War Office 25: Registers (MG13 WO25)

These registers include Description and Succession Books, Returns of Officers' Services, Casualty Returns and Regimental entry books, which include the names of enlisted men with details such as age, place of birth, trade and service. The records cover various periods between the years 1756 to 1878, with some Returns of Officers' Services in the Royal Engineers up to the mid-1900s. Some registers include a nominal index, either at the beginning or end of the volume.

The records are held at the National Archives and are digitized and indexed on their website. Select Discovery – Our Catalogue. Enter a search term, e.g. series, name, regiment. Example: “WO 25” Smith Dragoons.

Library and Archives Canada holds microfilm copies of some of the War Office 25 volumes relating to regiments that served in Canada. Those volumes are listed below. You can visit LAC to view the microfilm on site.

The microfilm reels listed below have been digitized and indexed on www.ancestry.com (subscription required). If you do not have a subscription, Ancestry is available free at most public libraries. On the Ancestry main page, click on the top Search button, then select Military. In the list for Canada Military Collections, select Canada, British Regimental Registers of Service, 1756-1900. You can search by name or browse the records by regiment.