Family history · 1939–1945
Make sense of what grandad left in the attic.
Service records, medals, letters and kit. Clear, sourced guides that tell you what you've got, where to look next, and what it costs.
Start with his service record Identify his medals
Trooper Andrews, 11th Armoured Division, writes home from the turret of his Cromwell tank, 13 April 1945.Sgt Norris, No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons .
Start here
Order and decode Army, Navy and RAF records.
Identify the stars and medals in grandad's tin.
Read censor stamps, airgraphs and old paperwork.
Badges, kit and souvenirs: what you've found.
Store letters, photos and medals so they last.
Featured guide Service Records
9 min read · Updated 30 October 2026
Where grandad's record is now, what it costs, which option to pick, and how to decode the cramped handwriting once it arrives.
Who holds it: The National Archives, Kew, for soldiers born before 1 January 1940Standard copy: £42.25 as a PDF, £47.16 on paperFull record check: £48.87, plus £1.04 per page releasedRead the guide
Why Wartime Attic
Sourced, not guessed Fees, dates and rules come from The National Archives, GOV.UK, CWGC and Hansard. Every one is linked.
Written for families No jargon you can't decode. Each guide answers one question, then shows the next step.
Free routes first If a record is free somewhere, we say so before mentioning any paid site.
Prefer to watch? The Attic Letters
