Filed under MOD Records for Deceased Persons: A Method Guide
What to check first in this record
Proof of death helps the holder confirm that a record concerns a deceased person and that the request falls under the deceased persons rules. What counts as proof is stated in the holder's own guidance, so follow that guidance rather than a general account.
Initials are a filter, not an identity. A search on initials plus surname will match strangers, and a search that ignores initials will miss the right person. The unit or ship matters more than the surname at the start, because units narrow a search to a manageable set while surnames, in large sets, do not.
How do you read what you find?
Do not read a unit diary as if it were written for you. It was written for the unit, in unit shorthand, and personal details appear only where the unit needed them. If you cannot read a word, mark it unread rather than guessing it. A guessed word, once written into a timeline, is very hard to dislodge. A single sheet can contain several dates: the date of the event, the date of writing, and the date of filing. Keep them separate in your notes.
What are the common dead ends?
Do not let a single failed search end the inquiry. Note what was searched, what filters were used, and what remains untried, and the next session starts from that list. A transcription error can hide the right entry completely, because you search for the correct spelling and the index holds the wrong one. Try variants deliberately.
The most expensive dead end is a wrong person adopted early. Everything after that looks consistent, because it was built on the wrong foundation. When a record set ends before your dates, or begins after them, the problem is coverage, and no variation of search terms will fix a coverage problem.
A step by step way through
Do not start with the record that interests you most. Start with the record that anchors the timeline, and let interest follow the anchor. Alternate between personal records and unit records as the steps require. Personal records fix the person, unit records fix the place and the date, and both are needed. Separate your transcription, your interpretation, and your questions into three columns. A column that mixes them cannot be checked.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fix the service, the dates, and the branch of service from what you already know. |
| 2 | Check the holder current guidance for proof of death and next of kin requirements for your case. |
| 3 | Prepare the identifying details the holder asks for, name, number, unit and dates, before making any request. |
| 4 | Note what is released and what is withheld, and keep the holder reply with the record. |
Where to go next from here
If a related guide looks irrelevant, read its first paragraph before dismissing it. Irrelevance is often a misjudged title, not a misplaced guide. Before you open the next record, write down what you expect it to show and what would surprise you. That note is what turns reading into testing. When two records disagree, note both and look for a third that explains the difference.
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.