Service Records application - MOD response timescale

Hello what is the email or tel for a status check.

I dont want to harass just to confirm receipt.

tks

 

For army records:
APC-Sp-Disclosures4@mod.gov.uk

 

Also received printed records about a week after the holding email - probably as described above, a sign-on form from the start of service and very high level form showing key dates e.g. rank changes or country moves. but not much detail about actual postings.

So quicker than I expected but it's bittersweet because it's the records of my father in law's father, who passed away just a few months ago. He had no memory of his father who died when he was 4, just a few photos and minimal information from his mother, and even the little information that I received he would have been happy to read. Them's the breaks though.

 

I applied for an Army service record in June 2020. I’d heard nothing since, so I sent an e-mail on Monday 11 October 2021 enquiring when I was likely to receive it. On Wednesday 13 October I received an e-mail to say it had been sent the previous day. Today, Monday 18 October, the record arrived with apologies for the delay. It only needed a little nudge!

My out-of-date cheque was also returned with a request to send another (envelope provided).

Richard

 

Hi,

Are the papers redacted in any way?

Have MOD sent any B103 forms?

Other members have mentioned receiving files with medical/discipline and names/addresses redacted on the Statement of Services forms and minus B103 forms - all to comply with MOD new disclosure rules.

Steve

 

Noticed yesterday a change to the RAF Disclosures application method.

Cranwell now accepts applications online with payment by credit/debit card.

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military...-elses-records

Same rules as before for 25 years from date of death it's just the application route that has changed.

Ross

 

We didn't receive a B103, still not really sure what that is, but the only thing redacted on the other forms were the name of spouse and marriage details, although on one page you could make out the writing because it hadn't been blacked over very well. All next of kin names and addresses were there.

 

The B103 is the most helpful army form MOD previously provided as a reading of it/them (often multiple forms) reveals much detail of a man’s service such as postings, periods of leave/sickness/absence, dates of promotion/demotion, periods in hospital/training courses, etc etc etc.

Have a look on other topics in the service record sub forum and you will see the wealth of detail MOD are now withholding.

Steve

 

Hi Steve,

Have you got a link to the forum you are talking about? i cant find it.

Many thanks,
Mark

 

If the B103 contains what appears to be the information that most people will be wanting - postings, etc etc, - is there now any point in applying for Service Records?.....the first question people ask tends to be 'what did my dad do and which Regiment did he serve with' or words to that effect.

 

Completely agree. Surely this should have been a cut off date. ie any applications after a certain date wont receive the B103. People (including myself) have paid money with the understanding that this information would be provided. Its postings that i'm interested in. Tracer cards are the way to go.

 

Service Records

 

I think the only Tracer Cards that have surfaced in the public domain are for Tank Corps, Royal Engineers & Royal Artillery personnel - but in each of them I don’t believe a full run has been released.

The official equivalent of the Tracer Card is the B102 Central Registry Index Card that is provided by MOD. It does not contain all of the detail found on a B103.

Steve

 

FWIW, the service form I received (B217?) does have details of the various units the soldier was allocated to, training and education, promotions, medals and where stationed overall (e.g. India, home, BEF) so if I didn't know any better I would be happy with what I got. Maybe they don't all have that much detail. There is zero detail about the India years, although it does say that that the service counted as Indian so maybe there is more information on that in a separate archive for India?

 

The statement of services form will note the Regiments served with but men often moved between Battalions in the same Regiment so you need to have the B103 to pick up that detail.

Steve

 

I believe CMP, RASC and Intelligence Corps Tracer cards are also with their Regimental museums - I can't remember which of them (I think IC) but one that I asked about a couple they said no due to GDPR which seemed odd as they contain no personnel data and RE/RA are openly available.

With the limited records that people often seem to get sent I wonder what the position will be when the files are transferred to the NA - will they hold back or in some way segregate some records (medical and disciplinary)

 

Service record was for someone who died over 25 years ago, so I should have received the full set of records. They were not redacted and there was no Army Form B103 included.

What I received was:

• AF E531. Territorial Army Attestation.
• AF E531/2. Military History Sheet.
• AF B200B. Statement of Services (Other Ranks).
• AF B199A. Record of Service (Officers)​

Looking at my father’s records, for which I have a copy of his AF B103, the AF B200B does not give all the postings that are recorded on the AF B103.

Although the records show he was medical Category ‘D’ or ‘E’ for 2½ years I was sent no medical records. Remarkably, the reason for this is to be found in the US National Archives and Records Administration as this man, a PoW, was in the German run military hospital when it was liberated by US forces and a list had been compiled of the patients. He had fractured his arm.

Richard

 

I received similar to Richard above. Just photocopies of two forms:

AF E531 Territorial Army Attestation
AF B200B Statement of Services (with copy of ROF 504 (?) slip attached)

Nothing was redacted, his discharge Military Conduct rating was "Exemplary", he was wounded in action with multiple mortar wounds in 1943 but returned to Home service till 1945. He was born over 100 years ago and died in 1977. So I can see no reason why the B103 would not have been included unless it really was 'missing' from the file. I chased it and received a reply that they'd look again to see, so I'm still hoping.

 

This is all sounding, technical term here, rubbish.

I was hoping to obtain my great uncle's records, but the B103, as others have said, forms the core information of the disclosure, the rest can provide useful garnish, but that's the main course.

 

It seems that they are using GDPR as a reason for not providing information but if you look at the the Information Commissioner’s site it says this about personal date

• Information about a deceased person does not constitute personal data and therefore is not subject to the UK GDPR.