How to Research Your WWII Ancestor's Service History

If you've already read the WWI research guide, you might expect the WWII process to be roughly the same. The broad strokes are similar - find the service number, get the record, read the abbreviations, cross-reference with unit records. But the details are different enough that a separate guide is warranted.

WWII records are spread across more series numbers because three services (Army, RAAF, and Navy) each have their own filing systems. The Army alone has two separate series - one for the volunteer AIF, one for the Militia. The DVA Nominal Roll covers over a million personnel. And roughly 40% of WWII Army and Air Force records include a photograph of your ancestor - something almost never found in WWI files.

This guide walks through the full research process for Australian WWII service, covering all three branches.

Step 1 - Gather what you already know

The starting point is the same as any genealogical research: collect everything you can from family sources before touching a database. For WWII, you're more likely to have surviving documents because it's within living memory for many families.

• Full name (including middle names - WWII records are more consistent with these)
• Service number (check medals, discharge certificates, pay books, identity discs)
• Which service: Army, RAAF, or Navy
• Unit name or number
• Where they enlisted (state/city)
• Where they served (Middle East, New Guinea, Borneo, etc.)
• Any photographs, letters, or documents in the family
• Discharge certificate - these are particularly common for WWII and contain a summary of service

WWII families are more likely to have a discharge certificate than WWI families. If you've got one, it contains the service number, rank, unit, dates of enlistment and discharge, and total days of service in Australia and overseas. That's enough to go straight to the service record.

Step 2 - Find the service number

WWII service numbers are unique to each person and use a state prefix system (NX for New South Wales, VX for Victoria, QX for Queensland, and so on). If you don't already have the number, the DVA Nominal Roll is your fastest route.

DVA WWII Nominal Roll - Search by surname at nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au. This covers over one million personnel across all four services: Army (~845,000), RAAF (~218,300), RAN (~50,600), and Merchant Navy (~3,500). It returns the service number, rank, unit, dates, and place of enlistment. You can also print a commemorative certificate from the roll entry.

If the Nominal Roll doesn't return a result, try RecordSearch NameSearch directly - enter the surname and select the relevant WWII category. The item title usually includes the service number, place of birth, and place of enlistment.

Step 3 - Find and download the service record

All WWII service records are held by the National Archives of Australia. The series you need depends on which service your ancestor was in:

Army

• Series B883 - Second Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947. These are the records for people who volunteered for overseas service with the 2nd AIF.
• Series B884 - Citizen Military Forces Personnel Service Records, 1937-1947. These are the records for Militia (home defence) personnel. Many people served in both - they started in the CMF and later volunteered for the AIF, so you may find records in both series.

Royal Australian Air Force

• Series A9300 - RAAF Officers Personnel Files
• Series A9301 - RAAF Non-Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks Personnel Files

Royal Australian Navy

Navy records are spread across several series depending on the person's role and period of service. Search RecordSearch NameSearch and select the Navy category to find the relevant record.

As of 30 June 2024, 99% of WWII service records have been digitised and are free to view online. For a full walkthrough of how to use RecordSearch, see How to Request War Records from the National Archives.

What's inside a WWII service record

WWII records follow a similar structure to WWI records but are generally more standardised. A typical file includes:

• Attestation form - Personal details at enlistment. WWII forms were often typed rather than handwritten, making them easier to read than their WWI equivalents. Includes age, address, occupation, religion, next of kin, and marital status.
• Service and casualty form (Form B103) - The chronological record of movements, postings, hospitalisations, promotions, and disciplinary matters. Still largely handwritten even in WWII records, and still dense with abbreviations.
• Discharge form - A summary of total service including days served in Australia and overseas. More commonly included in WWII records than WWI.
• Identity photograph - Approximately 40% of Army and Air Force records include a small contact print photograph. These were taken at enlistment or during service. Not all records have them, and most Navy records don't.
• Correspondence - Letters of reference, medical reports, and sometimes personal letters or telegrams.

Step 4 - Use the DVA Nominal Roll for additional context

Unlike WWI (which doesn't have a DVA Nominal Roll), the WWII roll provides a useful snapshot that complements the service record. It confirms dates, units, and service details in a clean, typed format that's often easier to read than the handwritten entries on Form B103. It also confirms whether the person was a prisoner of war.

The Nominal Roll covers all four services and is particularly useful for cross-referencing Navy and Merchant Navy personnel, whose service records can be harder to locate in RecordSearch.

