How to find Gloucestershire Regiment service records
Researcher
Tue Oct 21 2025
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< 5 minutes read
Military service records can illuminate the stories of ancestors who served with the Gloucestershire Regiment between 1881 and 1994. Here's how to delve deeper into their stories, one record at a time.
The story of the Gloucestershire Regiment
Known affectionately as 'the Glosters', the Gloucestershire Regiment was one of the British Army's most distinguished infantry regiments. It was formed in 1881, when the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot was merged with the 61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot.
Its soldiers served with distinction in many conflicts, including the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), both world wars and the Korean War. They earned more battle honours than any other infantry regiment.
In 1994, after 300 years of service, it was merged with the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment to form the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment.
The Gloucestershire Regiment stood apart in how they wore their cap badges, with one on both the front and back of their helmets. This was to symbolise their participation in the Battle of Alexandria, when they fought of simultaneous attacks from two directions.
From the Western Front to Gallipoli, men of the Gloucestershire Regiment are today remembered for their courage, endurance and loyalty.
For family historians, discovering an ancestor who served with the Gloucestershire Regiment opens the door to a rich story of military sacrifice.
Where to find Gloucestershire Regiment records online
Thanks to military record digitisation projects, tracing your Gloucestershire Regiment ancestors has never been easier.
On family history websites like Findmypast, you can explore a wide range of British Army collections that include the Glosters. These include:
- British Army Service Records (1760–1915), containing enlistment papers, attestation forms, and service histories.
- British Army Pension Records (1760–1913), for soldiers who retired with a pension, often including detailed physical descriptions and next of kin.
- Medal Index Cards and Rolls, showing medals earned during the First World War and campaigns like the Boer War.
- British Army Casualty Lists and Prisoner of War Records, revealing where and when your ancestor may have been wounded or captured.
These records can help you follow your Gloucestershire Regiment ancestor from enlistment through service and into civilian life, revealing both their military experiences and their personal story.
How to search military records
Gather known information
Before searching digitised military records online, it's a good idea to establish what you already know. A full name, a rough birth date and a location are enough to get started, though it's also worth scouring family photographs, medals and heirlooms for extra details like a soldier number.
Many Gloucestershire Regiment recruits came from the county itself or surrounding areas like Bristol, Herefordshire, and Wiltshire. Whether you've got information passed on by relatives or details found online, local knowledge can help to narrow your search.
Narrow down your search
Start by searching broad military record collections for your ancestor's name and birth date, before narrowing down your results using the search filters available to you. If you know when and roughly where it happened, it may be useful to search specific record sets for a particular event (e.g. an enlistment or a medal award).
If your ancestor served during the First World War, look for them in Medal Index Cards or the British Army Service Records. Be open to spelling variations, as clerks sometimes misrecorded names. You can also use regimental numbers, if known, to confirm you've found the right individual.
When searching for Second World War soldiers, remember that most full service records are still held by the Ministry of Defence, but online databases and newspapers can help you piece together parts of their story.
Build your family tree
When locating your ancestor within vast collections of military records, it can be tricky to keep track of your research. It's a good idea to start an online family tree. As well as helping you to establish a timeline of key events like births and deaths, this will allow you to attach any records that you find to the relevant person, so you'll never lose a discovery.
What can these records reveal about Gloucestershire Regiment soldiers?
Gloucestershire Regiment records can tell you much more than dates and ranks. You might uncover:
- Service and regimental numbers
- Campaigns and theatres of war
- Details of injuries or hospital admissions
- Next of kin, addresses, and occupations
- Promotions, medals, and commendations
Together, these fragments help you understand the reality of your ancestor’s military life – their achievements, sacrifices, and resilience.
Delve deeper with old Gloucestershire newspapers
To add depth to your findings, it's a good idea to explore Findmypast's online newspaper archive. Local Gloucestershire papers often listed enlistments, published letters from the front, and printed casualty reports during the First and Second World Wars.
A mention in a hometown newspaper can transform your research, offering a glimpse of how your ancestor's service was remembered by those they left behind. In doing so, you don't just trace a record - you delve deeper into the shared history of family, regiment, and county. With family history records and newspapers at your disposal, it's easier than ever to uncover the stories of Gloucestershire Regiment heroes within your family tree.