Nurse. Prisoner. Survivor. This is the story of Marjory Jean Anderson, who displayed incredible courage, devotion and bravery during the Second World War. Marjory’s is just one of many stories waiting to…
No. 303 Squadron RAF – names behind the image: Part II
In Part II of our Battle of Britain blog, we return to the photograph of 303 Squadron and explore the names behind the image. Read on to discover what we found in…
Researching Polish airmen and the Battle of Britain: Part I
In the first instalment of our Battle of Britain 2023 blog, we spotlight the Polish No. 303 Squadron of the Royal Air Force. After discovering a striking photograph of squadron members (above), we…
Operation Husky – The 80th Anniversary of the Invasion of Sicily during WWII
On the night of 9/10 July 1943, the Allies launched Operation Husky, the invasion of the Italian island of Sicily. Operation Husky Airborne troops landed first by parachute and glider, followed by…
Researching a WWII prisoner of war: how our Allied Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 collection can help you
Was your ancestor one of the hundreds of thousands of Allied prisoners captured during the Second World War? Discover details about their time as a prisoner with our WWII, Allied Prisoners of…
Soldiers’ Effects Records: a valuable collection for researching casualties
If your ancestor died serving with the British Army between 1901 and 1929, it’s worth consulting our Soldiers’ Effects Records. This fascinating collection could reveal new information about your military ancestor. What…
Who Do You Think You Are?: Episode 2 – Claire Foy’s military ancestor and a tragic accident
Episode two of Who Do You Think You Are? Series 20 delved into actor Claire Foy’s family history, revealing a tragic military story. It was another captivating episode demonstrating how fascinating and…
The Story behind the image
We’ve been intrigued by the figures in our Facebook page cover photo (above) for some time, so we decided to explore them in our records. It turns out the three individuals in…
Community Stories: A Scottish Gardener and the Second Boer War
Back in March, we posted a photo from the Second Boer War (1899-1902) on our Facebook page. At the time, we had no idea that it would lead to such a poignant…
Who Do You Think You Are? Episode 1: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ancestor at the Battle of Waterloo
Series 20 of the popular family history show Who Do You Think You Are? was back on our screens on Thursday, 1 June 2023. Musical theatre master Andrew Lloyd Webber was the…