The best resources for researching your Irish military ancestor include service records, pension records, regimental histories, medal rolls, and personal testimonies. These records, accessible through institutions like the Military Archives in Dublin, UK National Archives, and online databases such as Ancestry and FindMyPast, provide comprehensive details such as personal information, service history, awards received, and personal narratives, offering insights into their military service and personal lives beyond what civil records typically provide.
The best resources for researching your Irish military ancestor include service records, pension records, regimental histories, medal rolls, and personal testimonies. Luckily, the 1922 Public Office fire did not affect these records.
Besides, military records are some of the best preserved and detailed, with personal anecdotes and accurate dates compared to civilian records. Dating back to the reigns of the British Army, records describe even soldiers’ physical descriptions and personal accounts far beyond what you’d get in a census record or a birth certificate.
Such thoroughness, coupled with the centralized archives and digitization efforts, somehow simplifies research for an Irish military ancestor. However, you need some basic information about your ancestors to find information at the right place and expedite the process. Clues about the period your ancestor served, the battles they participated in, or his regiment can make research even easier.
Whatever your case, this guide highlights the five crucial resources you need for researching your Irish military ancestor, the information you should expect, and how to utilize it in your research.
Military Service Records
The Irish Defense Forces (IDF) keeps service records, also called personal records or service files, for every enlisted person for administrative, legal, and historical purposes. So, if you’re researching an Irish military ancestor, consider checking for service records at the Military Archives in Dublin and the UK National Archives to see if your ancestor served before the Irish independence in 1922.
Some service records may be available online via the Archives’ websites and other sites like Ancestry, Fold3, and FindMyPast. However, not all the documents may be digitized yet, so don’t rule out physically visiting these sites.
Below is a breakdown of the information provided in service records:
- Personal details including full names, dates, and places of birth, and physical attributes such as height and weight.
- Dates and location when they joined and left the military, including reasons for discharge.
- Their initial rank during enlistment and any promotion and demotion throughout their service.
- The time they spent in the service, campaigns, and battles they participated in.
- Medical records for injuries, treatments, dates, and reasons for hospital admissions.
- Awards and decorations and the corresponding notable service achievements or contributions.
- Any disciplinary action taken against the soldier and the process.
- Names, addresses, and relationships with the next of kin.
Regimental Histories and Unit Diaries
These records provide a chronological account of a military regiment or unit, including its daily actions, notable battles, roles in various conflicts, and other operational details. The unit diaries are more detailed, with daily accounts reporting on movements, personnel changes, and logistics engagements.
You can find Irish Military regiment and unit diaries records in the Irish military Archive, the UK National Archive, The National Army Museum, and online databases like FamilySearch and Ancestry.
Notably, many Irish regiments have their own museums and local historical societies keeping their respective records. You can check the Linen Hall Library, Connaught Rangers Association Library, or the Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum if you think your ancestor was part of these regiments.
Some of the information to find from Regiment histories and unit diaries include;
- The different engagements the unit participated in and the strategies, outcomes, and experiences.
- The unit’s deployments, stations, movements, and routes.
- The regiment’s daily activities including reconnaissance, duties, and enemy encounters.
- Personal information of all unit members, including their rank awards and any casualties, losses, or missing persons.
- Personal stories and letters from unit members.
Medal Rolls
Military authorities compile medal rolls to document the awarding of medals to service members for different periods, battles, and campaigns. The British Army has some of the oldest medal rolls involving Irishmen, dating back to the 18th century.
Four major types of medals are awarded to the military: campaign, Gallantry, Long service, and Commemorative medals. For these records, check the UK National Archive, the Irish Military Archives, and online databases.
Information provided on meal rolls includes;
- Full names of the recipient.
- Regimental number.
- Rank.
- Unit.
- Medal entitlement.
- Date of award.
- Type and reason of award.
- A few references from the service records.
Pension Records
Veterans or their dependents can apply for pensions after completing their service in the military. The Military Service Pensions Collection (MSPC) preserves pension records for veterans of the Irish Revolutionary Period (1916-1922). You can also check records at the Military Archives in Dublin, the UK National Archives, or online databases.
Some of the crucial information to expect include;
- The soldier’s full names, dates, and places of birth and death.
- Crucial dates, soldier’s unit, ranks, roles, and battles in which they may have participated.
- The application date and the amount awarded plus any adjustment over time.
- Names and essential dates of spouses and other dependents.
- Additional documents such as affidavits by comrades, medical reports, and birth and marriage certificates to prove kinship.
Personal Narratives and Testimonies
Personal testimonies are common in the military to help in pension applications or share one’s experience in the service. John O’Sullivan’s letters are one prime example of the memoirs, diaries, interviews, and autobiographies Irish military officers wrote during their service.
Most ancient testimonies written by Irish military veterans are embedded in pension records. However, a good number is still accessible from the National Archives of Ireland, the Military Archives of Ireland, and the Bureau of Military History.
Personal narratives and testimonies provide the following crucial insights:
- The soldiers’ emotional status is highlighted through their conditions, relations, fear, hope, and reflection.
- Personal involvement in battles and any injuries and their recuperation process.
- The culture and customs of the military and the communities around places they served.
- Service details include the unit, its movements, and its responsibilities.
- The post-service life and how they transitioned back to civilian life.
- The impact the service had on their life.
Don’t Discount Any of These Irish Military Records
Reviewing records about your Irish military ancestor offers a different view of their lives and their local and global contributions. In fact, the information and insights you gain from military records are unparalleled, considering the hardship and demands that come with such a calling.
Luckily, the pension records, service records, medal rolls, personal testimonies, and unit diaries provide more information than you would get from civil and census records. They help you understand your ancestors’ context, contributions, achievements, and places they served and lived in.
These records also provide details about close relatives to help you expand your family tree. Above all, the documentation can help you validate any family lore about the military ancestor.