel files of National Archives employees from 1921 to 1963. The operation, involving some 9 million records, began in 2022 and won't be completed until 2027 at the earliest.
National Archives Research GuideBritish Army soldiers serving after 1918It can help you determine where the file you are looking for is stored and the process you need to follow to obtain it.
You can also consult the Department of Defense's guidance atMedals: Activity, Description and Eligibility, as many of those who served in the British Army during this period were awarded service, battle and gallantry medals.
The Red Cross maintains a register of prisoners captured during World War II.Details on how to request these recordscan be found online.
If you know the regiment or corps the soldier served in, we also recommend looking at the records of the relevant regiment or corps museum. Their contact details can be found atArmy Museum Ogilby Trust website.
commonwealth soldiers who died in world wars
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) maintains the records of the 1.7 million Commonwealth men and women who died in the World Wars and maintains their graves and memorials. The CWGC website contains asearchable databaseThose are recorded as lost.
Property of British Soldiers, 1901-1960
The National Army Museum houses the Soldier Securities Book created by the War Office to record payments owed to those who died while serving in the British Army. The archives run from 1901 to 1960, covering the final stages of the Boer War and, of course, both world wars.
Usually they contain the following details: name, rank, regiment, service number, date of death (and sometimes location), names of next of kin, and the amount they received. They did not mention personal items, addresses or pension details. this is possibleSearch the archives online to find 1901-29.
Soldier of the Irish Regiment, 1920-1922
The National Army Museum also holds service records with five Irish regiments in the British Army, which were disbanded after the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922.
They contain details of soldiers who served with the Connacht Rangers, Leinster Regiment, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, Royal Irish Regiment and Royal Munster Fusiliers between 1920 and 1922. you canfind these records online.
Empire and Union Soldiers
The National Archives' Colonial Office (CO) collection contains material on soldiers who fought in Africa during the British War, either as the King's African Rifle (CO 534) or the West African Frontier Force (CO 445).
Some information on those who fought in the Regiment of the British West Indies can be found in CO 318 and some data on Regiment of the British West Indies and soldiers of the Regiment of the West Indies can be found in WO 364 (Retired Soldiers). haveFurther Advice on Checking Colonial Office Recordsonline.
If service records of those regiments and Indian Army personnel survive, they are likely to be in the relevant state archives. Most of theRecords of Indian Army SoldiersAvailable at the British Library in London.
Dominion Forces Soldiers Service RecordsAustralia,Canada,new ZealandexistSouth Africacan be found in the respective national archives and in the case of Australia further records are kept atAustralian War Memorial.
british officer
If the person you are investigating is an officer, details of their career progression will be included on the Army list, available atTempler Research Center.
Further details can be found through the National Archives, Officers Commissions (1793-1949) in the WO 25 and WO 31 series, Officer Service Records (1764-1913) in the WO 25, WO 54 and WO 76 series, and election information Can be found in Via Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, WO 100.
The roster of cadets trained at the Royal Military Academy (1790-1939), Woolwich (WO 149) and the Royal Military Academy (1806-1946), Sandhurst (WO 151) and the Sandhurst Registers (1783-1964) is the roster of cadets who attended the Sandhurst Hearst, usually with personal background information, can be accessed bysandhurst collection.
It's also worth focusing your research onLiddell Hart Military Archives Center, containing the personal and semi-personal files of nearly 800 senior UK defense personnel, including several senior military personnel.
How to submit an application
If you have read the suggestions above and still haven't found an answer to your question, you can submit an application through usContact list, by sending an email toinfo@nam.ac.uk, or write to:
Collection Research
National Army Museum
Royal Hospital Road
London SW3 4HT
Please note that due to the financial pressures placed on the National Army Museum by the Covid-19 pandemic, our ability to respond to individual inquiries is now significantly reduced. Therefore, we can no longer answer questions that are not directly related to the museum collection. In the future we hope to reintroduce intelligence services for payments.
We continue to encourage enquirers to book to view our Library and Archives collections through the Templer Research Center in Chelsea, or to book our other types of collections at our Collections Center in Stevenage.
FAQs
What not to say at C&P exam? ›
Don't Lie or Stretch the Truth. This is a big one. Don't ever lie or stretch the truth when it comes to your VA disability claim. At your C&P exam, you should think, look, act, and speak as you would on a normal day.
