War Office: Infantry Over Age Other Ranks: Service Records, Second World War

This series consists of service records of non-commissioned officers and other ranks (but not officers) who served in infantry regiments of the British Army during the Second World War and who were discharged from the armed forces as 'over age' (or other reason) before their time expired in the reserves after 1945.

The types of documents that are most commonly found within the service records comprising this series are:

• Attestation forms, which are the documents signed by the new recruit, or created upon transfer between units;
• Statement of service, which outline an individual's postings whilst in service;
• Discharge forms, which were issued when a soldier left the regiment;
• A variety of supporting correspondence.

Digital images for some of the records in this series can be searched online through our partner website. Images are made available for those records where it is known that the birth date of the record subject falls over 100 years ago. Medical forms and disciplinary and conduct forms have not been digitised as they contain sensitive personal data and images for these parts will not be available through our partner website.

UK, Military Service Records, 1939-1959

Some pieces appear to have been organised according to surname or date of birth, however for large parts of this series there is no discernible order to the pieces.

For soldiers service records relating to selected smaller corps during the Second World War period see WO 421

For Womens Services in East Africa, Nurses and Other Ranks see WO 427

For First World War soldiers' records see WO 364

For soldiers service records relating to the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers see WO 420

For soldiers' service records pre-1914 see WO 97

From 2020 Ministry of Defence

Topics

Army

Conflict

Armed Forces (General Administration)

Operations, battles and campaigns

This collection of records includes those who served in infantry regiments and some support services of the British Army, but not those who served in Guards or Cavalry regiments, or those who served in the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, or women?s services during the Second World War. These latter records were held by the War Office/Ministry of Defence separately for administrative purposes.

In many cases, records were added to after 1945, as individuals remained in the Army Reserve and liable for recall to the armed forces up until 1959 or until they reached the age of 45.

This series contains those who were ?over age?, i.e. those who reached the maximum age limit (45 years old) before the expiration of their terms of service. The records were also used for pension purposes after 1945.