22 August 2022
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National Memorial Index at Ancestry
A new release from Ancestry features 180,000+ records of Scottish citizens killed in the two world wars.
The Scottish National War Memorial collection includes names and details for people killed during the First and Second World Wars. The Scottish National War Memorial was built in remembrance of the 135,000 Scottish citizens who were killed during the First World War between 1914 and 1918 and was opened on 14 July 1927.
After the Second World War, names and information were added to the honour rolls for the 50,000 Scottish citizens who were killed between 1939 and 1945.
How to use the collection
Information about each person may include:
- First and last name
- Military rank
- Service number
- Military awards and medals (decorations)
- Birthplace
- Date of death
- Place of death
- Cause of death
- Unit name
If you only know that your ancestor served in the armed forces during one of the world wars, this database may provide details that shed light on their particular experience. Discovering your ancestor's military rank will provide insights into their role and the name of their unit can lead to unit histories that contain details of the battles in which they were involved.
Top tips for searching the War Memorial Index
Any details you find within the index may help you target additional military collections, such as service, pension and casualty records, medal documents or war diaries.
- Look out for entries that include a birthplace as these allow you to tie an entry to your ancestor.
- If you see F&F listed as a theatre of war, this denotes France and Flanders on the Western Front.
- If cause of death is listed as ‘died of wounds’, the person may have died in a medical facility such as a field ambulance or casualty clearing station and you may be able to identify its location.
Collection in context
This database was created by the Scottish National War Memorial. The original honour rolls are housed at the memorial in Edinburgh and the information was derived from War Office lists, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and lists supplied from the Commonwealth countries.
Explore at Ancestry.
