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Series

Ministry of Defence and predecessors: Army Circulars, Memoranda, Orders and Regulations

Catalogue reference: WO 123

What's it about?

WO 123

This series contains several series of orders etc, some of which were assembled in the Ministry of Defence library, from where they were transferred to the PRO in the late 1980s. The main records are: Army Regulations, 1711-1821; War Office...

Full description and record details

Reference

WO 123

Title
Ministry of Defence and predecessors: Army Circulars, Memoranda, Orders and Regulations
Date

1711-1992

Description

This series contains several series of orders etc, some of which were assembled in the Ministry of Defence library, from where they were transferred to the PRO in the late 1980s.

The main records are: Army Regulations, 1711-1821; War Office circulars etc, 1797-1887; Adjutant General's general orders, 1792-1887: Ordnance Office general orders, 1805-1857; Quartermaster General's circulars, 1831-1858; Army Orders from the Commander in Chief, 1888-1904; Army Orders from the Army Council, 1904-1964; and Army Orders from the Defence Council since 1964. General Routine Orders for various theatres in the First World War; and for the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR), 1919-1929 and 1945-1990 are also included.

The series includes material which would otherwise be found among (WO) division: the Records of other administrative departments of the War Office.

Related material

For personnel and office management records see WO 381

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Legal status

Public Record(s)

Language

English

Creator(s)
  • Board of Ordnance, 1683-1855
  • Commander-in-Chief, 1795-1870
  • Commander-in-Chief, Adjutant General, 1680-1870
  • Commander-in-Chief, Quartermaster General, 1667-1870
  • Ministry of Defence, Defence Council, 1964-1964
  • Secretary of State, 1794-1794
  • Secretary of State for War, 1794-1801
  • Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, 1801-1854
  • War Department, Secretary of State for War, 1855-1857
  • War Office, Army Council, 1904-1964
  • War Office, Commander-in-Chief, 1870-1904
  • War Office, Commander-in-Chiefs Military Department, Adjutant General's Division, 1870-1895
  • War Office, Secretary of State for War, 1857-1964
Physical description

498 volume(s)

Access conditions

Open

Immediate source of acquisition

From 1962 War Office

Subjects
Topics
Army
Conflict
Armed Forces (General Administration)
Operations, battles and campaigns
Accruals

Series is accruing

Unpublished finding aids
Most volumes are indexed
Administrative / biographical background

Until the late nineteenth century orders, instructions and regulations for the government of the British army were issued by several authorities, including the Secretary of State for War, the Commander in Chief, the Adjutant General and his Deputy, the Quarter Master General, and the Ordnance Office (until 1857), and the respective responsibilities of these authorities are not entirely clear. From 1888 Army Orders were issued by order of the Commander in Chief with approval of the Secretary of State for War; then, from 1904, by order of the Army Council.

Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C14331/

Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

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Within the department: WO

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Ministry of Defence and predecessors: Army Circulars, Memoranda, Orders and Regulations

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