The British National Archives (TNA) Catalogue

The British National Archives Catalogue contains 11 million descriptions of documents from central government, courts of law and other UK national bodies, including records on family history, medieval tax, criminal trials, military history, international politics and many other subjects.

The US National Archives (NARA)

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is America's record keeper. Of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government, only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept by NARA forever. Those valuable records are preserved and are available to you, whether you want to see if they contain clues about your family's history, need to prove a veteran's military service, or are researching an historical topic that interests you.

The National Archives of Canada

Access online resources, services and the collection of Library and Archives Canada: Canadian documentary heritage (publications and records) providing knowledge about Canadian society and serving as the collective memory of the Government of Canada.

The National Archives of Australia (NAA)

The National Archives of Australia collection is vast and diverse. It documents the full range of Australian Government activities since Federation in 1901, and includes significant 19th-century records dealing with activities that were transferred from the colonies to the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The CWGC's "Debt of Honour Register" is the Commission's database listing the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two world wars and the 23,000 cemeteries, memorials and other locations worldwide where they are commemorated.

Geoff's WWII Casualty search engine

An alternative and much more powerful search engine for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission WW2 casualty database.

British Army Service Records

Second World War service records as yet are not publically available and will not be so until 2020. However, next of kin can apply for a British soldier's service record who served from 1920 onwards by following the directions here. (First World War service records and before are now publically available at the National Archives and from certain genealogy websites.)

International Red Cross Archives

Request information from the International Red Cross archives for personal details of prisoners of war and civilian internees of conflicts in the twentieth century.

The General Register Office (Birth, marriage and death certificates)

The General Register Office holds a central copy of all birth, marriage and death registrations for England and Wales. Copies of birth, marriage and death certificates can be purchased directly through the GRO website.

The British Library catalogue

The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and its leading research library. The Integrated Catalogue can search more than 13 million items in the British Library's collections and links to other specialised British Library catalogues. It also provides remote ordering of copies of documents.

WorldCat

WorldCat is an international catalogue of library collections. It is especially useful for tracking down rare and out-of-print books for supply through Inter-library loans.

The Imperial War Museum Collections

The Imperial War Museum has an unparalleled and unique Collection covering all aspects of twentieth and twenty-first century conflict involving Britain, the Commonwealth and other former empire countries.  Created to record the toil and sacrifice of every individual affected by conflict, the Museum holds a great breadth of material from multimedia holdings such as film and oral history to historic works of art and large objects.  The Collection provides more than a record of conflict; it offers a commentary on change and transformation in society, environment and individual lives.

The Hoover Institution Archives

At the core of the founding of the Hoover Institution in 1919, the Hoover Institution Library and Archives are a central part of the overall mission of the Institution. By collecting rare and unique material on political, economic, and social change in the modern era; preserving it; and providing it to researchers, the library and archives provide a rich and growing knowledge base and promote and encourage scholarship and research.

Archival holdings amount to nearly 6,000 separate collections that encompass an estimated 50 million original documents; 15 million documents on microfilm; upward of 15 million digitized images; more than 100,000 speeches, broadcasts, and historical records on audiotape and videos; and some 120,000 political posters. The library holds 900,000 rare books, special collections, and serials.

The National Collection of Aerial Photography

The National Collection of Aerial Photography - NCAP - is one of the largest and most significant collections of aerial photography in the world.  It is an invaluable resource for historical research across a wide range of disciplines.

WW2 Talk Forum

Probably the best online discussion forum for the study of World War II from the British and Commonwealth perspective. The forum includes active veterans of the war and many professional historians and academics, as well as those wanting to learn more about this defining event of the twentieth century.

Convert British Army map co-ordinates

This coordinates translator converts "British Modified System" map coordinates to more conventional and useful longitude and latitude. This translator is especially useful for plotting the coordinates used in British Army war diaries, etc.

Ancestry.co.uk

Discover your ancestors with the world's largest family history website. Start a family tree, browse census records and BMD indexes at Ancestry.co.uk.

Census 1911 (UK)

The official 1911 Census of England and Wales Online. View over 16 million original 1911 census documents of England and Wales online detailing 32 million people.

Abe Books

AbeBooks is your source for Used, New, Rare and Out of print books. Find classic collectibles, rare signed editions, used textbooks, and inexpensive bestsellers from independent booksellers worldwide.

Freedom of Information Act 2000 (UK)

The UK Government Act to make provision for the disclosure of information held by public authorities or by persons providing services for them and to amend the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Public Records Act 1958; and for connected purposes.