WW2 Service Records

First a bit of flattery: Peter has done a great job in persuading the Government/GRO to revise the cost and format of obtaining copies of Birth, Death and Marriage certificates - or at least he will have done once they get their act together.

Now for the reason for my post:

Why oh why in the 21st century do we still have to pay for copies of military service records by CHEQUE? I can't remember when I last wrote out a cheque. (Now I come to think of it, where is my cheque book??) The cost of obtaining a sterling cheque from here in NZ makes it all but impractical. Why can't the MoD start accepting payment via credit card? It is a far quicker method of obtaining assured payment than having to wait for a cheque to clear - goodness me, even the GRO accept credit card payments . And the GRO even refund payments when incorrect details are provided.

The same situation pertains when trying to obtain a copy of a will: cheques only!

Come one! Can't someone drag these government departments into the 20th century at least (21st would be best, but, I'd be happy with a compromise!)

 

I ticked 'agree' to DavidP's very rightful moan. However, the payment by cheque isn't necessarily written in stone. After querying the feasibility of paying for my father's service records by cheque, I received the following reply from the Army Personnel Centre, Support Division, Historical Disclosures etc etc Glasgow : (quote): "regarding the above it may be more cost effective to send £30 sterling in currency directly to me. I will then arrange for our finance department to process the payment. This is not a service we normally provide but I am happy to do this on the odd occasion as a gesture of goodwill for overseas enquirers who are having problems attaining the appropriate method of payment for this service." All in all, I received the most courteous, helpful and prompt service I've ever received from any branch of officialdom.

 

That is good to know. When I ordered my paternal grandfather's service records, the cheque cost me AUD35 and it took over an hour to actually get the cheque out of the bank! If I ever order from them again, i shall try querying it as you did. Thanks.

 

I don't know where the frown smiley came from in my reply. I certainly didn't knowingly put it there; in fact I didn't knowingly put any kind of smiley. It must have slipped in with my word 'quote'.

 

Thanks for the reply Gillian. Not sure I am entirely comfortable with sending cash - especially if I want more than one search, but it is an option, but more like an 18th century one

 

I can't imagine how much the postage would cost from Oz, especially if it was sent registered (or whatever the current termology is) mail. You would need to factor in the cost of the exchange transaction, also. I don't think that the postal service encourages sending cash anyhow. Still sounds like a mid-Victorian method of doing business to me.

 

May be Victorian, but effective. Also, remember the postal service was much more effective in Victorian days. Next day delivery, even on Sundays, was normal! I was only sending from Finland so postage wasn't too painful - anyhow much much much less so than trying to purchase a cheque, or whatever it would be called, through the bank. I didn't even send it registered. Risky I suppose. But I got away with it.
Thanks, Tim, for fixing my smiley.

 

Sorry, Margery and David. Of course I was talking about effective Victorian postage within England. I do realise next-day postage was hardly an option from one hemisphere to another!

 

The State of California has similar rules. Must be in US$ too of course. Not easy when you are in Oz.