Register to help identify Canadian war dead with no known grave

The Directorate of History and Heritage (DHH) of the Department of National Defence, in support of the Casualty Identification Program, responds to the newly discovered human remains of Canadian war dead (including Newfoundlanders before 1949) with no known grave from:

Relatives of soldiers with no known grave from these conflicts are encouraged to register their details with DHH. This information may help DHH in its investigative process to identify the newly discovered remains prior to burial.

Please complete all fields marked with an asterisk (*) and provide as much information as possible to help DHH’s investigations.

Your personal information will be protected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Privacy Act. Read our privacy statement.

War dead details

Your details

If we need a DNA sample, we will contact you. Giving a DNA sample is completely voluntary and you can change your mind at any point in the process. We will not accept a DNA donation outside of an active investigation.

Who should register

Only relatives of Canadian war dead with no known grave should complete this form. You should still register even if you are not the closest living relative or you know of another relative who has already registered. Multiple registrations may help DHH to quickly gather familial information or identify a DNA donor. Note that not all descendants are viable DNA donors.

Before you register

We invite you to check your relative’s war records (if digitized) on the Library and Archives Canada website. Most of the form’s requested information can be found on Attestation Papers and/or in Personnel Records. If your relative’s war records are not yet digitized, you may request a physical reproduction through Library and Archives Canada, should you so desire.

We also invite you to check your relative’s records with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. If cemetery information is provided for your relative, they are buried in a cemetery and there is no need to register. If they are listed on a memorial (such as the Canadian National Vimy Memorial), it is likely that they have no known grave. In this case, please register.

What information is mandatory?

For the Canadian war dead, first and last names as well as their service number are mandatory. Please note that some officers were not given a service number. In this case, put “N/A” in the service number field. Any additional information you can provide to help DHH understand your relative’s profile would be very helpful if they do not have a service number.

Your first and last names, your relationship to the soldier, and your email are mandatory.

Please use the “Comments” box to provide any additional information about the soldier or any relevant family information. All additional information, including genealogy, provides valuable information that may help in DHH’s investigations.

Will you be contacted?

Once the form has been submitted, you may not hear from us. DHH will record your details for future reference. DHH will contact you if needed and/or if your relative becomes part of an active investigation.

Directorate of History and Heritage (DHH)
National Defence Headquarters
101 Colonel By Dr
Ottawa ON  K1A 0K2
Canada
Fax: 613-990-8579
DHH online contact form

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