First World War: information package

First World War personnel files

These information sheets will help to interpret the documents found in the service files of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

• The War Diaries

  Service files indicate where enlisted personnel were posted in England, but do not record the locations of military postings or battles in France or Belgium. The files provide the name or number of the unit in which the individual served. With that information, locations and battles can be determined by searching the relevant War Diaries.

  Canadian Expeditionary Force units were required to maintain a daily account of their “Actions in the Field.” These logs were called War Diaries and they are a historical record of a unit’s administration, operations and activities during the First World War. The records have been scanned and can be viewed online.

• Military abbreviations, terms and meanings

  Service personnel military files from the First World War contain many abbreviations and terms, the most common of which are explained here. A more complete list is available at Military abbreviations used in Service Files.

  Military abbreviations, terms and meanings

  Abbreviation	Term	Meaning
  Acting or a/	Acting Rank	higher rank held on a temporary basis – also known as a brevet rank for officers
  Adj	Adjutant	administrative assistant to a commanding officer (below divisional level)
  adm	admitted	soldiers entering hospital for medical treatment
  ARD	Alberta Regimental Depot	facility in England used to assemble men and to store and administer equipment and materials
  att’d	attached	to be made part of a specific unit on a temporary basis
  auth	authorized, authority	designation of the individual or organization permitting the action noted
  AWL or AWOL	absent without leave	away from a unit without permission; an offence under military law
  Batt’n or Bn	Battalion	unit of approximately 1,000 men commanded by a lieutenant- colonel
  BCRD	British Columbia Regimental Depot	facility in England used to assemble men and to store and administer equipment and materials
  BEF	British Expeditionary Force	army of more than 3,000,000 men established by the Government of Britain for service overseas
  Bde	Brigade	unit of approximately 4,000 men commanded by a brigadier- general
  Bramshott	Bramshott	location of a Canadian military training base in Hampshire, England
  Bty	Battery	artillery unit commanded by a major and composed of four or six guns or mortars
  Boulogne	Boulogne	location of Canadian General Hospital (No.3) in France
  CADC	Canadian Army Dental Corps	corps of military dentists and other personnel providing dental services to soldiers
  CAMC	Canadian Army Medical Corps	corps of military doctors, nursing sisters and other personnel providing medical treatment to soldiers
  Canterbury	Canterbury	location of Canadian Military Hospital (No.2) in Kent, England
  CASC	Canadian Army Service Corps	branch of the military responsible for supplying troops in the field
  Cav	Cavalry	soldiers who fought on horseback
  CBD	Canadian Base Details	small units charged with maintaining and improving camp areas
  CCAC	Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre	centre where wounded were assessed for either further treatment or return to duty
  CCCC	Canadian Corps Composite Company	unit of men unfit for active duty at the front and attached to Corps Headquarters for employment
  CCD	Canadian Convalescent Depot	facility where soldiers could recover from wounds and rebuild their strength
  CCRC	Canadian Corps Reinforcement Centre	centre in France where troops were held before being sent to reinforce existing units
  CCS	Casualty Clearing Station	first medical unit (after the Aid Post) where wounded soldiers were evacuated from the front lines
  CDD	Canadian Discharge Depot	centre in Canada where soldiers returning from war were released from service
  CDAC	Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column	railhead where divisional ammunition was stored before being shipped to the front
  CE	Canadian Engineers	corps of men who built bridges, railway depots, camps, bases and other military installations
  CEF	Canadian Expeditionary Force	force of more than 600,000 men established by the Government of Canada for service overseas
  CERD	Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Depot	centre from which reinforcements were allocated to existing engineer units
  CFA	Canadian Field Ambulance	unit responsible for evacuating the wounded from the front lines to medical centres
  CFC	Canadian Forestry Corps	units designated to cut down and process trees to provide wood and lumber
