Does Ancestry Membership Provide Access to Actual Military Records?

[AndrewClark]

Hi folks. I'm thinking of taking advantage of Ancestry's current offer for discounted access to military records, but I'm not sure. Can anyone tell me whether membership allows access to digital copies of original records that are not available elsewhere, or are only transcripts of such documents provided? Thanks in advance. Andrew

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi Andrew,

Which records are you looking for ? Is it possible to give an example ?

The last weeks I have been downloading ‘UK and Allied Countries, World War II Liberated Prisoner of War Questionnaires, 1945-1946’., National Archives ref WO 344/…

It are copies of the original documents (but not all of them are already available and some are incomplete). Examples can be supplied if requested by pm.

Best regards

Luc

[AndrewClark]

Cheers Luc

That is very helpful. I'm not sure what I will be looking for yet (!) but what you've said sounds very interesting, so I'll probably go for it. As always, if I can be of any help to you, please just drop me a pm or an email. Thanks again. Andrew

[cyflyer1]

Thanks for reminding me. I've had a membership for months, most records you try to access are grayed out and... "you need a higher level subscription, please pay for extra level subscription". Wasted many months of paying for some very basic info. Must remember to cancel.

[PeteS]

If you are looking for WW2 era personnel service records for the RAF/RAFVR/etc then you will not find them.
You can get access to scanned RCAF service records for most airmen who did not survive WW2.
The majority of the service records available on Ancestry are surviving WW1 era scanned service records for the RN, Army and RAF. The Army records can be very hit-or-miss because tons (literally) were burned after bombing by the Luftwaffe in 1940, I found some of the RN records couldn't be found (older guys).
cheers PeteS

[Don Clark]

I avoid Ancestry as far as humanly possible, rarely referring to it.

To add to two posts here, for possible future ref

1. Luc at #2
"The last weeks I have been downloading ‘UK and Allied Countries, World War II Liberated Prisoner of War Questionnaires, 1945-1946’., National Archives ref WO 344/… "

At least for the FEPoWs, the commendable COFEPOW site already has a collection of Liberation Questionnaires, apparently now nearing completion, with free access for all readers.
See https://lq-cofepow.org/

2. PeteS at #5 above says
"You can get access to scanned RCAF service records for most airmen who did not survive WW2." - at Ancestry presumably.

However, at Library and Archives Canada, there is already free access to digitised RCAF and other Canadian casualty files for war dead/missing.
I found Surname and Service no sufficient for searching files, which are complete and can be voluminous.
See https://recherche-collection-search....a/eng/help/kia

[Don Clark]

Further to WO 344 - Prisoner of War liberation questionnaires.

Just noticed that Lee Richards at @RCRE www.arcre.com provides a UK National Archives WO 344 service, noted in these terms:

"When ordering a copy of a liberation questionnaire, there is a 50-50 chance that the requested prisoner of war never completed a questionnaire. In the past, when this happened, I did not charge for my time searching for the questionnaire. This has proved unsustainable. Therefore, in future all questionnaires with the first initial and last name of the prisoner of war will be copied from the relevant document and will be charged on this basis. In most cases, the minimum charge of £6 will likely apply but could be higher for very common last names. The charge still applies even if a questionnaire for the POW is not found."
https://www.arcre.com/copyservice

Cannot say what level of Ancestry monthly membership is required (from roughly $A22 to $A60) to access WO344 records.
Up to individuals compare costs, depending on no of PoW qs being sought.
Lee's service has been consistently prompt and affordable in all the years of my ordering though @RCRE.

[jonny]

Any individual can search for WO344 questionnaires for free via the NA catalgoue. Save your £6!

[Don Clark]

re: "search for WO344 questionnaires for free via the NA catalgoue"
See UK National Archives Discovery entries at
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...wse/r/r/C14548
and follow on part by part in the column to the right.

You can then view the catalogue entry for each: eg
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/C9075548
You cannot view the actual files as such for free online, as WO 344 files are not digitised:

" Ordering and viewing options
This record has not been digitised and cannot be downloaded.
You can order records in advance to be ready for you when you visit Kew.
You will need a reader's ticket to do this."

