Access Canadian WW2 Military Service Files in a Few Easy Steps

Uncle Clare

A few years ago I sent for the military records of my father's brother, Clarence E. McGinnis. I knew Uncle Clare had been in WW2 as I have several photos of him in uniform. But I never knew where he served, what unit he was in, or what he did during the War. 

World War 2 Canadian records are restricted. But they can be accessed and they can include documentation about enlistment, discharge, military units served with, and may also include other documents concerning medical history, medals awarded, personal evaluation reports and dental charts.

Library and Archives Canada holds military service files for those who served after 1918. Their website explanation of who can access what files and how to obtain them may be confusing, so I'll share  with you what I did. It was simple.

I wrote a one page letter requesting the complete military service files for [individual's name] who was born [individual's full birth date or estimated year] in [name of city/town plus county and province in Ontario] to parents [names of father and mother].

I included my uncle's death date and a photograph of his tombstone as proof of death. Interestingly enough they actually returned the photo to me!

That was it. I mailed the letter and photo to

ATIP and Personnel Records Division
Library and Archives Canada
395 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON  K1A 0N4

You can also fax your request to them at this number: 613-947-8456

Your request can be written as a letter or you can print off a blank copy of the Application for Military Service Information form [PDF 663 KB] also available in Rich Text Format [RTF 44,516 KB], which should be filled in, signed and sent by mail or fax.

Huge envelope arrives

After a wait of about 5 months a very large package arrived with Uncle Clare's complete military file. I estimate there are about 80 or more pages.  The wait was not unexpected as it is made clear on the Library & Archives Canada website that they are backlogged and requests can take up to 6 months to fill.

There was a lot of interesting information in the military file for Uncle Clare - such as details of his work history prior to enlisting. It include what he was paid! I wish my dad's files had been as complete.

Lots of pages to read!

I am really pleased to have some more details to add to my knowledge of my uncle. I knew him quite well but he never spoke of his military service or his early years. I suppose I was too young for him to think I'd be interested.

But I'm really enjoying reading through his files to find out where he went during the war (to England and France) and what he saw and did during that difficult time.

For more information on finding ancestors who were in the Canadian Military during other years you might want to check out The Canadian Military Project

For WW1 personnel files you can view these online. Library and Archives Canada has scanned and uploaded the full files to the online CEF Searchable database.

SPECIAL: Free Genealogy Records on Ancestry

The 75th anniversary of VE Day is this week. From May 4th - 8th, Ancestry Canada will be providing free access to all 10M Canadian military records on the site.

In addition, Canadians can access for free all content on online newspaper archive Newspapers.com, as well as all records on Fold3 – a site that provides access to military records, stories and photos.

A New Look for Canadian Military Heritage

Canadian Military Project is another site I've revamped with a new navigation system and content. The new site is two older sites merged into one clean easy-to-navigate site at http://CanadianMilitaryProject.com
 

The Canadian Military Heritage Project is dedicated to presenting Canadian military history ~ the wars, uprisings and conflicts in which Canadians participated. Our pages provide historical background as well as genealogy records for each conflict.

These pages will be of interest to educators, students, genealogists, military historians and those who are interested in the stories of the participants themselves.

Canadian Military Ancestors & History

Olive Tree Genealogy is very excited to announce a new website for Canadian Military history. The Canadian Military Heritage Project at CanadianMilitaryProject.com is dedicated to presenting Canadian military history ~ the wars, uprisings and conflicts in which Canadians participated. Our goal is to preserve the records and memories of Canadians who served their country, and to ensure that their sacrifices are not forgotten. Through the Canadian Military Heritage Project we hope to maintain the tradition of remembrance and to foster pride in our military heritage.

Our pages will provide historical background as well as genealogy records for each conflict, chronological timelines, statistics, battles, weaponry, uniforms & equipment, famous Canadians, biographies of soldiers, heroes and their stories, contributions of women, other countries who participated, muster rolls for conflicts before 1900, Letters Home (from soldiers at the front), music and poetry, guest authors’ submissions, links to other online resources, and Research Libraries.

These pages will be of interest to educators, students, genealogists, military historians and those who are interested in the stories of the participants themselves.

How to Obtain Canadian WW2 Military Service Files

My Father in WW2

World War 2 Canadian records are restricted. But they can be accessed and they can include documentation about enlistment, discharge, military units served with, and may also include other documents concerning medical history, medals awarded, personal evaluation reports and dental charts.

Library and Archives Canada holds military service files for those who served after 1918. Their website explanation of who can access what files and how to obtain them is a bit confusing, so I'll share  with you what I did to send for the military records of my father's brother, Clarence E. McGinnis. I knew Uncle Clare had been in WW2 as I have several photos of him in uniform. But I never knew where he served, what unit he was in, or what he did during the War.


I wrote a one page letter requesting the complete military service files for [individual's name] who was born [individual's full birth date or estimated year] in [name of city/town plus county and province in Ontario] to parents [names of father and mother].
 

Uncle Clare in WW2

 
I included my uncle's death date and a photograph of his tombstone as proof of death. Interestingly enough they actually returned the photo to me!

That was it. I mailed the letter and photo to

ATIP and Personnel Records Division
Library and Archives Canada
395 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON  K1A 0N4

You can also fax your request to them at this number: 613-947-8456

Your request can be written as a letter or you can print off a blank copy of the Application for Military Service Information form [PDF 663 KB]  which should be filled in, signed and sent by mail or fax. 

Using the ATIP Online Request service is another way to submit requests.

 

After a wait of about 5 months a very large package arrived with Uncle Clare's complete military file. I estimate there are about 80 or more pages.  The wait was not unexpected as it is made clear on the Library & Archives Canada website that they are backlogged and requests can take up to 6 months to fill.
There was a lot of interesting information in the military file for Uncle Clare - such as details of his work history prior to enlisting. It include what he was paid! I wish my dad's files had been as complete.

 
 

I am really pleased to have some more details to add to my knowledge of my uncle. I knew him quite well but he never spoke of his military service or his early years. I suppose I was too young for him to think I'd be interested.
 
Plus he was quite old-fashioned regarding males vs females and since I was a female he'd be less likely to talk to me about what he would consider "man stuff"  
 
But I'm really enjoying reading through his files to find out where he went during the war (to England and France) and what he saw and did during that difficult time.

For WW1 personnel files you will be able to view these online very soon. Library and Archives Canada is busy scanning and uploading the full files to the online CEF Searchable database.

WW1 CEF Soldier Charles H. Welsh

My husband has an outstanding collection of Canadian WW1 artifacts - photographs of soldiers who were in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), Pay Books, Medals, and more.

This is the Pay Book of Gunner Charles H. Welsh #335325 who attested on February 4, 1918. His pay book gives his next of kin as his father David H. Welsh, and his mother Mary Ann Welsh, both of Palmerston Ontario.

Charles signed up in Guelph Ontario and a note in his pay book refers to him having deposited a will in Ottawa Ontario in September of that year. At some point he went to England as a page in the book is stamped "1918. Milford Camp, Witley, Surrey"

 

There are a few loose cards tucked into the pay book.

1. Canadian National Railways showing he is in Lower section of Car E. (no date)

2. Card showing his quarters are on E Deck, Compartment Q and he has one hammock. His mess is in Compartment A2, second sitting

3. A non-personalized standard "goodbye" from Buckingham Palace wishing him a safe return to his home and loved ones, also thanking him for his service. Signed by King George (a rubber stamp)

Thanks to the digitization project by Library and Archives Canada (LAC) we can view Charles' full personnel file online.There we learn that his full name is Charles Henry Welsh and he was born July 1, 1897.

If you are interested, you can download his entire WW1 file.

War of 1812 Incorporated Militia in Upper Canada Census

The War of 1812 took place from June 18, 1812 to February 16, 1815 between Great Britain and America.

Credit: Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1937-31-1

The Canadian Incorporated Militia was led by many commanders including  Captain James Kerby (Coy No 1) and Captain Daniel Washburn (Coy No 4). Below is a census substitute for these two companies and their families in 1812 and 1814

March 15, 1814.  List of Men’s Families in Capt. Kirby’s (Kerby) Company of Incorporated Militia

NAMES Azarial Lundy John Reilly Joseph Millard John Brown Richard Hinton

WIVES 1 1 1 1 1

CHILDREN 6 5 1 1 1

15 March 1814. Nominal Return of Women and Children belonging to Capt. Washburn’s Company

WIVES' NAMES Margaret B--- Elizabeth Solomon Susannah Lashue? Patty Burke? Hannah – Nancy Sweet? Mary Fin-- Mary Hoffman Mary Good— Charlotte Napew/Nappan? Nancy Bou— Nancy Reese

CHILDREN'S NAMES James, Stephen? James?, Susannah, Hannah, Thomas, Elizabeth, Charles? James, ?, Mary, ?, ? Katy, John, Mary, ? Henry? Elizabeth None None Susannah James, ?, William, ?, Henry? 4 names, can’t read them ?, ?, Mary John, Peter, William, Jane?, ?

1812 List of Men in Cpt Washburn’s Co.
George Huffman
Freeman Napew/Nappan

Search the War of 1812 database at Library and Archives Canada but note that there are no service files for the Canadian militia. Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds a vast collection of records about the Canadian men and women who were involved in the War of 1812. Their names can be found on muster rolls, pay lists, claims, certificates of service, land grants, and medal registers. Many of these documents are only available in the original format and have not been microfilmed or digitized.

March Update WW1 Service Files Canadian Soldiers

Sample from PDF file for James Cecil Sandercock, KIA

Digitization of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Personnel Service Files – Update of March 2017

The following press release came into Olive Tree Genealogy's mailbox:

As of March 15, 416,749 of 640,000 files are available online in our Personnel Records of the First World War database. Please visit the Digitization of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Service Files page for more details on the digitization project.

Library and Archives Canada is digitizing the service files systematically, from box 1 to box 10686, which roughly corresponds to alphabetical order. Please note that over the years, the content of some boxes has had to be moved and, you might find that the file you want, with a surname that is supposed to have been digitized, is now located in another box that has not yet been digitized. So far, we have digitized the following files:

• Latest box digitized: Box 7059 and last name McLelland.

You'd Think No WW1 Widows are still Alive, but They Are!

Almost a century after the First World War ended, 54 Canadian women are still getting veterans' benefits linked to the war. Eleven live in Ontario, 12 in British Columbia, and 11 outside Canada. 

My grandmother's brother in WW1 and his wife and daughter

I think it's fascinating to think of these women and the stories they can tell us. I hope someone - a family member or friend, has interviewed them and recorded their stories. Global News is asking anyone who knows one of these widows to contact them.

Read the rest of this story at Dozens of Canadian First World War veterans’ widows still get pensions

Interestingly enough, the U.S. is also paying pensions to widows and children of 16 people who fought in the Spanish-American War in 1898, and to widows of over 4,000 people who fought in the First World War.

Meme: Immigrant Ancestors From England to Canada

There is a lot of discussion about immigration in America right now. Tempers have flared, and different groups hold various strong opinions. There is also Brexit, where immigration was a large focus of the recent vote which resulted in the U.K. leaving the E.U.

I've been following this for several months and it occurs to me that those of us in Canada, America, and Australia have immigrant ancestors. Have you researched yours? Do you know who they were, why they came to your country and when? Do you know how they fared once settled in their new land? Were they welcomed? Were they shunned? Was their discrimination based on their religion or ethnic origin? These are all questions that are important, and interesting to discover. With that in mind, I'm the dedicating Saturdays (as many as needed) as the day to join me in discussing your immigrant ancestors.

Grandpa pre WW1. Kent Buffs

You will be able to read any you are interested in by using the keyword Immigrant Ancestors. I'm going to share each week what I know of my immigrant ancestors to North America (whether that is USA or Canada)

My maternal grandparents, Charles Fuller and Ruth Simpson, came from England to Canada in May 1913 on board the Cunard ship Ausonia. The ship arrived in Quebec in June and they continued on their journey to join Grandma's brother in Toronto. Grandpa was 21 and Grandma 19 and they were engaged and hoping to start a new life in Canada.

I've often thought how hard it must have been on Grandma as she was terrified of water and often told me how much she hated the voyage, how frightened she was.




A year after arriving Charles and Ruth married while still living in Toronto. Shortly afterwards they settled in Guelph Ontario where Grandpa had been offered a job as bookkeeper for the Guelph Lumber Company. Grandma was a dressmaker and the photos I have of her and her daughters show her beautiful workmanship.

I wish I'd asked Grandma more questions about those early years. World War 1 was raging and three of her brothers enlisted. Two were in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and one was in the Australian Army. Grandma must have been so worried and her only saving grace would have been the fact that Grandpa did not go to War.

Grandma always said he was denied service because he was by then the manager of the Lumber Company and needed at his job. I am not sure if that is true or if it was more that Grandma would have been hysterical if he'd signed up.

Update on Digitization of Canadian WW1 Files

 The following announcement was sent by Library and Archives Canada (LAC):

 
As of July 15, 2016, 307,588 of 640,000 files are available online via our Soldiers of the First World War: 1914–1918 database. Please visit the Digitization of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Service Files page for more details on the digitization project.

Library and Archives Canada is digitizing the service files systematically, from box 1 to box 10686, which roughly corresponds to alphabetical order. Please note that over the years, the content of some boxes has had to be moved and, you might find that the file you want, with a surname that is supposed to have been digitized, is now located in another box that has not yet been digitized. So far, we have digitized the following files:

• Latest box digitized: Box 5218 and Knaggs.

Update on Digitization of WW1 Files of Canadian Soldiers

Received from Library and Archives Canada (LAC) today:

As of today, 297,013 of 640,000 files are available online via our Soldiers of the First World War: 1914–1918 database. Please visit the Digitization of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Service Files page for more details on the digitization project. Library and Archives Canada is digitizing the service files systematically, from box 1 to box 10686

So far, we have digitized the following files:

• Latest box digitized: Box 5003 and Karpuk.

Help Find the Lady in the Locket

When Charles Reid enlisted in Newfoundland to fight in World War 1, he could not know that he would meet a lovely young woman, have a locket made with their photographs, and then die in combat in July 1916.

The locket, in its original box from J. McGilvray & Son Jewellers in Oban Scotland, was sent to Charle's family in Newfoundland. No one knows who the lovely woman was.

Charles' descendants are anxious to know. I did some investigating and found Charles' Attestation files online at http://www.rnr.therooms.ca/soldier_files/Reid_Charles_rnr-1989.pdf. The papers show that he was in Edinburgh Scotland between 1915 and 1916. Perhaps he might this young lady there. 

Read the full story at  Who's the lady in the locket?: Piece of WW I history contains clue to mysterious love story

Perhaps someone knows who the lady in the locket is.

Thanks to Gail Dever of Genealogy a la Carte for the link to this story.

Digitization of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Personnel Service Files – Update

Announcement from Library and Archives Canada (LAC)

As of today, 2786,285 of 640,000 files are available online via our Soldiers of the First World War: 1914–1918 database. Please visit the Digitization of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Service Files page for more details on the digitization project. Library and Archives Canada is digitizing the service files systematically, from box 1 to box 10686.

Latest box digitized: Box 4810 and Jellyman.

Bert's WW1 Letter to Ada, January 1, 1915

Please see yesterday's blog post and photo from Ada Harland's Diary . Ada's daily entries are repetitious and brief and difficult to follow as she uses abbreviations and letters (almost like a code) probably due to space limitations. Included with the diary and photo was this letter from the man who eventually became Ada's husband.

F. Coy
1st B.C. Regiment
York Hill
Salisbury Plain
Jan. 1, 1915

Another day has passed into the limbo of forgotten things, likewise the record of an eventful year is closed. Today your letter arrived, a letter which means so much and yet is all to [sic] brief. Would you think me rude if I condense this letter somewhat.

Last night was New Year's Eve, and the boys celebrated by getting uproariously drunk, and made it an all night session. Only Rowe and myself refrained from participating in the festivities, and consequently were dubbed "Sissies".

Billie Brierton [see FN 1] early succumbed to the potent libations and by 10:30 I had him into bed where he remained entirely oblivious to the racket until this morning. To sleep was out of the question, so Rowe who is laid up with a poisoned knee, and myself had a long talk, and with the exception of a trifling disturbance the night passed uneventfully.

This morning the effects of the night's debauch were all to [sic] plain to see. E. Coy. [Company] cook staggered into the Cook House and asked me to get breakfast ready for his men as well as my own. All day I have done double duty cooking for 250 men practically without assistance, and to tell the truth I am just about ready for a good night's rest.

Your letter makes me realize what a selfish brute I really am, here I have been writing page after page about my own disappointment at leaving you, yet never have intimated in any way, or even allowed for the possibility that you thought so well of me.

What I have done to deserve such a love as yours I do not know, nor cannot conceive, to know that you love me is enough, and I will do everything I can and so conduct my life as to make myself worthy of this great love of yours.
There is no danger whatever of my assaulting your friend the Orderly Corporal although my fingers itch to get a hold on him. You see it is a serious offence to strike an N.C.O. [Non Commissioned Officer] and means a long term of detention.

Yes, the handkerchief bears your initial and I shall carry it with me through the days to come, as Knights of old carried the gage of their lady love.
Now dear heart I must write, goodnight and take you in my arms for that long lingering breathless kiss you wish and hold you close to my heart for the rest of time.

With all my love, from
Your own
Bert xxxxx

PS The Princess Pats have been in action and lost heavily. We expect to go within the next two weeks, and go to the firing line direct

LAK Bert x

FN1:

Sadly Billie Brierton (whose name was William) did not survive the war. His death is found in the CEF (Canadian Expeditionary Forces) War Graves. He was killed in action in France on 24 Apr 1915 and his body never recovered.

Billie's Attestation papers are online. He was 25 years old when he enlisted in 1914 and was sent to the same regiment as Bert. 

Online family collection chronicles life in Upper Canada and War of 1812

My friend and fellow blogger Gail Dever passed on some very interesting information today about new records online.

 

Online family collection chronicles life in Upper Canada and War of 1812

Looking for WW1 Soldier James A. McDonald

My friend Patricia G. shared this story on the Grande Prairie District Branch of Alberta Genealogical Society Facebook page a few days ago. 

Can my wonderful readers help?

At our AGM last night a member came in with a photograph from her own family collection. The information she had to share about the photo is that James A. (Jim) McDonald walked over the Edson Trail with her relative (surname Edgerton) and later signed up for WWI. James was said to not have remained in the Peace Country for too long.

The goal is to return this photograph to a relative of James A. McDonald. I told her I would share it with the sleuths on this site and see what we could come up with for her.

*Another tidbit is that the Edgerton family settled around the Beaverlodge area.

*The newspaper article is one I found on-line that I think may be the same guy.

Aug. 28, 1917 in the Grande Prairie newspaper.

Honouring WW1 Nursing Sister Jean Cameron-Smith

Jean Cameron-Smith was born in Perth Ontario on September 22, 1871. A search of the online Birth Registrations for Ontario provides a late registration dated 1933.  Her father's name is given as Robert Ralph Cameron-Smith. Her mother is  Helen Mason.

Like Gertrude Billyard, Jean enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) in London England on February 24, 1915. She was almost 39 years old. 

During her service overseas, Jean was promoted to Matron in September 1917. This photo was almost certainly taken in 1917 when she was in Oprington as a matron.

She served as a Nursing Sister in England and France and at War's end returned to Canada on the SS Carmania on 5 July 1919.

1921 finds 50 year old Jean in Edam, North Battleford Saskatchewan working as a Matron in a hospital. You can read more about Jean at http://www.pastforward.ca/perspectives/September_152006.htm


Jean's full service file is online as a PDF document.

Honouring WW1 Nursing Sister Edith Mary Harston

Edith Mary Harston was born in Warwickshire England June 5, 1886. On her CEF (Canadian Expeditionary Force) Attestation Paper she provides her mother's name as Mrs. Emily E. Harston of Stafford England.

Edith enlisted on March 9, 1915 in London England at the age of 29. She was a tall woman, 5'10" with blue eyes and brown hair. It is obvious how much taller she was than the other Nursing Sisters in this photo at left. Edith is in the middle.

There is no PDF file available yet for Edith but Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is digitizing and publishing these so eventually her file will be available to view. Below is the front of her 2-page Attestation Paper.

 

xxx

 

Hampstead Hall

Bafford House

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/William_Bagnall

Honouring WW1 Nursing Sister Gertrude Billyard

Nursing Sister Connie Phillips had one photo in her WW1 album of pictures that featured eight Nursing Sisters in front of a small cottage. Each had their last name written underneath so I began research to try to find out about each of these amazing women.

The first place I looked was the online CEF (Canadian Expeditionary Force) database. 

Gertrude Billyard was born in Windsor Ontario on March 1, 1881. When Gertrude enlisted at the age of 34 on February 24, 1915 her mother Annie was living in Young Saskatchewan. This address was later changed to Winnipeg Manitoba as Gertrude's pay was sent to her mother. Surprisingly, Gertrude enlisted in London England not in Canada.

According to her Certificate of Service (below) Gertrude served in England, France and Salonika Greece during the War.

On June 14, 1919 she was on board the ship Aquitania sailing for home. 

She was discharged in December 1919

Gertrude died on 10 March 1953 (as per her CEF service file)

Gertrude's full service file is online as a PDF document.