What is the easiest way to get 100 percent VA disability? ›A veteran can receive a temporary 100% rating when they are hospitalized for 21 or more days for a service-connected condition. A veteran can receive a 100% rating if they are having surgery for a service-connected condition and will require an extensive recovery time that limits their mobility.
How hard is it to get 100 VA rating? ›Total Disability Individual Unemployability
To qualify for a 100 percent TDIU rating, the Veteran must have one disability rated at 60 percent or higher or two or more disabilities that have a combined rating of at least 70 percent, with one rated at 40 percent or higher.
No, there aren't any VA disability claims that cannot be proven. In fact, all VA claims must be proven on an “at least as likely as not” basis. If you have no evidence (no proof), your VA claim will get denied.
How can I maximize my C&P exam? ›- Prepare for Your C&P exam ahead of time.
- Be upfront with your concerns and day-to-day issues.
- Explain about “bad days” and how often they occur. ...
- Get a copy of the C&P results.
- Bring someone close to you to the appointment.
- Remember that you might have multiple visits.
- The Examiner Was Biased. ...
- The Examiner's Conclusion Was Not Supported. ...
- The Examiner Overlooked Important Evidence. ...
- Get An Outside Opinion From A Private Healthcare Provider. ...
- Ask For A Copy Of Your C&P Exam.
Because of the way in which VA adds disabilities together, it is difficult to go from a schedular 80 percent to a schedular 100 percent rating. You would need to have another condition rated at 80 percent in order to receive a 100 percent combined schedular rating.
What do I say to get 100% PTSD compensation? ›100% – “Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including ...
How hard is it to go from 70 to 100 VA disability? ›As indicated above, the process of going from a combined 70% disability rating to a combined 100 percent disability rating can be difficult to do. That is why VA offers an alternative path to 100 percent – total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
What is the hardest VA claim to get? ›Pro Tip: If you've been out of the military for more than 12 months, Hearing Loss is one of the most difficult claims to get service connected and rated above 0%. Get a Medical Nexus Letter to improve your odds of service connected Hearing Loss.
What is the VA 70 40 rule? ›
Veterans with two or more service connected conditions must have at least one condition rated at or above 40%. The combined ratings of the disabilities must be at least equal to 70%. A veteran has ratings of 40% for a Lumbar Spine condition, 30% for a knee, and 30% for his PTSD.
How many people get 100% VA? ›It is still possible to receive a 100% combined rating. In 2021, 8.3% of veterans with service-connected disabilities had a combined rating of 90%, while 16.9% had a combined rating of 100%.
What is the most approved disability? ›What Is the Most Approved Disability? Arthritis and other musculoskeletal system disabilities make up the most commonly approved conditions for social security disability benefits. This is because arthritis is so common. In the United States, over 58 million people suffer from arthritis.
What is the easiest disability to claim for VA? ›Tinnitus. Tinnitus, otherwise known as “Ringing-in-the-Ear-Syndrome” is by far the #1 easiest VA disability to claim. Tinnitus is when you experience ringing, hissing, buzzing, or other noises in one or both of your ears.
What disabilities are considered permanent by the VA? ›Certain types of service-connected disabilities automatically are deemed to support a VA rating of Permanent and Total Disability. They include the irreversible loss of use of both hands, both feet, one hand and one foot, loss of vision in both eyes, or the Veteran being permanently bedridden.
What is the C&P exam for anxiety? ›Compensation & Pension (C&P) Exams for Anxiety
Veterans will typically meet with a VA doctor and discuss their medical history, time in service, and current condition. The VA examiner will also ask about the veteran's current symptomatology to determine the severity of their anxiety disorder.
#1 Q: What is a VA claim exam, also known as a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam? If you've filed a claim with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for disability compensation or pension benefits, VA may ask you to go to an examination as part of the claim process.
What is a favorable C&P exam? ›You could get a favorable decision under these conditions: The C&P exam went well, meaning you completed all questions, and the exam report was declared veteran-friendly. The attending physician reviewed all medical records and stated as such in their exam report.
What is the most common reason that VA erroneously denies claims? ›You Did Not Submit Enough Evidence of Your Disability
If a Veteran does not submit enough proof about their disability in their VA claim , the VA will likely deny their claim.
1. You Missed the Deadline. Probably the most critical reason that your VA disability claim could have been denied, might simply be because you missed the deadline. Gathering evidence for your claim takes time.
