Researching the RAMC

The RAMC project is voluntary and fitted around employment and the usual daily activities.  The various different medical units and the vast amount of personnel means that the project will be on-going for a long time to come.  There is already a vast amount of information ready to be added, and it is possible that information concerning your relative will be added shortly, however if the person you are seeking is not listed then there are other possible information sources that may help you to do a bit of research yourself. 

The personal records of the service men and women are held at the National Archive (formally the Public Records Office) at Kew, near Richmond. Unfortunately many of these documents were destroyed during the bombing of London in the Second World War and the service records of the Corps were amongst them.  Some of the 25-30% surviving Army records are now on microfilm but there is no guarantee that the papers will be found.

Some of the regular Officer's records are held at the AMS Museum and they are happy to help but naturally there is a small fee for photocopying to cover admin costs.  Temporary Officers were doctors who only served during the war and unfortunately their service records were destroyed in the 1930s.

Information about the promotions and appointments of officers can be found in 1) The Monthly Army Lists - held in the library at the National Archive but other libraries maybe in a position to help, and 2) The London Gazette (click here to visit the website). The London Gazette also printed information about honours and awards.

Soldiers who served overseas qualified for a campaign medal. The Service Medal Rolls are also held at The National Archive (click here to visit the website), however the Medal Index Cards are on-line. The Medal Index Cards vary in style but can provide details of the date of entry and theatre of war first arrived at, and may provide the medical unit.  If you are successful in locating the correct Medal Index Card then you can download it for £3.50. 

You might also be able to trace details on an Absent Voters List if the person in question was at the age to vote at the time.  The Absent Voters Lists were created during the General Election in 1918 whereby all those away from their home were listed.  These recorded a man's regiment, number and rank and although it is possible that it may just state 'RAMC', there is a good possiblity that the medical unit is listed.  The lists can be held at County Records Offices or local history sections of main libraries in the area they lived, some are held at the British Library.  Not all the Absent Voters Lists survive however or are available to the public, but some places have them but do not know what they are so it could pay to be a little persistent.

If the person died on or before the 31st August 1921 then he should be commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website (click here to visit the website)

Finally, local archived newspapers are a good place to look for information because local newspapers often printed stories of men enlisting, being wounded or killed, winning gallantry awards, and sometimes letters from the soldiers or their family to the Editor.

I hope the above information is of help.