General records

A vast collection of Army, Navy and Air Force service records is available at the National Archives in Kew. You'll find records like military and defence documents, World War I medals, soldier records and pension records.

Access to The London Gazette can also be useful.

Overseas births, marriages and deaths indexes

These indexes can be viewed on microfiche in the local studies and family history department at Central Library. They show war deaths, regimental records, marine and air records. You'll also find births, deaths and marriages recorded by HM Forces, British Consuls and High Commissions around the world.

World War II records

The Army Roll of Honour for World War II is available on CD-Rom in the Local Studies and Family History Library.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has a database listing the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two World Wars. You can also see the 23,000 cemeteries, memorials and other locations worldwide where they are commemorated. The register can also be searched for details of the 67,000 Commonwealth civilians who died as a result of enemy action in the Second World War.

The full version of the Ancestry database is available at the Milton Keynes libraries and contains a list of World War II British Army Prisoners of War 1939-45.

The following books are available in the local studies and family history department at Central Library:

  • Britain and the Empire 1939–1945
  • Citations of the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the Great War 1914-1920
  • Home Guard List 1941
  • Prisoners of War: Naval & Air forces of Great Britain and the Empire 1939-1945
  • Prisoners of War : British Army 1939–1945
  • Prisoners of War : Armies In Other Land Forces Of The British Empire 1939–1945
  • RAF Bomber Command Losses 1939-1945
  • RAF Fighter Command Losses World War II
  • Roll of Honour Land Forces World War II

World War I records

Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914–1919 is available on CD-Rom in the local studies and family history department at Central Library. There is also a printed copy (20 volumes) to view.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has a database listing the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two World Wars. You can also see the 23,000 cemeteries, memorials and other locations worldwide where they are commemorated.

The full version of the Ancestry database is available in MK libraries and contains a list of World War I British Army Prisoners of War 1914-18 and Service Records.

The book Death Sentences passed by military courts of the British army 1914-1924 is available in the Local Studies and Family History Library.

War memorials

The following websites let you search for the names of those who died during the World Wars and whose names appear on war memorials:

South African (Boer) War records

The local studies and family history collection holds the following books:

  • Boer War Casualty Roll 1899-1902
  • South African War Casualty Roll – 20 Oct 1899–26 Oct 1900 Natal Field Force
  • South African War Casualty Roll – 14 Oct 1899–June 1902 The South African Field Force

Battle of Trafalgar

The book Men of HMS Victory at Trafalgar is available in the local studies and family history department at Central Library.

Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry

The local studies and family history department holds a small collection of chronicles about this regiment. More information about the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry can be found on Wikipedia.

Military museums in the UK

The Army Museums website is approved by the Ministry of Defence as the definitive guide to the regimental and corps museums of the British Army throughout the United Kingdom.

Milton Keynes City Council Libraries contact information

Milton Keynes Central Library, 555 Silbury Boulevard, Milton Keynes MK9 3HL