First World War

First World War Personnel records

These are the service files for the:

• Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF),
• Non-permanent active militia,
• the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and Newfoundland Forestry Corps,
• Imperial gratuities records.
• Rejected Valcartier files

Read more about the records or search the database.

Records relating to Indigenous soldiers

In addition to the CEF files, there are also these files related to Indigenous soldiers and veterans:

• Lists of Indians killed and wounded overseas, 1914-1918 (RG10, volume 6765, file 452-9, microfilm C-8510)
• Reports and correspondence regarding recruits and enlisted Indians (RG10, volume 6766, file 452-13, microfilm C-8511)
• Applications made by Indians for discharges from the Armed Forces (RG10, volume 6767, file 452-15, microfilm C-8512)
• Correspondence regarding lists of returned Indian soldiers (RG10, volume 6771, file 452-30, microfilm C-8515)
• Enlistments and war activities of Indians, includes some photographs (RG10, volume 6771, file 452-29, microfilm C-8514 and continued on C-8515)
• Lists of Indian volunteers in the War of 1914, includes some photographs (RG10, volume 3182, file 452,124-6, microfilm C-11335)

Navy Records

Royal Canadian Navy Service Ledger Sheets, 1910 to 1941

This database relates to naval personnel (RG150, Accession 1992-93/170). Only the ledger sheets are included in the database. The database help page explains how to search for other navy service files.

Learn more about these records and search the database.

Air service records

The Royal Canadian Air Force did not exist at that time, and those wishing to enlist in air services would have joined the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), the Royal Air Force (RAF) or the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Personnel files for those British units are in the custody of the National Archives in England.

However, Library and Archives Canada does hold the following records:

• Canadians in the RAF, nominal rolls, [1918-1919] (RG 9 III-B-1, volume 3429, file C-6-49)
• Nominal roll of Canadian aviators serving in the RFC and RAF (RG24):
  • volume 23195: surnames E to H and I to M
  • volume 23196: surnames A to D and N to W
• Ledgers of Canadian Expeditionary Force officers attesting to the RFC (RG24, acc. 1995-96/670):
  • box 1: Acland to Luxton
  • box 2: Macaskill to Zieman
• Canadian airmen of the First World War (RG24)
  • This is a data file compiled from various sources. In the file description, see the sections called Scope and content and Finding aid.
• Log of the Toronto Curtiss Flying School, 1915-1916 (MG28-III65, volume 1)
  • The Curtiss School of Aviation trained 130 qualified pilots for the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps from May 1915 to December 1916. For more details, see the Scope and content section of the series description.

London Headquarters of Militia and Defence (RG 9 III-A-1)

The London Headquarters created some personnel files. These files mostly contain correspondence. For more information, see the Scope and content sections for File block 6 and File block 10.

To find out if there is a file for a soldier or a nurse:

• Search within Finding aid 9-53 or 9-54
• Enter a surname in All of these words

Similar files are found in Militia and Defence personnel files (RG24-C-1-a). Try the same search in Collection Search using the finding aid number 24-8-1.

Our collection of sailing lists (RG9-II-B-3), are arranged by battalion or unit. They usually indicate the ship, date and port when the unit left Canada. The lists include details about each individual on board, such as name, rank, country of birth and former corps. They are part of the CEF files.

The digitized files are listed in Finding Aid 9-24. To search within this finding aid:

• Go to advanced search in Collection Search
• In All these words enter the word nominal plus the battalion number or the unit name (examples 34^th, Ammunition Column, Lord Strathcona's Horse)

Ship logs are the official records of Canadian naval vessels, including minesweepers, trawlers and submarines. They contain information about:

• routine activities at sea and in harbour
• weather and sea conditions
• ship movements
• details of operational exercises and special events such as visits by senior military personnel

There is little or no personal information about individuals in these logs.
Search for ship logs in Collection Search:

• In All these words, enter the keyword RG24, the word log and the name of a vessel
  • Examples of keywords:
    • Niobe, Donnacona, TR 17, CD 24

These records are not on microfilm and not digitized.

Courts Martial of the First World War

This database relates to CEF service members. It only includes references for the courts martial files that have survived (RG150-8).

