service records

Hi folks, i'm currently trying to find info about how to get copies of Royal Naval personel service records. I've been told that i need to get in touch with the MoD but they wont pass on any information unless the person in question gives there approval. This proves a bit hard as i'm trying to do it as a suprise for my dad as he turns 65 later this year.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

cheers
Big Al

 

Unless things have changed in the very very recent past, this is a dog that won't hunt.
You need signed consent from the person if they are still alive, and from next of kin if they served after 1960ish.
This is based on my son trying to get me a copy of my service certificate recently.
The copy when you do get it is a single sheet with the briefest of details, not like a proper SC1.
Hope this helps.

 

Can you be more specific Al?

Your father will have been given his Service Certificate when he left the service, and I would imagine most other 'service records' will have been destroyed. Whatever the case though, I'm not surprised that your having difficulty due to data protection legislation.

Good luck though.

 

As stated - in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, the MoD (or any other agency holding personal/confidential information) are not permitted to carry out 'third-party disclosures', and are very unlikely to release that information to you without a Certificate of Consent to Divulge from the subject themselves, or a Production Order from a Magistrates' Court.

 

As an alternative, could you get some good pictures of the ships on which he served?

Just ask him which ones, as a casual question.

 

Why not ask Mum if she knows where the originals are and get them on the quiet, that would also give ships served without having to ask.

 

thanks for all the help and info guys. the only ship i remember he served on was the ganges. where would be a good place to search for pics of the ships he served on?

 

Al

HMS Ganges is more likely to be the shore establishment at which he did his training:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ganges_(shore_establishment)

 

Or maybe Hms St Vincent???

 

Next of kin, surviving rellie is allowable, a document printed off the website and sent in (with as much detail, Service No etc) was all that is, or was, needed.
Managed to get Mrs WM's father's details from the Vet Agency/MOD - can't recall which now, but can dig the info out if need be.
She was quite surprised to see where he had served considering he was HO rating.