What is the VA standard of proof for more likely than not? ›
Civil cases have a preponderance of the evidence, but VA has this “at least as likely as not” standard, and all you have to show is that there is at least a 50 percent likelihood that a benefit is due to service. So, it is really just a 50-50 weighing of the evidence.
What does 90% VA disability entitle you to? ›Veterans at a 90% VA Disability Rating are eligible to be placed in VA Health Care Priority Group 1, which is the highest priority group for receiving health care benefits. Members of Group 1 will receive health care services with no copays. Some of the services they are entitled to include: Preventative care.
How much is a 90% VA disability worth? ›| Dependent status | 70% disability rating (in U.S. $) | 90% disability rating (in U.S. $) |
|---|---|---|
| Dependent status | With 1 child, spouse and 2 parents | 2,133.06 |
| Dependent status | With 1 child and 1 parent | 1,870.06 |
| Dependent status | With 1 child and 2 parents (no spouse) | 1,983.06 |
- Method 1: Appeal the Decision or File a New Claim. The most straightforward approach is to appeal VA's decision on the original claim. ...
- Method 2: Prove Individual Unemployability (TDIU) ...
- Method 3: File for a Secondary Service Connection. ...
- Assistance with Your Claims and Appeals.
To obtain a VA disability rating for PTSD, a veteran must generally establish the following three elements: (1) a current diagnosis of PTSD; (2) a corroborated in-service stressor; and (3) medical evidence linking the PTSD diagnosis to the stressor. Sizemore v.
Is 70% PTSD a permanent VA disability? ›Yes, PTSD is considered a permanent VA disability. The Department of Veteran Affairs recognizes post-traumatic stress disorder as a serious, life-altering mental condition and will award disability benefits to qualified veterans suffering from PTSD.
What is the average VA claim for PTSD? ›What is the Average VA Disability Rating for PTSD? On average, most veterans who receive VA disability for their service-connected PTSD are rated at the 70 percent level.
What does 80% VA disability get you? ›According to the VA's 2022 disability compensation rates, if you have an 80% rating you will receive $1,778.43 per month if you have no dependents. However, with a 100% disability rating that number can increase to $3,332.06 per month.
What do you say at a PTSD exam? ›Be honest about your PTSD symptoms, even embarrassing ones; Provide as much detail about your PTSD symptoms as possible; Take time to consider each question before providing an answer; and. Describe specific instances where your PTSD symptoms affected your daily life.
What are the best things to claim for VA disability? ›- Chronic (long-lasting) back pain resulting in a current diagnosed back disability.
- Breathing problems resulting from a current lung condition or lung disease.
- Severe hearing loss.
- Scar tissue.
- Loss of range of motion (problems moving your body)
- Ulcers.
What is the average VA rating for depression? ›
Overall, a 30 percent VA disability rating for depression and anxiety is assigned when a veteran presents with these symptoms in a mild manner, intermittently over time.
What is the most common VA disability rating? ›According to the VA's most recent VA disability compensation report, the most common VA disability ratings by percentage are 100% and 10%. Of the 5,225,420 veterans with a service-connected VA rating, the most common combined VA rating is 100% (18.45% of recipients) followed by 10% (17.13% of recipients).
Is erectile dysfunction a VA disability? ›Many Veterans have erectile dysfunction as part of a service-connected disability. The VA gives various ratings for this condition in order to determine the amount of disability compensation you will be eligible to receive for this affliction.
What is the 85 15 rule for VA? ›The 85/15 rule prohibits paying Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits to students enrolling in a program when more than 85 percent of the students enrolled in that program are having any portion of their tuition, fees, or other charges paid for them by the Educational and Training Institution (ETI) or VA.
What is the veterans 55 rule? ›The 55-Year Rule states that veterans receiving VA disability benefits for service-connected conditions are exempt from periodic future examinations once they turn 55.
What is the VA 55 age rule? ›Revaluating VA Disability Ratings
Once you turn 55, you are typically "protected" and will no longer have to attend an exam to prove that your condition has not changed unless there is reason to suspect fraud. This is sometimes called the 55-year rule.
Yes, a veteran can receive disability for high blood pressure, either as a primary disability or with a secondary connection to another medical issue that's service related.
Is 90 VA disability permanent? ›VA disability ratings generally are not permanent. Rather, they are subject to review by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) at any time.
Who gets 100% VA disability? ›The highest percentage that can be given for service-connected compensation purposes is a 100 percent VA disability rating, or total disability rating. This rating is only available to veterans with extremely debilitating service-connected ailments that make them unable to work and mostly unable to care for themselves.
