Officers Prior To 1914

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Officers Prior To 1914
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• Army Lists. Army Lists, which cover the period
  1702 to the present day, are the starting point
  for tracing the service of officers. The National
  Archives (TNA) has a number of lists 'on record'
  (WO 64-66 and WO 211) and printed copies are
  available in the Reference Room at the TNA.
• The National Army Museum has a fairly
  comprehensive run of Army Lists and regimental
  and corps Museums usually have a reasonable
  coverage in their libraries. Also useful in
  tracing officers who gained commissions before
  1727 are Charles Dalton's books "English Army
  Lists and Commission Registers 1661-1714", Eyre
  and Spottiswode, 6 volumes, 1892-1904, and
  "George I's Army 1714-1727", Eyre and
  Spottiswode, 2 volumes, 1910.

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• Returns of Service. Returns of officers' service
  were first compiled by the War Office in the
  early 19th century, apparently on information
  supplied by officers themselves. These records
  are available at the TNA (WO 25,54 and 76) and
  are further categorized by date, Arm or Service
  and status i.e. full/half pay, retired.
• Commander-in-Chief's Memoranda Papers. These
  papers were concerned with the appointment,
  promotion and resignation of officers. They may
  be seen at the TNA (WO 31).

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• Widows' Pensions and Pensions to Wounded
  Officers. Some provision was made for the widows
  and dependents 1 of officers killed on active
  service. The available records may be viewed at
  the TNA and are split between War Office records
  (WO 23-25) and those of the Paymaster General
  (PMG 9-11).
• Military Academy Records. Registers of cadets
  who trained at the Royal Military Academy
  (1790-1939) and the Royal Military Academy
  (1806-1946) are held at the Royal Military
  Academy Sandhurst where research inquiries should
  be addressed to dr.morton_at_rmas.mod.uk. It is good
  also to visit British Army Records for more
  information.