We decode it. You share the story.
Hand us your ancestor's service record and we'll turn it into a complete narrative and line-by-line translation. Every page decoded. Delivered to your inbox in 7 business days.
Get started - $249What you'll get back
Your ancestor's story
A Word document with their full service narrative - postings, movements, and key dates mapped against the events of the war. Written so your whole family can read and understand it.
Every line decoded
An Excel spreadsheet with every entry from the original record translated into plain language. Abbreviations, unit codes, medical categories, discharge types - all of it.
Nothing skipped
Every page of the record is processed. Whether it's 8 pages or 30, we decode the lot. You get the complete picture, not a summary.
How it works
Purchase your decode
Secure payment via Stripe. You'll receive a confirmation email immediately.
Send us the record
We'll email you within 24 hours with simple instructions. You can send us the images you've downloaded from the National Archives, or just the record reference number and we'll take it from there.
We do the work
Our research engine processes every page - extracting, deciphering, researching historical context, and building your complete narrative.
Your story arrives
Within 7 business days, you'll receive your finished Word narrative and Excel spreadsheet by email. Ready to read, print, and share with your family.
Who this is for
👤 "I've got the records, I just can't read them."
You downloaded the images from the National Archives. You opened the first page. And you hit a wall of abbreviations and handwriting. Hand them to us.
🎁 "I want to give this as a gift."
A decoded service record makes a meaningful gift for a parent, grandparent, or sibling. We deliver it to you - you decide how to share it. Perfect for birthdays, Father's Day, Mother's Day, or family reunions.
⏰ "I don't have time to figure this out myself."
Upload images, wait for processing, review the output - the self-serve option takes about 12 minutes of your time. If you'd rather not, we handle everything.
One record. Every page decoded.
- ✓Complete Word narrative document
- ✓Line-by-line Excel spreadsheet
- ✓Every page of the record decoded
- ✓Historical context mapped to their service
- ✓Delivered within 7 business days
If we can't decode your record, you get a full refund. No questions.
Common questions
What records can you decode?
Australian military service records held by the National Archives of Australia, covering the Boer War through to Vietnam (1899-1975). This includes Army, Navy, and RAAF records across all conflicts in that period.
What do I need to provide?
Either the scanned images you've downloaded from the National Archives, or the NAA record reference number (we can locate the images for you). If you're not sure what you have, just email us after purchase and we'll help you figure it out.
How long does it take?
7 business days from when we receive your record images. We'll email you within 24 hours of your purchase to get the process started.
Can I buy this as a gift?
Yes. Purchase the decode, then let us know the details of the record you'd like decoded. We'll deliver the finished documents to you, and you choose how and when to share them with your family.
What if I don't have the records yet?
No problem. The National Archives of Australia has digitised millions of service records and they're free to download. We'll send you a link to our step-by-step guide on how to find and download them.
How is this different from the $59 self-serve option?
The self-serve decode is the same quality output - you just upload the record images yourself and the system processes them in about 12 minutes. The done-for-you option means we handle everything: locating the record images, uploading them, running the decode, and delivering the finished documents to you. Choose self-serve if you're comfortable with technology and want the result quickly. Choose done-for-you if you'd rather hand it off entirely.
What if the record is unreadable or damaged?
Some records have sections that are difficult to read due to age, damage, or handwriting quality. We'll decode everything we can and clearly note any sections where the original is too damaged to interpret. If we can't produce a meaningful result, you get a full refund.
Want to do it yourself?
Our self-serve decode costs $59 and takes about 12 minutes. Upload your record images, and the system does the rest. Same quality output - you just handle the upload.
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