If you’re researching your family’s military history, the Library is a great place to get started or to find more tips to help you on your way. We recommend:
Library research guides
Read our family history research guide on military ancestors. This guide contains links to genealogy information you can access in our reading rooms or online with your Library login, as well as other Australian websites with military research centres and historical information.
The Library also has muster books and pay lists in our collections that are helpful for tracking down family members who have served. If your focus is World War One, try our research guide section on finding soldiers from that period.
Trove
Another essential resource is Trove, a great online source of information from not just the Library’s collections, but museums and organisations across Australia. Trove has millions of pages of Australian historical newspapers dating back to 1803, which carried news of enlistments, troop movements, war reports and even letters from the front during many armed conflicts. Trove also has collections of diaries and personal papers from many people who served with or had links to the military. All searching and access is free, no signup required.
Ask A Librarian
If you’re looking for something specific or need more research help, you can send a question to our librarian team. Online enquiries are preferred, but there’s a few different ways to get in touch. Ask A Librarian now.