A visit, I suggest, that will cost you more than £6 all up (transport, parking, blah blah) unless you live within walking distance of the National Archives.

"Or, you can request a quotation for a copy to be sent to you."

The Archives will then charge you
£8.40 for the page check
plus
£1.35 per page, paper up to A3 or
£1.20 per page, digital up to A3
Total, minimum: single page: £9.60
Fees: https://cdn.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...ruary-2019.pdf

As for "Save your £6! ", thank you. I am simply offering, re the queries about WO 344 via Ancestry , a fees comparison.

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi,

Here is a list of all Air Forces WO344 questionnaires I could find via Ancestry for the files WO 344/1/1 till WO 344/10/2 (included):
Surname Initials Service No Air Force WO 344
Abbott A W 983733 RAF WO 344/1/1
Abbott E R 44877 RAF WO 344/1/1
Abbott J R 1803795 RAF WO 344/1/1
Abbott R T 1382581 RAF WO 344/1/1
Abbotts J E J/17204 RCAF WO 344/1/1
Abbs K A 959080 RAF WO 344/1/1
Abecassis G E 115865 RAF WO 344/1/1
Abels A 65517 RAF WO 344/1/1
Ablamowicz S P781178 PAF WO 344/1/1
Ablett P D 149064 RAF WO 344/1/1
Abraham R B 28104 RAF WO 344/1/1
Abramik Z P794398 PAF WO 344/1/2
Abrams A J87651 RCAF WO 344/1/2
Acquier J F 168852 RAF WO 344/1/2
Adam A 1012799 RAF WO 344/1/2
Adams A E 1014620 RAF WO 344/2/1
Adams A E 1483596 RAF WO 344/2/1
Adams D A 741918 RAF WO 344/2/1
Adams D G 402335 RAAF WO 344/2/1
Adams E G 1410795 RAF WO 344/2/1
Adams F G W R/78176 RCAF WO 344/2/1
Adams H J 1330122 RAF WO 344/2/1
Adams I G 628368 RAF WO 344/2/1
Adams J C 413473 RAAF WO 344/2/1
Adams J S 412641 RNZAF WO 344/2/1
Adams L 1390851 RAF WO 344/2/1
Adams L S 41645 RAF WO 344/2/1
Adams M E 920728 RAF WO 344/2/1
Adams M T H 42326 RAF WO 344/2/1
Adams S G 1336672 RAF WO 344/2/2
Adams W H 944849 RAF WO 344/2/2
Adams W P 412358 RAAF WO 344/2/2
Adamson A C 1352783 RAF WO 344/2/2
Adamson G R 1576387 RAF WO 344/2/2
Adamson J 157277 RAF WO 344/2/2
Adcock R S 411846 RAAF WO 344/2/2
Adderley T H 1035094 RAF WO 344/2/2
Adderley T P 540409 RAF WO 344/2/2
Addison C E 1204524 RAF WO 344/2/2
Addison P 759051 RAF WO 344/2/2
Addison S A 996132 RAF WO 344/2/2
Addison W E 1127026 RAF WO 344/2/2
Adelstein J J R/154369 RCAF WO 344/2/2
Adlam A A A 626241 RAF WO 344/2/2
Adlam K F 906183 RAF WO 344/2/2
Adler W P1746 PAF WO 344/2/2
Adye E B 776184 RAF WO 344/2/2
Ager K W 1151876 RAF WO 344/3/1
Agg C E 415211 RAAF WO 344/3/1
Agg G T 400954 RAAF WO 344/3/1
Agnew H J 759031 RAF WO 344/3/1
Agnew J G J37206 RCAF WO 344/3/1
Agnew W 181100 RAF WO 344/3/1
Agnew W H 1623139 RAF WO 344/3/1
Agrell J D 89786 RAF WO 344/3/1
Aicken N M 411354 RNZAF WO 344/3/1
Aikens S J R/77762 RCAF WO 344/3/1
Ainley H 966915 RAF WO 344/3/1
Ainsbury W 755576 RAF WO 344/3/1
Ainslie A 113437 RAF WO 344/3/1
Ainsworth D B 81031 RAF WO 344/3/1
Airey D V 1285074 RAF WO 344/3/1
Airey M T 1216434 RAF WO 344/3/1
Aldis B C 1322678 RAF WO 344/4/1
Aldridge N H 1581607 RAF WO 344/4/1
Alexander A J 1600217 RAF WO 344/4/1
Alexander D R 120076 RAF WO 344/4/1
Alexander G A 1893475 RAF WO 344/4/1
