Service Records application - MOD response timescale

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Service Records application - MOD response timescale
Still waiting since September. Have chased my application and been told that they are mainly working from home on laptops with only 3 in the office at any one time, normally up to 15.

 

Feel a bit disappointed by that response...was that recently?

 

Yesterday !!

 

Maybe I'm missing something here but you would think they would be able to get at least half of their staff in the office? Guess we will just have to wait...until they can get back to work properly...

 

In which country did you make your request? If it's not in Canada, I will answer anyway, to the benefit of those who could be interested.

Here in Canada, I made a request for service records in February. They answered that it could take a long time because they had an important backlog : at the time they were treating requests made in May 2018.

So I submitted another request, this time through the Access to Information Act. It costs 5$ and the law says that they must comply in a period of 30 days. Then a pandemic happened. I wrote to them twice and got the same answer each time (saying that the office was closed so they can't fulfill requests for the moment).

Last I heard, their employees started to come back to the office on August 12. Their backlog will be even bigger, so if one made a simple request (not through the Access to Information Act), one must prepare to wait at least 2 years...

An alternative would be to hire a reasearcher based on Ottawa or Gatineau, but it means that citizens must have access to the archives. Not sure it's possible yet.

Even before the pandemic, they were cruelly understaffed. It's a real shame that the federal government does not give the necessary ressources to such an important organization.

 

Mine is UK.

 

I have also been waiting months! I applied the first time around for my father's records in the 1990s and got a typed letter summarising his service. This was helpful in finding war diaries, but sketchy. Then in 2019 I applied for my mother's naval nursing records and the Navy replied very quickly with a photocopy of everything in her file - letters, performance reviews, pay records. So I re-applied to the Army for my father's records. Months later I had a letter saying there were delays. Since then - silence. I'm glad in a way that the problem is COVID and not that they have lost the records! Kate

 

Not quite sure why they didn’t just cash the cheque, seeing as they’ve gone to the trouble of returning it.

Or send you just the original cheque back, which they did, but with a letter asking you to send them a new one?

I applied in October, they cashed my cheque in January but I’m still waiting anyway (understandably given this year’s events). So why not just cash your cheque, like they did mine, and keep you in the queue as they have me? (well, I hope I’m still in it!)

 

There are a few threads around on this subject, so here is my update - just received those I applied for last September, roughly 11 months. There are a couple of main reasons, obviously Covid and the disruption caused to working practices, but also the volume, which can be judged by the number of new members on this forum seeking information.

 

Covid-19 and service record requests

 

I often think that we (WW2Talk) are probably responsible for a fair percentage of the service records requests to Glasgow. I can also tell you that I have received well over 100 new family enquiries (Chindit) since VJ Day this year. Most of these have been directed to Glasgow in an attempt to gain more details of their loved one.

 

Who knows the workings of the Official mind! Just re-submitted with a new cheque this morning so fingers crossed

 

Good luck.

 

In future, I will be sending in an undated cheque so the "out of date" approach" would be invalid.

 

Its rather slack at my end. Been waiting a while for a reply from them. I have not but it relates to a chap who's Father served in the same regiment as my Grandfather.

I've asked John, a few times to get on there case.
They did reply saying that the cheque was out of date. He sent a new one. Four months before lockdown started when he submitted his first cheque.

Has someone who has worked through lockdown I do not find this service not up to scratch. I can't quite remember how long i waited for my Grandfather's records many years ago. It was rather a long time..Don't get me started on people that work in a Office has these people do. It could kick-off a heated debate.

Regards
Stu.

 

I've worked right through lockdown too:

 

I don’t think much can move it on any quicker, my father wanted to read his fathers history due the war ,he was artillery in ended up in Burma . I sent off before lockdown explaining that he was dying and it was the only thing he had ever asked us to do for him . Even a dying wish cant move them . Still waiting and he’s passed, I should of done it along time ago.

 

They are there to deal with a person request, they offer the family and general enquires under foi but they don’t have to

therefore give them some slack as they do not have to do it.

when you apply you are told the request will take many months, if you apply for ww2 navy records your are currently waiting 18 months to 2 years as they need to search each movement by hand

and I think you will find during Covid the records teams were redeployed to assist the military planning for the Covid response

 

Your are spot on with your reply it’s just a tiny bit frustrating.

 

Finally received email communication from them...'Delay Warning' giving a time scale of 9 months for family interest enquiries saying this is due to the unprecedented volume of urgent enquiries being received.