We have the following records related to Canadian prisoners of war during the First World War:

• Canadian Prisoners of War, reports and interviews (RG9-III-D-1)
  • Repatriated prisoners, volume 4737 (surnames A to L), volume 4738 (surnames M to Z)
  • Escaped prisoners, volume 4739 (surnames A to M), volume 4740 (surnames N to Z)

To see if there is a file in RG9:

• Go to avanced search in Collection Search
• In All these words enter a surname and the word prisoner

If a person’s service file indicates that they received medical treatment in an overseas medical unit, you might find their name in:

• Admission and discharge books of the Canadian Army Medical Corps Overseas (RG150, Finding Aid 150-7). Read more about the records in the Scope and content section of the series description.
  • To find out if there is a relevant file:
    •  Search within Finding Aid 150-7
    • In All these words enter the name or partial name of the medical unit (examples: No. 32 Casualty Clearing Station, 3rd Canadian General Hospital Boulogne )
• Queen's Canadian Military Hospital RG25-B-1-i 
  • This includes registers of admissions, discharges, transfers and deaths. For more information see the sub-series description, which also has a link to the finding aid showing the volume numbers and content. These records are indexed and digitized on Ancestry, which is available free at LAC and many public libraries.

We hold the following series of records:

• Circumstances of Death Registers, First World War
  • These records provide details of CEF members who died during the war. Note that volumes containing names beginning by Sip to Z have not survived.
• Commonwealth War Graves Registers, First World War
  • These records relate to the graves of CEF members who died during the First World War.
• Veterans Death Cards: First World War
  • When Veterans Affairs was notified of the death of a First World War veteran, a death card was created. The cards date mainly from 1919 to the early 1960s. They include mostly CEF veterans, but also some naval veterans and Canadians who had served with the British Forces.

These are the day-to-day descriptions of CEF units in active service. They contain information about the location of a unit and its military operations. The diaries rarely mention individuals by name, with the exception of some references to officers. The records are digitized.

War Diaries of the First World War explains more about the records and how to access them.

This collection includes First World War cards, relating mainly to CEF members. Most of the cards contains a typed citation concerning the reason for the honour or award. Many of the citations are the same as what was published in the Canada Gazette or the London Gazette. However, some cards contain unique information.

Not all of the cards explain the reason why the honour or award was granted. For example, after March 1918 commanding officers did not provide specific details relating to the men they recommended for the Military Medal.

Note that these cards include only honours and awards, not service and campaign medals.

The cards can be searched in our Military medals, honours and awards, 1812–1969 database.

We have some personal correspondence, papers, journals and diaries of some war veterans. You can use Collection Search to look for these items.

• In All these words, enter a person’s name
• In Any of these words, enter keywords such as diary, journal, letters, papers

We hold several collections, including:

• Canadian War Records Office photographic collection
• First World War map collection

You can search for other photographs and maps, including trench maps, using relevant keywords in  Collection Search. From the results page, click on “Maps” or “Photographs” in Type of material to limit the search results.

We hold a number of posters and documentary art related to the war. You can find them using  Collection Search. Try keywords such as war, poster, postcard, sketchbook, painting, portrait or broadside. From the results page, click on “Art” in Type of material to limit the search results.

There are many other records relating to the war in these government record groups:

• Department of Militia and Defence (RG9)
• Department of National Defence (RG24)
• Department of Veterans Affairs (RG38)
• Ministry of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada (RG150)

You can look for records using  Collection Search. Try keywords relevant to your search such as the name of a military branch or unit or the type of record:

Here are just a few examples of the types of records we hold:

• Casualty lists
• Part II daily orders
• Infantry historical records
• Canadian Expeditionary Force in Siberia
• War service badge number ledgers
• Navy orders and regulations

Keep in mind, many Canadians served with the British Forces. The National Archives in the UK holds these records.

We have a large number of published sources about all aspects of Canadian involvement in the war. You can search Aurora to find these publications. Try keywords like:

• Canada First World War
• World War, 1914-1918
• veterans Canada
• a specific battle or place

The most comprehensive publication is the Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1919, by G. W. L. Nicholson. It includes detailed maps and accounts of battles. It is digitized by the Directorate of History and Heritage.

There are also regimental histories for many of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) units. We have prepared these lists of examples from our Aurora catalogue. Copies of these books are also available in other libraries.

• General titles
• Battles
• CEF: Infantry - numbered battalions
• CEF: Infantry - regiments
• CEF: Infantry - other units
• CEF: Corps
• CEF: Artillery
• CEF: Cavalry
• Newfoundland
• Navy
• Air
• Honour rolls
• Nurses