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Frequently Asked Questions
The Royal Military Police Museum tells the story of military policing from the Eighteenth Century to the present day.
Whilst the Museum is an excellent place to find out about the general history of the RMP, we hold few official records, and are unlikely to be able to provide information on individual soldiers.
As we are unable to conduct research on behalf of enquirers, the following is intended as a brief guide to starting points for research.
I have no experience of researching British Army records. Where should I start?
The following books are a useful introduction to the subject. You can find additional titles on the Army Museums Ogilby Trust website.
Gerald Hamilton-Edwards
In Search of Army Ancestry
Phillimore & Co
London, 1977
ISBN 0 85033 287 7
Simon Fowler and William Spencer
Army Records for Family Historians
Public Record Office
Kew, 1998
ISBN 1 873 162 59 6
Tracing Your Family History - Army
Imperial War Museum
London, 1999
ISBN 1 901623 35 1
How can I find out more about a soldier’s military career?
Surviving records relating to soldiers whose service ended in or before 1920 (other ranks) and 1922 (officers) are held by the National Archives (formerly known as the Public Record Office), Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU.
Service records relating to soldiers who served after 1920 (other ranks) and 1922 (officers) are still held by the Ministry of Defence.
A 'record of service' is a document including the serviceman or woman's service number; date entering service, promotions, postings and units, honours and awards, civilian qualifications and the date of leaving the service. This may be used as a basis for further research.
Personal records are confidential. Only an ex-serviceman or, in the case of the deceased, the official next of kin or the person nominated by the next of kin, will be allowed access to the information.
To obtain a copy of a record of service, contact:
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Discharge between 1921 and 1997
Army Personnel Centre
HQ Secretariat
Historical Disclosures
Mail Point 400
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow G2 8EX
Scotland, UK
Email: apcsec@btconnect.com |
Discharge after 1997
Army Personnel Centre
HQ Secretariat
Disclosures Section 1
Mail Point 520
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow G2 8EX
Scotland, UK
Email: apcsec@btconnect.com |
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Telephone Numbers:
Help Desk
A - Carne
Carnf - Farmd
Farme - Holme
Holmf - Marte
Martf - Plans
Plant - Store
Storf - Z
Fax |
0141 224 2743
0141 224 2826
0141 224 2670
0141 224 3515
0141 224 2744
0141 224 2335
0141 224 2544
0141 224 2144
0141 224 3303/2023 |
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You will require to fill in a 'Request for Service Details' forms and, for some enquiries, a request for a fee (currently £25) for the search will be made.
The private papers of senior British soldiers can be traced via the National Register of Archives (www.nra.nationalarchives.gov.uk)
You can find more detailed guidance on the Ancestor Tracing pages of the Army Museums Ogilby Trust website (www.armymuseums.org.uk).
Do you have a History of the RMP available?
There are two excellent publications available. ‘Redcaps’ by Dr G Shefield and ‘REDCAPS, Britain’s Military Police’ by Mike Chappell. Both are illustrated and available in the RMP shop.
My relation served in another regiment prior to serving with RMP. Where can I find the address of a particular Regimental or Corps Museum?
The following websites provides a list of regimental museums:
The British Army http://www.army.mod.uk/ceremonialandheritage/museums_main.htm)
The Army Museums Ogilby Trust (www.armymuseums.org.uk)
Where can I find information about prisoners of war?
The International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva keeps lists of all known POWs and internees of all nationalities for the Second World War. Enquiries concerning these lists should be directed to:
Archives Division and Research Service
International Committee of the Red Cross
19 Avenue de la Paix
Geneva CH-1202
Switzerland
Email: archives.gva@icrc.org
Internet: http://www.icrc.org/
I have my ancestor’s medals and want to know more about them.
The following books will provide background information about the medals that your ancestor was awarded:
E C Joslin, A R Litherland, and B T Simpson
British Battles and Medals
Spink, London (1988)
ISBN 0 907605 25 7
H Taprell Dorling
Ribbons and Medals
Osprey, London (1983)
ISBN 0 85045 516 2
There are also various Shire Book publications on medals, available from the RMP shop.
The Medal Yearbook, edited by James Mackay and published annually by Token Publishing (www.tokenpublishing.com) is a useful source of information.
Citations and Awards for Gallantry
Records are held at:
The National Archives
Ruskin Avenue
Kew, Richmond
Surrey TW9 4DU
United Kingdom
Telephone 020 8876 3444
Fax 020 8878 8905
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
Records can also be found at places where copies of the London Gazettes are held or try www.londongazette.online
Medal Enquiries
For information on entitlement to medals or obtaining unissued medals, contact:
Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency
Ministry of Defence Medal Office
Building 250
RAF Innsworth
Gloucester GL3 1EZ
United Kingdom
My ancestor died during a campaign. Can I find information about them?
War Grave Records are held at:
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
2 Marlow Road
Maidenhead
Berkshire SL6 7DX
United Kingdom
Telephone 01628 634221 (ask for Enquiries Section)
http://www.cwgc.org/
How do I find out more about an item in the Royal Military Police Museum Collection?
The Royal Military Police Museum will try to answer specific questions relating to its Collections.
Enquiries about the Collections can be sent by e-mail to museum@rhqrmp.freeserve.co.uk
Please remember to include your postal address on all e-mail enquiries to allow for the prompt dispatch of material, if appropriate. The museum also accepts telephone and postal enquiries. Please also bear in mind that the Museum receives a large number of enquiries, so it may not be possible to respond to e-mails immediately. All enquiries, in whatever form, are dealt with in the order of their receipt.
Museum staff are not permitted to give valuations: these may be obtained instead from an auction house or a specialist dealer.
I would like to borrow an item from the Museum’s Collections.
The Museum may lend artefacts only to Registered (or the equivalent) museums for Special Exhibitions, for a maximum period of a year and subject to specific Conditions of Loan.
How can I order copy photographs from the Royal Military Police Museum?
Copy photographs and transparencies of items in the Collections can be supplied, providing that copyright of the image is held by the Museum. Please note that, under current EU legislation, copyright remains with the artist or photographer of a work for 70 years after their death and that, in these cases, the Museum cannot supply any reproductions, for any reason.
For more information about ordering copy photographs, please contact the Museum.
Pension Enquiries
Enquiries on entitlement to pensions should be made to:
Ministry of Defence
Army Pensions Office
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow G2 8EX
United Kingdom
Email apc-pens-enquiry@dial.pipex.com
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