Genealogy Forum UK

I am wanting to get a little help in researching into my Grandparent's military records.

I am unsure where to look for their military numbers etc. I have found my Grandfather & Grandmother's identity cards from the war, and there is a 'number' on there but I don't fully know what these mean.

I don't know if any of you can help? The names I am looking for are:
* Frances Harry Lane (born 20th October 1922, known as Harry to the family)
* Barbara Joan Bennett (born 1927, known as Joan to family)

* Gordon Topp (born 1930)
* Mavis Keeling (born 1932)

I know that Frances Harry Lane served with the 8th army, and served in Africa and we believe Italy. And Gordon Topp served at RAF Padgate as a 'dog hands mate'.

Any help would be amazing!

Unfortunately the British Army have the WWII service records locked up and not even indexed.

You have to prove your relationship to the serviceman and pay for a search fee for them to look for the records for you.

You are not guaranteed to get anything useful from their non-refundable search.

Compare that to Australia where you search online and if the record has already been digitised you download it for free. Otherwise you pay $17 and wait a week for it to be placed on the website.