Alexander H 1433722 RAF WO 344/4/1
Alexander R J 979955 RAF WO 344/4/1
Alexander R W P 748073 RAF WO 344/4/1
Alexander W H 1389602 RAF WO 344/4/1
Alexander W H T 656454 RAF WO 344/4/1
Alexandrowicz H P0240 PAF WO 344/4/1
Alger J K 1225763 RAF WO 344/4/1
Algie W F 517484 RAF WO 344/4/1
Allan D 1558916 RAF WO 344/4/2
Allan K T P R/73769 RCAF WO 344/4/2
Allanson T E 1019019 RAF WO 344/4/2
Allard W J 1253159 RAF WO 344/4/2
Allatt D 1064107 RAF WO 344/4/2
Alldrick R R/65645 RCAF WO 344/4/2
Alldridge A C J/27724 RCAF WO 344/4/2
Allely W H 1339764 RAF WO 344/4/2
Allen R J 52101 RAF WO 344/5/2
Allen R J 113901 RAF WO 344/5/2
Allen R N G 63484 RAF WO 344/5/2
Allen S J 987141 RAF WO 344/5/2
Allen V G 623988 RAF WO 344/5/2
Allen W 1331874 RAF WO 344/5/2
Allen-Rowlandson G 130320 RAF WO 344/5/2
Allison E 982287 RAF WO 344/5/2
Allison G A 552647 RAF WO 344/5/2
Ambrose F W 906392 RAF WO 344/6/2
Ambus A 144797 RAF WO 344/6/2
Ames W E J/29997 RCAF WO 344/6/2
Amey F W 517093 RAF WO 344/6/2
Amos N N 405514 RAAF WO 344/6/2
Andersen P S Q 40197 RAF WO 344/6/2
Anderson A B 122332 RAF WO 344/6/2
Anderson A P R/116051 RCAF WO 344/6/2
Anderson B O R/155939 RCAF WO 344/6/2
Anderson F A 1386170 RAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson F W 1257266 RAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson G B R/106774 RCAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson G D 1377901 RAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson G R 400316 RAAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson J A 636035 RAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson J E 926339 RAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson J I J/17006 RCAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson J M 21245 RAAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson L L J/18158 RCAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson N 1542641 RAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson N J 24541 RAAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson R 646029 RAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson R 969631 RAF WO 344/7/1
Anderson V G I 551296 RAF WO 344/7/2
Anderton C 1533845 RAF WO 344/7/2
Anderton K 1110429 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andre R L 407923 RAAF WO 344/7/2
Andrew G F 1387467 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrew J E 537677 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrew R E 1310361 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrews D J 1636735 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrews E 61498 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrews F 1078392 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrews F H 1488414 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrews J E 615585 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrews M F 87655 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrews P C 1316904 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrews R W 1010741 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrews T 1313669 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrews W F 547432 RAF WO 344/7/2