Step 5 - Find the unit records

This is where the research approach differs most from WWI. In WWI, the unit war diaries are largely digitised and searchable. In WWII, it's more fragmented:

Army war diaries

The AWM holds WWII Army unit war diaries. Selected headquarters and infantry unit diaries have been digitised and are available through the AWM Collections Search. However, many WWII diaries haven't been digitised and are only available on microfilm in the Research Centre in Canberra. Check the AWM website for your specific unit.

RAAF formation and unit records

The AWM holds RAAF records in the AWM64 series, available on microfilm in the Research Centre. The NAA holds a duplicate series (A9186), and many of these have been digitised. Search RecordSearch using the unit name as keywords and A9186 as the series number (e.g. "453 Squadron" in Series A9186). Many RAAF personnel served in Royal Air Force squadrons overseas, so RAF records held by The National Archives (UK) may also be relevant.

Navy Reports of Proceedings

The AWM holds Reports of Proceedings (ROPs) for Royal Australian Navy ships and establishments in the AWM78 series. These record daily activities, operations, arrivals and departures, and significant incidents. The AWM is progressively digitising ROPs, with many now available online through Collections Search. Search by the ship's name (e.g. "HMAS Perth").

Step 6 - Check the additional sources

Roll of Honour and CWGC

If your ancestor was killed in service, the AWM Roll of Honour records their details. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records the burial location or memorial, often with photographs of the site.

Prisoners of war

There's no single definitive source for POW records. You'll need to compile information from the service record (which may note capture and release dates), the DVA Nominal Roll (which flags POW status), CWGC records, and the AWM's research guides on prisoners of war. The NAA also holds RAAF casualty files for aircrew killed or severely wounded (Series A705).

Trove newspapers

Search Trove for your ancestor's name. WWII-era newspapers published casualty lists, enlistment notices, homecoming reports, and letters from the front. Regional papers are particularly valuable - they often carried detailed reports about local service members with photographs that don't appear in official records.

Repatriation Department case files

The NAA holds Repatriation Department case files in state repositories. These include returned soldiers' hospital, medical, and pension files, and can be quite voluminous. Most haven't been digitised but can be requested through RecordSearch or viewed in person at the relevant NAA state office. They're valuable for understanding what happened to your ancestor after they came home.

Defence Honours and Awards

The Department of Defence maintains a searchable database at defence.gov.au/honours-awards covering awards from WWII to the present. The service record may reference awards, but the Defence database often has the full citation text.

Quick reference: How WWII research differs from WWI

Putting it all together

WWII research has more sources than WWI but they're more fragmented. You'll likely be moving between RecordSearch, the DVA Nominal Roll, the AWM Collections Search, and Trove to build a complete picture. The service record is the backbone, but the unit records, newspaper reports, and Repatriation files add the depth.

The hardest part is still the service record itself. Even though WWII records are more standardised, the service and casualty form is still full of handwritten abbreviations and military shorthand. TOS, SOS, M/I, M/O - the same system used in WWI, just on a typed form template instead of a blank page.

Decode My Digger takes those records and does the full decode: every abbreviation translated, every date mapped against unit histories and campaign records, every posting explained in plain language. You get a comprehensive Excel spreadsheet with the line-by-line decode and a formatted Word document with the full contextualised story of your ancestor's service.

Frequently asked questions

Where are Australian WWII service records held?

The National Archives of Australia. Army records are in Series B883 (2nd AIF) and B884 (CMF). RAAF records are in Series A9300 (officers) and A9301 (other ranks). Navy records are also at the NAA across several series. 99% have been digitised and are free to view through RecordSearch.

How do I find my WWII ancestor's service number?

The DVA WWII Nominal Roll at nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au is the fastest route. It covers over one million personnel. Search by surname and it'll return the service number, rank, unit, and dates.

Do WWII service records include photographs?

Approximately 40% of Army and Air Force records include a small identity photograph taken at enlistment or during service. Not all records have them, and most Navy records don't.

What's the difference between B883 and B884 records?

B883 is for the 2nd AIF (volunteers for overseas service). B884 is for the CMF/Militia (home defence). Many people served in both, so you may find records in both series for the same person.

How do I research a WWII RAAF ancestor?

Service records are in Series A9300 (officers) and A9301 (other ranks) at the NAA. For unit records, the NAA holds duplicate RAAF records in Series A9186, many digitised. The AWM holds originals (AWM64) on microfilm. Many RAAF personnel served in RAF squadrons, so UK records may also be relevant.

Where can I find WWII Navy (RAN) ship records?

The AWM holds Reports of Proceedings for RAN ships in the AWM78 series. Many have been digitised and are searchable through the AWM Collections Search. Search by ship name (e.g. "HMAS Perth").