This document provides guidance for researching military service records at the Australian War Memorial Reading Room. It outlines key official records and resources available, including service records, unit war diaries, and troopship records. It advises researchers to develop a timeline of events using these records and glossaries to understand terms. Private records are also mentioned as providing personal accounts that can complement official records. Contacting staff for assistance is encouraged if getting stuck.

1. WELCOME TO THE READING ROOM  NO SMOKING 

2. Advanced Family History …or what to do when you finally make the journey here (don’t panic) FIRST WORLD WAR 1914-1918 1917 90 TH ANNIVERSARY JEREMY RICHTER READING ROOM MANAGER

3. Sergeant Dave Roberts MM 1285 WHAT YOU REALLY SHOULD HAVE: WHAT WE REALLY HOPE YOU HAVE: service record unit details National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au ‘Recordsearch’ name and service number IF YOU DON’T HAVE IT:

4. The Service Record WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? nothing saying where he served ‘I thought he served on Gallipoli’ Promotions, injuries, court martials and sick leave, but they don’t tell you much either… This was supposed to tell me everything!!! scribbles, scrawl and general mess

5. IT REALLY HELPS US IF YOU CAN DO THIS FIRST: Translate the service timeline: write out where he is; e.g. ship, place write out when he is wounded, sick, promoted or moved between units 2. Use the glossary online: www.awm.gov.au/glossary 3. Contact us if you are stuck: www.awm.gov.au/request (02) 6243 4315

6. Where did you fight in the war Dad? THREE SIMPLE STEPS: OFFICIAL HISTORY Contains many of the units Gives you perspective Is available online, in libraries and here – of course UNIT HISTORIES Greater detail More stories, often more interesting and relevant Manuscripts (AWM224) Troopship serials Not one for every unit Really, really, really expensive and rare GET INTO THE RECORDS Official & Private Records Spend time researching and money on coffee

7. Records, records and more records GET READY BEFORE YOU GET HERE LOOK FOR OFFICIAL RECORDS: Use the NAA’s database ‘Record Search’ www.naa.gov.au LOOK FOR PRIVATE RECORDS: Use our Collections Database www.awm.gov.au/database/collection.asp LOOK FOR BOOKS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS Use First www.awm.gov.au/firstopac/ MAKE SURE YOU DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME: Check to see that the war diary you are looking for is not digitised www.awm.gov.au /diaries/ CONTACT US

8. Official Versus Private Records OFFICIAL RECORDS WHAT THEY ARE Official Records are those created by government agencies or persons. The Memorial's Official Records collection includes records of the Australian armed forces during periods of war and peacekeeping. www.awm.gov.au/research/guides/first.htm PRIVATE RECORDS WHAT THEY ARE Letters, diaries, postcards, memoirs, log books, scrap books, poems and personal accounts – just to name some of the things WHAT THEY ARE GOOD FOR Determining the ‘Official Account’ of what happened Getting times and dates right Creating the timeline and understanding what happened WHAT THEY ARE GOOD FOR Getting an idea of what it was like – colour history with a personal touch Getting greater detail or conflicting accounts Can be treated like or complement official records eg. Monash 3DRL/2316

9. What Official Records Will You Use? AWM4 - Australian Imperial Force unit war diaries, 1914-1918 The first primary source that should be consulted Currently on microfilm (yuck!) but are currently being digitised Can vary in quality e.g. 4 th Battalion is hopeless ADVICE IF THEY AREN’T MUCH CHOP SUPPLEMENT THEM Records of other units Higher units such as the Brigade, or even the Division Private records AWM25 Pick another unit and pretend he served in that one… AWM25 - Written records, 1914-1918 Everything from general official correspondence to orders to Courts of Enquiry Can be very useful but not always, not frequently used by family historians Let us help you with them AWM9 - Unit Roll Books, 1914-1918 Don’t really tell you much, however people like lists AWM7 – Troopship Records, 1914-1918 Can be interesting and help fill in the gap between Australia and the Front

10. What else is there? I HAVE TALKED ABOUT A SMALL SAMPLE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE HERE ALL OF OUR DATABASES CAN BE FOUND VIA THIS WEB PAGE… www.awm.gov.au/database/index.asp YOU CAN FIND OTHER THINGS LIKE: Troopship serials Unit association periodicals Newspapers, personal accounts, magazines MOST IMPORTANT… CONTACT US! www.awm.gov.au/request (02) 6243 4315

11. THANK YOU AND GOODBYE! ANY LAST QUESTIONS? HAPPY RESEARCHING!!! www.awm.gov.au/request