Andrews W H J/40353 RCAF WO 344/7/2
Annan R S 740781 RAF WO 344/8/1
Annand G R R/60149 RCAF WO 344/8/1
Annesley D B 40639 RNZAF WO 344/8/1
Annetts J W 128013 RAF WO 344/8/1
Ansford E D 41529 RNZAF WO 344/8/1
Anthony K H J/3744 RCAF WO 344/8/1
Anton F R 1066635 RAF WO 344/8/1
Antonia W J 992583 RAF WO 344/8/1
Anweiler R R J/38500 RCAF WO 344/8/1
Apostolides J G 156363 RAF WO 344/8/1
Applebee E W 44982 RAF WO 344/8/1
Applegate V 1069746 RAF WO 344/8/2
Appleton A S 1576662 RAF WO 344/8/2
Appleyard J D R/68131 RCAF WO 344/8/2
Apps K 1334148 RAF WO 344/8/2
Arangies J H 53503 SAAF WO 344/8/2
Arbic H C R/90583 RCAF WO 344/8/2
Archer E L J/11465 RCAF WO 344/8/2
Archer E W 1145560 RAF WO 344/8/2
Archer F 137602 RAF WO 344/8/2
Archer F C 1000266 RAF WO 344/8/2
Archer G A 402215 RAAF WO 344/8/2
Archer S 803473 RAF WO 344/8/2
Arct B P1090 PAF WO 344/8/2
Arklie A M R/80104 RCAF WO 344/9/1
Armitage D L 76573 RAF WO 344/9/1
Armour E W J/38922 RCAF WO 344/9/1
Armstrong A 109946 RAF WO 344/9/1
Armstrong A P 973077 RAF WO 344/9/1
Armstrong D S J/11108 RCAF WO 344/9/1
Armstrong E N 126555 RAF WO 344/9/1
Armstrong G R/61781 RCAF WO 344/9/1
Armstrong J 1104937 RAF WO 344/9/1
Armstrong J A R/130481 RCAF WO 344/9/1
Armstrong J A J/35029 RCAF WO 344/9/1
Armstrong L J R/83422 RCAF WO 344/9/1
Armstrong M R 568791 RAF WO 344/9/1
Armstrong R J 102152 RAF WO 344/9/1
Arnel A F 401095 RAAF WO 344/9/2
Arnesen A O 117460 RAF WO 344/9/2
Arnold J H 934266 RAF WO 344/9/2
Arnold J T R/133259 RCAF WO 344/9/2
Arnold R A 612589 RAF WO 344/9/2
Arnold T 648067 RAF WO 344/9/2
Arnot A 1062765 RAF WO 344/9/2
Arnott A D 969563 RAF WO 344/9/2
Arnsby J A R/63675 RCAF WO 344/9/2
Arrieta C M 155919 RAF WO 344/9/2
Arrowsmith H L 571013 RAF WO 344/9/2
Arsenault J C R/194280 RCAF WO 344/9/2
Arseneault J A R/136822 RCAF WO 344/9/2
Arseneaut J D H R/73263 RCAF WO 344/9/2
Arthur I F 1116907 RAF WO 344/9/2
Arthur L C 87641 RAF WO 344/9/2
Arthurell J D 129410 RAF WO 344/9/2
Artymuik J P780030 PAF WO 344/9/2
Ash A F 1307215 RAF WO 344/10/1
Ash W F J/4787 RCAF WO 344/10/1
Ashdown E F J/12093 RCAF WO 344/10/1
Ashley A E 413508 RAAF WO 344/10/1
Ashley A H 1543866 RAF WO 344/10/1
Ashley H L 133336 RAF WO 344/10/1
Ashley W 1802400 RAF WO 344/10/1
Ashmead-Bartlett D L F 916491 RAF WO 344/10/1
Ashmore J N 612204 RAF WO 344/10/2
Ashmore J Q R/104752 RCAF WO 344/10/2
Ashton L 2210685 RAF WO 344/10/2
Ashton P S 178697 SAAF WO 344/10/2
Ashworth R 1529443 RAF WO 344/10/2
Askew M V 1098180 RAF WO 344/10/2
Askew S A J 414574 RNZAF WO 344/10/2
Askey V 1216172 RAF WO 344/10/2
Askham L 621279 RAF WO 344/10/2
Askill N D 945097 RAF WO 344/10/2
Aspinall L E J/14507 RCAF WO 344/10/2
Aspinall S J A R/90453 RCAF WO 344/10/2
Asquith H 1493364 RAF WO 344/10/2
Assad 79923 V SAAF WO 344/10/2
Asselin J E T J/4882 RCAF WO 344/10/2
Asson W 754970 RAF WO 344/10/2
Astley S 131945 RAF WO 344/10/2
Aston B G 42328 RAF WO 344/10/2
Aston G W 938895 RAF WO 344/10/2

The following files of this range are not yet available on Ancestry:
WO 344/3/2
WO 344/5/1
WO 344/6/1

Best regards

Luc