The organisation behind these records
A record that names several people should be read for all of them, not just for yours. The others are what prove, or break, the identification. When two sheets give different dates for the same event, note both, check which sheet was written first, and let the earlier sheet carry the timeline, with a note of the disagreement.
When is a match safe to use?
A record destroyed, a record never created, and a record held elsewhere look identical from a search screen. The catalogue description is what tells them apart. If the person you seek shares a name with a well-known figure in the same unit, published material will favour the famous namesake. Original records will not.
What does this section cover?
Medals are evidence of service, campaign and sometimes gallantry, and they are researched through rolls and index cards, not through the medal itself. A medal without its roll entry is an object; a medal with its roll entry is a dated record that can be tested against the service record. This section is organised as one pillar guide plus supporting guides that each answer one question about the same record type. Read the pillar first for the shape of the records, then follow the supporting guides for the detail that matches your case.
The records in this section are held principally by The National Archives and service museums. Holdings change as transfer and digitisation programmes proceed, so the holder and coverage statements in each guide describe the general position and point you to the holder's current guidance for the exact position.
Starting here, in order
One dated fact from a record outweighs three plausible details from a story, and the timeline should show which is which. Write down what you know, what you suspect, and what you do not know, in three separate lists, and keep them apart until a record joins them.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fix the person first: name, number, service and dates. |
| 2 | Fix the unit or ship, where the record allows it. |
| 3 | Open the record for those dates only, and note the reference. |
| 4 | Add dated facts only to the timeline, each with its source note. |
What to read next here
Do not open a new area of research to escape a dead end in this one. Note the dead end, choose the next check inside this area, and only then widen the search. The strongest timelines are short and referenced. Resist the urge to add unreferenced detail at the end of a session, when checking discipline is weakest. The work is finished for now when every entry in the timeline has a reference, not when the story feels complete.
Primary sources for this guide
Everything here is kept general and tied to official holders, so check the current position with the holder for your own case. The guide is educational information only: it is not personal professional advice, it is not a lookup service, and it settles nothing about any one person's service.