The British Public Records Office, located on the south of London at Kew, is a national treasure. It is the principal archive of primary source materials relating to Britain's Armed Forces' involvement in the Great War. The PRO staff are knowledgeable and helpful. If you have not been before it is worth noting that in order to gain access to documents you must have a Reader's Ticket. To obtain one you need to have identification such as a Passport, Driver's Licence or similar. It is worth a telephone call before you travel any distance in order to clarify the situation. (Tel: 0181 392 5200.)

Amongst many categories of documentation held there are divisional, brigade and battalion War Diaries. In almost every case these include hugely informative maps and appendices prepared for the use of divisional commanders, his artillery staff and engineers. It is also possible to access Corps and Army level documentation with ease. Most unit War Diary materials are held under the access number WO95.

For example, this document is a photocopy of part of WO95/1669, the 22nd Manchesters' War Diary. It details the battalion's raid on a German trench system known as Bulgar Point, SSE of Mametz, on 2nd June 1916. Apart from the narrative of events the diary also identifies officer casualties, by name. Other rank's casualties are not so identified. Recommendations for awards are also made; in this case a military cross, a DCM and two military medals.

Be warned though, the costs of photocopying large numbers of documents at the PRO can become considerable. Although these charges initially seem high, you should be aware that many of the documents are fragile and easily damaged. Careful handling and expensive copying techniques, especially of maps, is necessary.

WW1 Service Records: takes you to the PRO overview about how to get service details. Those details are principally kept in WO 363 (Army Records: Soldiers); WO 374, WO 339 and WO 338/1-21 (Army Records: Officers); WO 329 (WW1 Campaign medals). Through the careful cross referencing of a soldier's outline service details, medal roll information, unit diaries, personal letters and diaries it is very possible to build up a comprehensive record of a man's or unit's military service.

For books on UK Army Service Records follow this link to the PRO's Bookshop: