There is created in the military department a war records bureau, the duties of which shall be to compile and preserve the records of those Tennesseans who have served their state and nation in time of war, to correlate these records as to rank, organization and branch of service, and to furnish to each county in the state a complete list of the residents of that county participating in such war; provided, however, that it shall be the duty of such war records bureau to furnish to the department of veterans services, upon request of such department and without cost to the latter, any and all records which may be in the possession of the war records bureau.