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Researching Soldiers of the First World War/Canadian Expeditionary Force
In this day and age its easier than ever to research a soldier of the First War.
1. Attestation Papers - These contain the name, address, service number, next of kin, physical description and unit attested to. They can be searched by name or service number by visiting the Library and Archives of Canada/Collections Canada. Although the attestation papers will give you the unit originally attested to (enlisted in) quite often soldiers were transferred to other units once they went overseas. 2. Service Records - These contain medical and pay records and give a more detailed and personal history of the soldier including what units he served with after going overseas. Full service records are not available online, but they can be ordered for a fee from the National Archives of Canada. See How to order copies of First World War Service Files from the Library and Archives of Canada. If the soldier you are you researching died during the war you can also check the Department of Veteran Affairs "Canadian Virtual War Memorial" or the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC.org). 3. War Diaries - Once you receive the soldier's service records you can track their service overseas tracing where they were S.O.S "Struck Off Strength" or left a unit and where they were T.O.S. "Taken on Strength" or assigned to another unit, Once you have an outline of what units your soldier served in during particular times you can consult the unit war diaries of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (Link). The war diaries can be searched by unit and cover a specific block of time. By referencing the war diaries you can trace a soldier's service from rest billets to front line trenches. Unfortunately the diaries rarely mention anyone individually, except officers. The diaries normally list gallantry award recipients. 4. Further Reading - For a great overview of the CEF's role in the Great War, see Nicholson's Official History, from the Department of National Defence's Directorate of History and Heritage (DHH). Below are a few other recommended books: 5. Further Discussion - Looking for help understanding service records? Stuck with an aspect of your WW1/CEF research? We recommend checking out Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group, which offers a great discussion forum to communicate with other researchers. 6. Extra Resources - there are a variety of website on the internet that can provide a resource when researching your WW1 soldier. Below are a few that we recommended visiting:
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