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Where to find navy records?

Royal navy records can be obtained by The National Archive. A navy record is usually available to members of the general public, however in some cases restrictions may apply.

The National Archive holds information about the following types of navy records:

• Navy service records of officers separated between 1903 and 1994.


• Navy personnel records of enlistments separated between 1886 and 1994.


• Health records of veterans retired, discharged and deceased until 1994.

The National Archive also holds navy military records for the years after the ones mentioned above.

Who can access navy war records and how to obtain copies?

There are certain rules for accessing navy war records. Veterans and next of kin of veterans can freely access navy war records. Authorized representatives of veterans such as attorneys, historians, medical professionals and other can also get access to navy war records.

Navy war records can be requested by submitting a standard form 180 or form DD form 214. Both forms can be obtained by The National Archive. Navy medical records can be also accessed in the same way. In case you are requesting records of deceased veterans, you must provide copy of the proof of death (death certificate, funeral home letter or obituary documents).