MOD ALREADY TRANSFERRING WW2 SERVICE FILES TO UK NATIONAL ARCHIVES 2021

More FOI statistics from the Cabinet Office released today:

Freedom of Information statistics: July to September 2025

 

On one of my recent submissions (12 Nov) I added that I'd be happy to accept a revised set of papers (all medical entries redacted).

On the 15 Dec I received this:

As part of these improvements, we are offering some requesters the opportunity to refine their FOI request to a subset of documents in the record, which can be delivered to you in a shorter timeframe of 25 working days. Due to your expression of interest in only a select few forms within your requested record, we thought that this option may be of interest to you.

I accepted their offer and yesterday (18 Dec) I received 10 pages of records that included all movement records, which is my main interest.

Best.
John.

 

This is the current state of TNA406, according to "Contracts Finder" accessed this week:

" MOD Service Records, Digitisation and Licensing - Expressions of Interest Stage
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Published date: 11 November 2021
Last edited date: 12 November 2021
Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.
Contract summary
Industry
IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support - 72000000
Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security - 79000000
Education and training services - 80000000
Show additional CPV codes for this notice
Location of contract
TW9 4DU
Value of contract
£0"

And here is Ancestry inside the digitisation suite at Kew: how they got there is . . . well, who cares, apparently I do, many don't.

I tripped over my pitchfork and flaming torch this morning, prompted by yet more Apple computer upgrades.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7gsmnu21oLs

By the way, this is my last post on here.

I want to thank Van Poop, ( and Owen and dbf ) for their achievement in hosting this wonderful site.

And I really have to get out more.

Happy Christmas to all.

 

"By the way, this is my last post on here.

I want to thank Van Poop, ( and Owen and dbf ) for their achievement in hosting this wonderful site.

And I really have to get out more."


John! What's on dear fella? Are you ok?

Kind regards, but always,

Jim.

 

Oh no, hopefully that's not a final decision. I've always found your posts so very helpful.

Kind regards.
John.

 

Agree.

Your call, of course, but if you are indeed 'off', thank you for all the helpful information you've posted.

 

Twenty days passed last week.

Update on the internal review is there's no update.

Dear Mr Fortnum,

We apologise that we have not yet been able to complete your internal review for you. This is due to delays affecting this team and those with which we work. For this reason, I am afraid it has not yet been possible to complete your internal review.

Please be assured that your request is still in progress, and we are working hard to resolve each request as quickly as possible. I am sorry not to be able to give you some more positive news at present. We will next be in touch once a final decision has been reached.

Please accept my apologies once again.

Yours sincerely,

MOD Access Service Team

Rules for dealing with the disgruntled:

• Do not set dates you cannot keep.
• Give the real reasons.
• Wish them Happy Christmas and mean it.

 

Surprise response pleasantly received this morning from TNA to a request I submitted on the 15 Nov 25. Only 6 pages received, but I did ask for all medical information to be removed.

 

Not heard any more about Gun Buster since MOD’s acknowledgment, but I only put in for that in late August, so no great surprise and I’m not desperate for it - only applied out of curiosity really. For “curiosity” read “nosey git”.

I also have a Royal Navy record request pending, but that only went in on 3rd December, although the last time I asked for a RN record they turned it around quite quickly.

 

I've just applied for a service record of someone who passed away in New Zealand. I couldn't get a copy of his death certificate but I did find an official obituary, which included his full name, place of birth, DoB, DoD and publisher's details. All the criteria they apparently insist on. Be interesting to see what happens next.

 

Typical, TNA apparently don't have any record of this person. He is a post WW2 National serviceman but I'd still have expected his record to be with TNA.

I've asked the MoD if they have the record.

Best.
John.

 

Service record in this topic provided in less than 3 weeks - including Xmas break.

A.F. Harrison from London who served in Burma

 

At the risk of sending Charley Fortnum's blood pressure into orbit...

I was looking at the detail for the new fees and saw something that alters my current stance of "get in quick before the new fees" to "wait until the new fees"

"12. Will people paying for the service ‘jump the queue’ ahead of others who applied before the fees were introduced?
We have a team who are focussed on working through requests that have already been made and delivering the information requested as quickly as possible.

Requests made from 2 February 2026 will be dealt with by another team focussing on delivering the information within our new timescales."

Frequently Asked Questions: Ministry of Defence Service Personnel Records Fees - The National Archives

So in true Dads Army fashion - Your name will go on the list - wait until Feb 26 and it will be at the top of a new and initially a very short list!

Ross

 

I refuse to pay on principle now, so this seems to be the promising bit:

How will the backlog be addressed?
The National Archives has recruited extra staff specifically to work in the MOD Access team and to clear the backlog of requests that have not been actioned. We do still have a backlog but it has gone down significantly, and we anticipate that everyone in the backlog will have their request actioned within the next few months.

====================================

Still nothing on my 'internal review', but I have had no time to harry them with a complaint to the data commissioner chap.

 

Well I think I've just submitted my last 'free' application to TNA. I've no more on my radar and, should any more pop up, I probably won't get a death certificate in time.

Best.
John.

 

Got my RN record today, applied for 3 December, so nice turnaround. Only the one outstanding now.

 

That's a good response time Martin

 

Got to ask Martin - I thought RN records transfer now on with estimated end 2027

RN Record - requested by .GOV.UK to RN Disclosures?

Record supplied by RN Disclosures or by TNA with RN Disclosures reference?

I'm going to try a TNA RAF request with RAF Disclosures supplied TNT reference - 115 years from birth just gone last month - deceased over 25 years - on 2nd Feb 2026 to see what the quirks of the new method is.

Ross

 

This is the email acknowledgment I received back in December, Ross. I’d applied to the MoD who did indeed send my request to RN Disclosures:



Here’s the letter that came with the paper record today:



“My” man was born 106 years ago. No charge for the record, of course.

 

Cheers Martin,

So as of today no suggestion bulk of RN/RM service files transferred from MoD - RN Disclosures did not give ref to find at TNA.

We can tell those enquiring for RN/RM records that as yet most likely not transferred and will probably be supplied f.o.c. from RN/MoD

Lots of ifs and buts - probably will hold as reasonable supposition until mid 2026.

Like trying to nail jelly to the ceiling!

Ross