Getting started with research

IWM's extensive collections are a practical resource to help trace individuals and put their wartime experiences into context. Although we do not hold personal service records or official documentation for the Royal Navy, this research guide explains how to trace this key information, what other sources are available at IWM and how you can start your family history research for those who served in the Royal Navy. 

Please note, personnel who served in the Second World War and subsequent conflicts may still be alive so their records could remain confidential. This can make it difficult to trace an individual but a variety of sources can provide clues.

This guide includes the following:

Royal Navy 

Royal Naval Reserves (RNR)

  • Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) – professional seafarers who served with the Merchant Navy and who could be called to serve in the event of war. See The National Archives guide.

     

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR)

  • Civilians who volunteered to train on shore-based establishments and then at sea, who could be called to serve in the event of war (pre-war this was comparable to the Territorial Army). Somethimes called the 'Wavy Navy' because of the pattern of officers rank braid. Most officers recruited during wartime were granted temporary commissions in the RNVR. See The National Archives guide.

     

Royal Marines (RM) 

Royal Naval Division (RND)

  • Royal Naval Division (RND) – during the First World War there were more recruits than were needed by the Navy and Army so they were formed into infantry brigades known as the Royal Naval Division. They served on land as soldiers. See The National Archives guide.

     

Fleet Air Arm 

  • Fleet Air Arm – the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) merged with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in April 1918 to become the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Fleet Air Arm was formed on 1 April 1924 from RAF squadrons operating at sea. See The National Archives guide.

     

Shore establishments and Ships

  • Shore establishments, (naval bases on land) as well as ships use the prefix HMS (His or Her Majesty's Ship).

Our Royal Navy research guide

  • Lieut Cdr F C V Brightman sits on a box on the deck of a ship reading a manuscript
    IWM (A 22879)

    Royal Navy Service Records

    Discover how to locate and access service records for people who served in the Royal Navy. 

  • HMS Belfast from the front at Devonport
    © Crown copyright: IWM (FL 4542)

    Casualty Records

    Casualty records may list those who were wounded, taken prisoner, killed in action or died as a result of their war service. Learn more about how to locate casualty records of an individual who served with the Royal Navy. 

  • Certificate of mention in despatches awarded to John Travers Cornwell
    © Crown copyright IWM (Documents.1720)

    Medal Records

    Medal Records are another useful record when conducting research on an individual. This page explains how to trace Royal Navy medal records. 

  • Five sailors row a small boat back to their ship, which is visible in the background.
    IWM (A 8634)

    Ship and Operational Histories

    This page explains how to trace ship and operational histories, which can help to explain the activities of specific Royal Navy ships, as well as vessels lost at sea. 

  • Two sailors browse books at the shore depot of the Naval War Libraries
    IWM (A 12301)

    Other Sources

    This page provides a list of additional resources you can use when tracing Royal Navy history.  

  • One Naval airman aboard HMS Victorious hands a letter to an individual working in the ship's mail office
    © IWM (HU 102563)

    Contact Addresses

    We have compiled a list of useful contact addresses and websites for tracing Royal Navy history.