Free WW2 Records Online: Where to Search Without Paying

The best free WW2 records online are the CWGC war dead database, the London Gazette, The National Archives’ Discovery catalogue and its free prisoner of war name search. Royal Navy death registers are free downloads. And paid sites like Ancestry are free to use at Kew and in many public libraries.

Key facts

War dead: CWGC Find War Dead, free
Awards and commissions: The London Gazette, free to search
Catalogue: TNA's Discovery, free to search
Prisoners of war: TNA's POW name search, free
Royal Navy deaths: ADM 104 registers, free downloads
Navy service records: No fee to request from the MOD
Paid sites free: Ancestry is free to use at Kew and in many public libraries

From The National Archives, GOV.UK and the CWGC, checked 31 October 2026.

Start with these. Pay only when you know exactly what you need.

1. CWGC Find War Dead

If he died in service, start here. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s database is free and covers almost 1.7 million Commonwealth war dead, including civilians.

CWGC says its records generally give military details, date of death and place of burial or commemoration, and sometimes age and next of kin. Digital images of its registers and headstone schedules appear with each entry. The CWGC says anyone can freely access and view its casualty records.

Our guide: how to find a WW2 grave.

2. The London Gazette

Free to search at thegazette.co.uk. It published officers’ commissions and promotions, and gallantry awards. The National Archives says almost all gallantry awards to British nationals were announced there.

Search by name or service number. See our guide to WW2 gallantry awards and the London Gazette.

3. Discovery, The National Archives’ catalogue

Discovery is free to search. It catalogues The National Archives’ own records and those of many other UK archives.

Use it to:

find a unit’s war diary reference
check whether his service record has been catalogued
search RAF officer and airmen records being transferred from the MOD

Searching costs nothing. Downloading may. TNA’s help pages say that off site, Discovery tells you the price before you download. On site at Kew, you can download the full record.

4. TNA’s prisoner of war name search

The National Archives has a free name search across several POW series, including escape reports and German record cards. Try surname only, then surname and initials, then full names. Different combinations return different results.

See how to trace a WW2 prisoner of war.

Which free WW2 records cover the Royal Navy?

Death registers (ADM 104)

TNA offers free digital microfilm downloads of the registers of reports of deaths on Royal Navy ships, 1893–1950. They give name, age, rank, ship, and the date, place and cause of death. You have to scroll through to find an entry, but they cost nothing.

Service records from the MOD

Royal Navy WW2 service records are still with the MOD until they move to Kew in 2027. GOV.UK says there is no fee to request records from the MOD. There is a fee for records held by The National Archives.

See Royal Navy WW2 service records.

Free WW2 records for the RAF

TNA says WW2 squadron Operations Record Books and combat reports can be searched by squadron number and downloaded from its website. They record each squadron’s operations, day by day.

See RAF WW2 service records.

5. Hansard

Historic Hansard, the record of Parliament’s debates, is free online at the UK Parliament website. MPs asked wartime ministers about all sorts: forces mail, pay, casualties. The answers are often the only official word on how a service worked. Our letters guide uses it to explain green envelopes and airgraphs.

6. The DSO register index

For officers awarded the Distinguished Service Order, TNA’s register for 1886–1945 is in WO 390. TNA says you can download the index for a date range free of charge, to find a page number. The page itself carries a charge.

7. Free access to paid sites

Ancestry is a subscription site, but it is free to use inside The National Archives at Kew and in many public libraries that subscribe. That gives you:

digitised Army service records for a selection of non-officers
WW2 unit war diaries, being added by an ongoing project
POW liberation questionnaires (WO 344)

Ask your library which services it offers before you subscribe.

8. The National Archives at Kew

Visiting is free with a reader’s ticket. You can view original documents, including war diaries, and photograph them yourself. Open records already catalogued on Discovery can be viewed free in the reading room.

Our WW2 war diaries guide explains how to prepare.

9. The CWGC civilian war dead

CWGC commemorates Commonwealth civilians who died between 3 September 1939 and 31 December 1947 as a result of enemy action, Allied weapons of war or in an enemy prison camp. Search them by choosing Civilian War Dead 1939–1945 in the Served In menu. Free.

10. What you already own

The best free WW2 records are often in a drawer. Pay books, letters, photos, medals and discharge papers can give you his number, unit and dates. See how to find a WW2 service number and how to read WW2 letters.

What costs money?

Be ready to pay for these:

Record	Where	Cost
Army service record copy	The National Archives	Fee (see our Army records guide)
Daily Army casualty lists (WO 417)	Findmypast	£
Army Roll of Honour (WO 304)	Findmypast	£
POW liberation questionnaires (WO 344)	Ancestry	£, free at Kew
Merchant seamen’s index (1918–1941)	Findmypast	£
Gallantry recommendations (WO 373)	The National Archives	£ to download

A free-first plan

Gather what the family holds.
Search CWGC if he died.
Search the Gazette for awards and commissions.
Search Discovery for his record and his unit’s diary.
Use the free POW search if he was captured.
Book a library session for Ancestry.
Only then, order the paid records you need.

Have a casualty in the family? See WW2 casualty records for the paid lists worth buying.

FAQ: free WW2 records

Can I find WW2 records for free?

Yes, many. The CWGC war dead database, the London Gazette, TNA's Discovery catalogue and its POW name search are all free online. Royal Navy death registers in ADM 104 are free downloads.

Are WW2 Army service records free?

No. The National Archives charges for copies. Open records on Discovery can be viewed free in the reading room at Kew.

Are Royal Navy WW2 service records free?

GOV.UK says there is no fee to request records from the MOD, which still holds Royal Navy records until they move to Kew in 2027.

Can I use Ancestry for free?

Ancestry is free to use inside The National Archives at Kew and in many public libraries that subscribe. Ask your local library.

Is the 1939 Register free?

We haven't covered it here because we couldn't confirm current free access from an official source. Check with your local library or record office.

Is the CWGC database free?

Yes. The CWGC says anyone can freely access and view its casualty records. Images of its registers and headstone schedules appear with each entry.

Is the London Gazette free to search?

Yes. Search it at thegazette.co.uk by name or service number for commissions, promotions and gallantry awards.

Sources

Checked 31 October 2026.

The Wartime Attic team

We run Wartime Attic and The Attic Letters on YouTube, which tells untold human stories from history, starting with the Second World War. We write these guides from the official records, and link every fact to its source. More about us.