Military Army

[john.nicholls]

Hi
Im looking to find out what Regiment my Father served in WW2, i think i have to have this info to apply for his records or dont i ??
His name is Alfred Percy Nicholls Born 1920 in Ealing Middlesex.
Thankyou
John

[keldon]

To apply for is record (I assume he is deceased), you need the person’s full name, date of birth and service number.

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records

Have you any of his medals as they should have his service number, or an old pay book? I'm not sure how you can go about finding his service number otherwise.

[yummy-mummy-amy]

hi,
cant help with him exactly, but ancestry has a lot of ww2 records on it. the other site i have used before is forces-war-records.co.uk (theres loads of alfred nicholls but none showing with the percy or p.)

only other thing i can think of is does it state anything on his marriage cert (if after or during the war) or on yours or siblings birth certs? if a hint more than just "army" etc could help you

[keldon]

I've come back to this because although the gov.uk site states you need a service number, I see researchers on other family tree forums have applied just using name, dob., and place of dob. Perhaps someone else here can advise.

[vera2013]

Can't be sure this is your Alfred Percy but on Find my Past there is a record of an Alfred Percy Nicholls with the Royal Regiment of Artillery 1940 *Service No 1596318*

The image however gives *1596318* as an Army No. Not sure if they are one and the same. Also records that he was discharged 1940 under Kings Regs Para 390 XVI KR ie found physically unfit.

Not seeing a record of Alfred Percy in Forces War Records. There are Alfred Nicholls some POW

Vera

[annswabey]

You just need full name and date of birth and a copy of his death certificate in order to apply. Regiment and service number not necessary. Don't bother with Forces War Records website

[grumpy]

To apply for is record (I assume he is deceased), you need the person’s full name, date of birth and service number.

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records

Have you any of his medals as they should have his service number, or an old pay book? I'm not sure how you can go about finding his service number otherwise.

In any case WW2 medals were issued unnamed.

[highland ranger]

The application form to apply for Army records has been changed and it is now mandatory to provide a service number. It appears that the RAF and Royal Navy forms to not insist on a service number. Always best to check the current forms online. They do change from time to time. However, although the RAF appear more relaxed about this when my wife applied for her father's records they insisted on a service number because his name, John Robinson, was so common.

[annswabey]

I checked this with the MOD and still either date of birth or service number is required. They've amended their application form

[annswabey]

That makes such a difference for the many people who don't have the service number