War Office records

The War Office (WO) records are archival documents at the UK National Archives. Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds microfilm copies of some WO records that relate to the British military presence in Canada, as well as the defence of Canada. Collection material includes:

  • muster rolls and pay lists
  • service documents
  • registers of pensioners
  • despatches
  • entry books of letters
  • warrants
  • operational plans
  • reports and memoranda

On this page

Before you start

If you are doing genealogy research, gather information such as:

  • name
  • regiment
  • approximate years of service

Places to look

The following WO series can be helpful for genealogy research. To review documents:

  • Click on the word series to open the archival description page.
  • Read more about the records under Scope and content.
  • Click on the lower-level descriptions button.
  • Each lower-level item shows that volume’s title, description, dates and microfilm number.

1. War Office 25: Registers, various, 1756-1878
  • This series has Description and Succession Books, Returns of Officers' Services, Casualty Returns and Regimental entry books. You'll find the names of enlisted men with details such as age, place of birth, trade and service.
  • Some registers include a nominal index, at either the beginning or end of the volume.
  • The records are held at the National Archives and are digitized and indexed on their website. Click on Search the catalogue. Enter a search term, e.g. series, name, regiment. Example: “WO 25” Smith Dragoons.

2. War Office 42: Officers' birth certificates, wills and personal papers, 1775-1908
  • This series consists of pension claims submitted by widows of officers of the King's German Legion and British American regiments. Officers died in service or while on half-pay.
  • Files include copies of wills, birth certificates and personal papers, etc.
  • These records are held at the National Archives and are digitized on their website under WO 42.
  • LAC only has copies of volumes 52 to 63:
From To Regiment Reference
Lt. Francis Acton
(file A-1) 		Lt. George Aug. Henry Buhre
(file B-69)		 Kings German Legion War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), vol. 52, microfilm B-4682
Capt. Thomas Carey
(file C-1) 		Surgeon Henry Duvel
(file D-57)		 Kings German Legion War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), vol. 53, microfilm B-4683
Capt. Frederick Ebell
(file E-2) 		Capt. Anton Friedrich Heinemann
(file H-18)		 Kings German Legion War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), vol. 54, microfilm B-4684
Capt. Anton Friedrich Heinemann (file H-18) Capt. Carl Friedrich Wilhelm von Lasperg
(file L-4)		 Kings German Legion War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), volumes 54 and 55, microfilm B-4685
Capt. Carl Friedrich Wilhelm von Lasperg
(file L-4) 		Lieut. Friedrich Georg Natermann
(file N-2)		 Kings German Legion War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), volumes 55 and 56, microfilm B-4686
Lieut. Friedrich Georg Natermann (file N-2) Lieut. Frederick Ruman
(file R-26)		 Kings German Legion War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), volumes 56 and 57, microfilm B-4687
Lieut. Frederick Ruman
(file R-26) 		Capt. Frederick A. L. von Uslar
(file U-4)		 Kings German Legion War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), volumes 57 and 58, microfilm B-4688
Cornet George von Uslar (file U-5) Lieut. Frederick Zimmermann
(file Z-5) 		Kings German Legion War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), vol. 58, microfilm B-4689
Capt. Jacques Adhemar (file A-1) Thomas Barclay(file B-5) British American Regiments War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), vol. 59, microfilm B-4689
Thomas Barclay (file B-5) Michel Eustaches Gaspard Alain Chartier de Lotbinière (file D-15) British American Regiments War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), volumes 59 and 60, microfilm B-4690
Michel Eustaches Gaspard Alain Chartier de Lotbinière (file D-15) Capt. Christopher Hatch(file H-10) British American Regiments War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), volumes 60 and 61, microfilm B-4691
Capt. John Hatfield (file H-11) Capt. Lieut. Allan McDonell
(file M-9)		 British American Regiments War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), volumes 61 and 62, microfilm B-4692
Capt. Lieut. Allan McDonell (file M-9) Lieut. Col. Joseph Robinson (file R-8) British American Regiments War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), vol. 62, microfilm B-4693
Lieut. Col. Joseph Robinson (file R-8) Capt. Alexander Campbell Wyley
(file W-19)		 British American Regiments War Office 42 (MG13 WO42), volumes 62 and 63, microfilm B-4694

3. War Office 67: Depot description books, 1803-1892

  • This series includes non-commissioned officers and enlisted men. You'll find details such as name, age, place of birth, trade and promotions.

4. War Office 97: Royal hospital Chelsea soldiers’ documents, 1760-1882
  • This series consists of surviving service records of enlisted men, including attestation and discharge documents.
    • Retained records were only for soldiers who were discharged to pension.
    • Destroyed records were for those who took an early discharge and did not receive a pension, who took land instead of pension or who died in service.
    • Records are arranged by regiment. If a soldier served in more than one regiment, his records are with those of the regiment with which he last served.
  • It also includes volumes relating to the Swiss-raised regiments that served under British command during the War of 1812. The de Watteville and de Meuron Regiments included men from Germany, Poland, France and other European countries.
  • The National Archives hold these records and are indexed on their website. Click on Search the catalogue. Enter a search term, e.g. series and name. You can also include a regiment or place. Examples: "WO 97" John Hunter 55th, "WO 97" Joseph Hunter Sligo.

5. War Office 120: Royal Hospital Chelsea regimental registers, 1713-1868
  • This series consists of registers of pensioners in seven overlapping series, arranged by regiment.
    • dated up to 1843, registers include age, place of birth and details of service and discharge.
    • after 1843, the registers list only the date the pension was awarded, rate of pension and district where pension received. Some death dates are also included after about 1812.
  • The book British Army Pensioners Abroad, 1772-1899 contains the names and details from volumes 35, 69 and 70. Those volumes were indexed by the author because they include many pensioners who settled in Canada.

Access the records

You can visit LAC to consult the microfilm on site, or hire a researcher to search them for you.

Related resources

  • See the National Archives (TNA) in England for other records of personnel that served in the British Army up to and including the First World War.