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Researching a First World War soldier

We do not hold service records or records of individual soldiers at the museum.

If the soldier died in the war – the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website contains records of all burials and memorials of soldiers who died in both World Wars. The Scottish National War Memorial also has a searchable database of all Scottish First World War casualties.

Service records

  • Other ranks soldiers - around 60% of records relating to soldiers who served in the First World War were destroyed by fire during the Second World War. Surviving records can be found at the National Archives in London. Digital copies of surviving records are available through subscription websites such as Ancestry and Find My Past.

  • Officers- records for officers who served in the First World War are held at The National Archives and can be searched online by surname, however not all of the records are digitised.

If a soldier or officer who served during the War remained in the Army after 1921 their records will still be held by the Ministry of Defence – contact the MOD for details on what records are available.

Medals – to find out about campaign or gallantry medals awarded during the First World War contact The National Archives, to search the medal card index they hold. The London Gazette provides details of gallantry awards, and also has details of every officer’s promotions and appointments throughout the war. It contains only citations for the VC, DSO, MC, and DCM - there are no citations held anywhere for the Military Medal beyond the one originally given with the medal, only a notification of when it was awarded. Please be aware that the Ministry of Defence no longer issue replacement First World War medals.

Prisoners of War The International Committee of the Red Cross hold records of soldiers taken Prisoner of War during the First World War. From 2014 these records are now available to search online by name.

Photographs - we do not have portrait-style photographs of soldiers who enlisted. Although we have a large number of regimental photographs in the collection, many of these contain unnamed individuals. The majority of named photographs depict officers. If the soldier was killed or injured during the war, then his details and a photograph may have appeared in a local newspaper and you may find it worthwhile to check them. The Evening Times Roll of Honour contains biographies and photographs of soldiers from Glasgow and the surrounding areas.

The museum holds the following resources which can help with First World War research:

War Diaries - these are a daily record of a Battalion's activities whilst at war. They contain details of the day to day operations of the battalion, the majority of soldiers are not mentioned by name in the diaries and those named tend to be officers. We have copies of the war diaries for every battalion of The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) which served in a theatre of war during the First World War. The copies we hold have been fully transcribed by volunteers from the Lanarkshire Family History Society and the Friends of Low Parks Museum and they are fully searchable. To view the diaries please Contact us.

Personal diaries of soldiers and officers – we hold a number of personal diaries and accounts from soldiers and officers who served in The Cameronians in the First World War, covering campaigns on the Western Front, Gallipoli and the Middle East. Digital copies are available to view by appointment, please Contact us for details.

Officers’ card index - all officers who served in the Regiment from 1689-1968, giving a brief outline of their military service.

Regimental Roll of Honour – lists the names of 7,106 men killed whilst serving with the Regiment in the First World War.

The Regimental Library - comprising many published works on The Cameronians and the First World War, including regimental and battalion histories, as well as general works on the First World War.

If you wish to make an appointment to view any of the museum resources please Contact us.


Researching a First World War Soldier