Army Ancestry

1881-1913: India, The Sudan, Boer War, China

Did your relative serve with the British Army in the 1880s?  Was he in India?  Did he fight in the Sudan, China or South Africa? If he did, you should check the following sources:

- Army Service Numbers 1881-1918 (FREE)

- WO 363 (Service) & WO 364 (Pension) Records (PAID)

See also, the following links which will take you to the National Archives website for more detailed information.  Also see Useful Sources for Tracing Soldiers.

- WO 25 and WO 76 (Officers' records of service)

- Army Lists

- Soldiers discharged to pension 1897-1913

- Soldiers' Discharge papers 1760-1913 

- Muster Rolls and Pay Lists c1730-1898

- Boer War databases

Also consider non-military records.  The following are all accessible via Ancestry.co.uk which is currently offering a 14 Day FREE trial.

- Census returns and Parish records

- Births, marriages and deaths

- County and trade directories
- Immigration records

Visit The Naval & Military Press website for divisional & regimental histories and much else besides.