Where to find a Service Number for my Father.

[clarebern]

Hello All. I'm a newbie so hope someone will be able to help me here.

I know a little about my (sadly now departed) father's service in the Army at the very end and beyond of WW2. He was 18 when he enlisted in 1944 and at first enlisted in the RAF and was a trainee. However, he didn't remain there, but instead joined the Gloucesters in Burma right at the end of the war.
I am his next of kin so will be able to obtain his Service Records. My problem is that I don't know what his service number was. It seems so silly now not to have got this information before he died,given that he'd often shout it out years later!! As is often the case we always have questions when it's too late. I'm trying to gain a better understanding of his service, which I believe was driving the Japanese out.

If anyone has any good information about what the Gloucesters were doing in Burma and when they would have disbanded after the war it would really help build a time line. Also if anyone knows of any way I can find his service number, it seems i won't be able to do anything without that. Thanks in advance.

[christanel]

Hello and welcome to the British-Genealogy forums
You do not need your father's service number to apply for his records.
This 'sticky' explains and gives a link to the site where you can download the application forms which state you will need the death certificate and pay a 30 pound fee.
You can lookup the war diaries for various regiments on The National Archives site. Use the red menu button at the top and then from the A-Z menu choose W
Christina

[Lesley Robertson]

The Gloucesters have a museum and archivist, see HERE. However, they'll charge you 15 pounds for your first query, so you'd be better following the path indicated by Christina.

If you're anywhere near Gloucester (you haven't specified a location), the museum is well worth a visit - I've been there more than once, just out of interest.

[clarebern]

Thank you ladies. Yes I'm pretty close in Bristol so willd efinitely take a look at the museum. The suggestion of the War Diaries is a great suggestion. i did use this before once when researching a relative who dies at the somme and while awful were very informative too.

I've downloaded the forms for the application of Dad's service records so thank you for linking me up with that.