Search Royal Navy Officers 1899-1919

Who are you looking for?

Search our genealogy records

Discover if your Royal Navy ancestor was an officer during the Boer War or First World War. Find detailed information about their progress through the ranks, reports on their conduct and abilities, ships on which they served as well as detailed personal information such as father's and wife's name.

Learn about these records

What can these records tell me?

Each record is a transcript and an image of a service record from The National Archives ADM196 series.

The amount of information listed varies, but the Royal Navy Officers 1899-1919

records usually include a combination of the following information about your ancestor:

Transcript

Name
Year of birth
Year of enrolment
Rank

Image

Father's name and occupation
Wife's name and date of marriage
Dates of Orders and Commissions
Rewards & Distinctions
Examinations
Special Attainments
Ship on which served
Where stationed
Conduct & Ability reports

Discover More about Royal Navy Officers 1899-1919

A commissioned officer was someone who became an officer by being awarded a royal commission, usually after passing an examination. Commissioned officer ranks include: Admiral of the fleet, admiral, vice-admiral, rear-admiral, commodore, captain, commander, lieutenant-commander, lieutenant, and sub-lieutenant.

The Royal Navy Officers records contain the complete service histories of up to 79,000 Royal Navy officers who joined the Royal Navy between 1899 and 1919. This period covers two major conflicts: the Boer War and the First World War

Other recommended records to explore

Take a look at these other related record sets suggested by Findmypast’s genealogy experts.