The National Archives of Australia has signed contracts totalling $4.4 million for the bulk digitization of more than 650,000 Second World War service records.
More than 220,000 Second World War service records have already been digitized.
National Archives’ Director-General David Fricker said the contracts marked a milestone in the four-year, $10 million project to digitize the majority of WWII records.
“The World War II service records are among the most popular in our vast collection and this project will ensure Australians can access almost one million of these records digitally by 2023,” Mr Fricker said.
Digitization services suppliers Fuji Xerox BusinessForce Pty Ltd and W&F Pascoe Pty Ltd will digitize the two largest Second World War series held by the National Archives — B883 (Personnel services records for the Second Australian Imperial Force 1939-47) and B884 (Personnel service records for Citizen Military Forces 1937-47) — by mid-2023.
Work has begun on series B884 and records digitized under the contracts will be made progressively available free of charge to the public via the National Archives website from December 2020.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said, “The Australian Government committed $10 million to this vital project that will enable current and future generations to learn about their family’s military history and the role our nation played in the largest global conflict of the 20th century.
“This builds on the already digitized records of those who served in the First World War and will ensure families, historians, academics and students will have free and ready access to these historical records.”
About one million Australians served at home and abroad during Second World War.
Conducting a name search is not difficult. Enter and name and select either World War I or World War II in the Category filter. The Digitised item column will indicate if a digital copy of a service record is available. Learn more about the National Archives’ defence and war service records collection here.
