Research

The Museums' Archives

The Rifles' Museums at Winchester Archives include several thousand books, documents and photographs relating to The Light Infantry and The Royal Green Jackets and their antecedent regiments. Only a few relate specifically to individuals, and most of these are biographies or autobiographies written about or by members of the Regiments who achieved fame or high rank.

The majority of the content of the Archives has been catalogued, with the information accessible either in written form or via computer database. The systems in use do not currently enable public access via the internet.

The Museums do not hold the service records of those who have served in the Regiment. Those who wish to access such records should, in the first instance, apply to:

Records before 1922 are not complete. Additional information can be found on the Army Museums Ogilby Trust web-site: www.armymuseums.org.uk

The History of the Regiments

The Museums' Archives are a most useful first port of call for all those wishing to research the actions, battles and engagements of the battalions of the Regiments and their antecedent regiments, or to research any other matter relating to the history of the Regiments.

The Archives are a less useful source of information about former members of the Regiment, although there is a fairly comprehensive record of those who served as officers.

The former regiments of The Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry, The Light Infantry and The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry still maintain museums in their respective counties. (Click here to visit their sites).  The former regiments about whom information is held at Winchester, and the principal titles by which they were known, are:

Research Enquiries

Those wishing to initiate research enquiries should provide as much information as possible to assist those conducting the research. Tell us what you already know, and try and be specific about regimental and battalion titles and numbers, the names of persons and places, and about dates. The more you tell us the better. The less information you give us, potentially the more difficult and longer it will take to provide an answer - and the more costly.

Research is carried out by experienced volunteers with considerable knowledge of the history of the Regiments. They receive expenses to cover their costs. An additional amount is added to assist The Rifles Museums Light Infantry and Royal Green Jackets Trusts, which are registered charities, to fund the preservation and maintenance of the Archives.

Current research fees are:

• Basic Charge: £15 for the first half-hour or part thereof, and £10 for each subsequent half-hour or part thereof.
• Charge to Sons/Daughters and Grandsons/Granddaughters of former members of the Regiment: £10 for the first half-hour or part thereof, and £10 for each subsequent half-hour or part thereof.

The easiest way to initiate an enquiry is to write to the address below:

The Curator, The Rifles Museums at Winchester,
Peninsula Barracks, Romsey Road,
Winchester, Hants, SO23 8TS

In initiating the enquiry you should:

• provide as much background information about your enquiry as possible
• state whether or not you are a son/daughter or grandson/granddaughter of a former member of the Regiment and/or have any other Regimental connections
• be explicit about the question(s) you wish to be answered
• enclose a cheque for £15 (or £10 for entitled persons - see above), made payable to 'RGJ Museum Trust Fund', to cover an initial half-hour's research
• write clearly the address to which you wish the response sent. Enclosure of a self-addressed envelope is welcome.

On Receipt of an Enquiry

Enquiries will be answered as soon as possible after their receipt. Depending upon the volume of enquiries this can take some weeks. Receipt of enquiries that are unlikely to be answered within 3 weeks will be acknowledged with a letter indicating when a response can be expected.

Research will not be initiated in response to enquiries that fail to be accompanied by payment of the requisite, initial research fee. Those who fail to enclose payment will be advised accordingly.

Enquiries that are likely to require research exceeding half an hour, but not more than an hour, will be completed without reference to the enquirer, with the payment of an additional fee requested at the time of response. Enquiries that are likely to give rise to greater charges will not be initiated without the agreement of the enquirer.

If response to an enquiry incurs significant additional cost, for example, multiple photocopying, colour printing or photographic reproduction, additional charges may be raised. If these are likely to exceed a few pounds, the enquirer's prior approval will be sought.

Enquiries which, from the outset, it is clear cannot be answered, will normally result in the immediate return of the research fee. In instances where research has been initiated, but the answer is not forthcoming, the research fee will usually stand.

Special arrangements apply to those who wish to initiate enquiries for commercial purposes and/or gain - authors, media researchers, and others. To avoid any subsequent misunderstanding, such persons are requested to declare their interest at the outset.

Access to Archival Material

The Archives are kept in a separate building to the Museums and within a MOD-restricted area to which public access, without supervision, is prohibited. However special arrangements can be made for archival material to be made available in the Museum's reading room. Prior notice of a visit is essential so that a date/time can be agreed and the required material obtained in advance of arrival. This is best arranged and discussed in a telephone call to the Curator - see below. He will also advise if what you are seeking is not available.

Enquiries and Requests

Those who wish to enquire about making enquiries or to request access to archival material, or to enquire about an enquiry already made, may do so in a number of ways.

• By Telephone Call to the Curator: 01962 828549
• By Fax addressed to the Curator: 01962 828500
• By e-mail to: museum@royalgreenjackets.co.uk the text marked for attention of the Curator

As the Museum does not presently offer an e-commerce facility to enable credit/debit card payment, research enquiries will only be initiated on receipt of written instructions accompanied by a cheque (see the section above How to Initiate an Enquiry). The Curator and his staff, however, will at all times endeavour to be as helpful as possible.

Customer Satisfaction

Enquirers who are pleased at the level of service they receive are encouraged to make donations to the Museum Trust Fund in excess of the fee due.