What is the number 1 disability in the world? ›Symptoms include stiffness, pain, swelling, and a lower range of motion. The CDC reports that arthritis is the most common cause of disability for U.S. adults. It often worsens as someone gets older. If someone has another disability, they also are more likely to have arthritis.
What state is easiest to get disability? ›
- Hawaii — 78% approval rate.
- North Carolina — 62% approval rate.
- Oklahoma — 62% approval rate.
- Delaware — 61% approval rate.
- South Carolina — 60% approval rate.
- Michigan — 60% approval rate.
- Oregon — 59% approval rate.
- New Jersey — 59% approval rate.
VA disability does not stop because of a veterans age. VA disability compensation benefits are for the life of the disabled veteran.
Can you get VA disability without a diagnosis? ›Yes, a veteran must have a current diagnosis of a disability in order to win a claim for disability benefits. A current diagnosis can come from a VA doctor, private doctor, or a VA examiner. It's generally recommended to have a current diagnosis before submitting a claim for disability compensation.
What is the 10 year rule for VA compensation? ›If the Veteran's eligibility was due to a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling, they must have had this rating: For at least 10 years before their death, or. Since their release from active duty and for at least 5 years immediately before their death, or.
What is the 20 year rule for VA compensation? ›TWENTY YEAR RULE -The VA 20 year rule means if your rating has been in effect for 20 years or more, the VA cannot reduce it below the lowest rating it has held for the previous 20 years. Again, the only exception to this rule is if the VA can prove fraud.
What is the 8 year rule for VA disability? ›The 8-year provision actually goes both ways. The veteran needs to have been totally disabled for at least 8 years before death and then the benefit will be granted to surviving spouses for the same 8 years.
How can I tell if my C&P exam went well? ›The exam's completeness and accuracy, the examiner's positive attitude, and a favorable nexus letter are signs that your exam was performed correctly. Reviewing a copy of your C&P exam results is a foolproof way to tell if your exam went well.
Should I bring medical records to a C&P exam? ›You don't need to bring anything to your exam. If you have any new non-VA medical records (like records from a recent surgery or illness), be sure to submit them before your appointment. If you bring new records to your exam, your provider may review them. But your provider can't submit your records for you.
What do you say in a VA mental health exam? ›Do Say… Every detail you possibly can about your symptoms and the history of your condition. Some symptoms are more important to remember than others, and knowing what the VA is looking for will help you know how to describe your condition.
What is acceptable clinical evidence? ›The ACE process involves examiners completing Disability Benefit Questionnaires (DBQs) using the medical evidence currently in existence and a Veteran's claims file, supplemented by a telephone interview with the Veteran if necessary, instead of requiring some Veterans to be examined in-person.
How long after C&P exam will I get a decision 2023? ›
The VA currently claims an average time of 149.4 days (around five months, in case you don't have a calculator handy) from claim filing to decision, but it often takes longer than that.
What is the VA standard of proof? ›In the criminal context, the standard is “beyond a reasonable doubt,” and in civil lawsuits, the standard is either “clear and convincing evidence” or “the preponderance of the evidence.” These are higher standards than “at least as likely as not.” The “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard means that there is no other ...
What is the timeline from C&P exam to decision? ›What is the Timeline From C&P Exam to Decision 2022? In 2022, you can expect to receive a VA rating decision within 4 to 6 weeks after your last C&P exam. If it's been longer than 6 weeks, pick up the phone, call the VA hotline, and ask to speak to a VA representative at 1-800-827-1000.
Can C&P examiner provide diagnosis? ›VA will usually give more weight to the diagnosis from the C&P examiner than the doctor who is treating you. If the C&P examiner does not think you meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, VA will deny your case. Sometimes the C&P examiner diagnoses a veteran with a different psychiatric disorder.
Can the VA see my civilian medical records? ›The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) uses VA Form 21-4142, Authorization to Disclose Information to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), to request private medical records and information regarding the source of records in support of claims for compensation and/or pension benefits.
How far back does VA disability back pay go? ›The VA typically only pays disability compensation going back to the date of discharge to veterans who apply for their VA disability benefits within one year of being discharged.
How do you prove anxiety in VA? ›Meeting VA's Requirements for Anxiety Claims
Veterans can prove entitlement to service connection by pointing to service records from around the time they first noticed psychological symptoms while on active duty. Lay statements, counseling records, or records of job changes may also be useful.