By far the majority of records relating to individual servicemen are with the National Archives, but there are other places that can be worth approaching for help.

For the Army, the National Army Museum at www.national-army-museum.ac.uk, the Imperial War Museum at www.iwm.org.uk/lambeth/famhist and regimental museums at www.armymuseums.org.uk may on occasion be able to help with soldiers and, particularly, officers.

Similarly, for the Navy, the National Maritime Museum at www.port.nmm.ac.uk/research/guides and the Royal Naval Museum at www.royalnavalmuseum.org may be able to help for naval officers and ratings.

The RAF Museum has a number of useful collections that can help with research on ancestors who served in the Royal Air Force at www.rafmuseum.org.uk

The Society of Genealogists' library at www.sog.org.uk/index has a fair collection of printed material, such as medal rolls, casualty lists and biographies for the services.

If you are looking for men, from anywhere in the British Empire and Commonwealth, who lost their lives during the two world wars, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission can help you find their last resting place and can supply some very basic personal information. This information is available from an online database, known as the Debt of Honour Register. See www.cwgc.org