  CGA	Canadian Garrison Artillery	organization responsible for using large-calibre guns in direct or indirect support of infantry
  CGH	Canadian General Hospital	permanent hospital where extensive treatment was given to the wounded
  CGR	Canadian Garrison Regiment	unit of 13 battalions formed in April 1918 to perform garrison duty in Canada’s 13 military districts
  CL	Casualty List	list of soldiers wounded, killed, missing or taken prisoner by the enemy
  CLH	Canadian Light Horse	cavalry unit, originally intended as a scouting force
  CMGC	Canadian Machine Gun Corps	soldiers with machine guns responsible for supporting or defending against infantry attack
  CMR	Canadian Mounted Rifles	soldiers on horseback originally and later on foot, used largely as infantry
  C of I	Court of Inquiry	group of officers convened to investigate specific questions or events
  Com	Command	unit under the command of one officer or non-commissioned officer
  CO	Commanding Officer	any officer in command of a specific unit (usually battalion level and up)
  Conv	Convalescent	a soldier recovering from wounds or illness
  CORD	Central Ontario Regimental Depot	facility in England used to assemble men and to store and administer equipment and materials
  Coy	Company	unit of approximately 200 men, divided into four groups
  CRCR	Canadian Reserve Cavalry Regiment	cavalry reserve unit based in England
  CRT	Canadian Railway Troops	men recruited and organized to operate railways in rear areas
  CSM	Company Sergeant-Major	senior non-commissioned officer in a company
  DAC	Divisional Ammunition Company	organization responsible for supplying ammunition to a division
  DCM	Distinguished Conduct Medal	medal for bravery awarded to other ranks (non-officers)
  dis	discharged	released from military service, or from a hospital
  Div	Division	unit of approximately 12,000 men commanded by a major- general
  DO	Daily Order (of a unit)	administration orders issued to mark personnel changes of a unit (transfers, hospitalizations, etc.)
  D of W	died of wounds	official cause of death
  Dvr	Driver	designation or rank of a soldier who drives vehicles
  East Sandling	East Sandling	location of Canadian military training base in Kent, England
  emb	embarked	went aboard ship for departure overseas; Canada to Britain or Canada to France
  EORD	Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot	facility in England used to assemble men and to store and administer equipment and materials
  Frac	fractured	medical term for broken bone
  GC Badge	Good Conduct Badge	award for good conduct during service
  Gen	General	commanding officer at division or corps level
  GHQ	General Headquarters	command centre from which corps or army commanders direct the war
  Gnr	Gunner	lowest rank in the Royal Canadian Artillery (equivalent to a private)
  GSW	Gunshot Wound	wound caused by a bullet
  GOC	General Officer Commanding	highest ranking general, usually at the corps level
  HMS	His Majesty’s Ship	vessel under the control of the Royal Navy
  HMT	His Majesty’s Troopship	designated ship carrying troops between Canada and England and England and France
  Hosp	Hospital	designated location where soldiers receive medical treatment
  How	Howitzer	an artillery weapon (various calibres) capable of firing shells in a low or high arc
  HQ	Headquarters	command centre for a military unit in the field (company level and above)
  inv “wd”	Invalided wounded	a soldier transferred away from the front as a result of wounds received in action
  KIA	Killed in action	designation of how a soldier died
  LG (Lon Gaz)	London Gazette	official British government publication of decorations, honours and promotions
  LMB	Light Mortar Battery	front line unit of light mortars used for direct fire support
  LSH	Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians)	cavalry unit first established for South African War
  M&D/ Medals & Dec	Medals and Decorations	list of theatre medals or decorations received for military service, as well as special citations
  MC	Military Cross	award given to officers for specific act(s) of bravery, or for meritorious service
  MD	Military District (or Depot)	designated military administrative areas in Canada (13 in number)
  MIA	Missing in action	casualty whose whereabouts and status (alive, dead or captured) after an action are unknown
  MID	Mentioned-in-Despatches	commendation by commanding officer for outstanding or meritorious service
  Mil	Military	organization responsible for defending a country or for the conduct of a war
  Miss	Missing	location of an individual is unknown
  MM	Military Medal	medal for bravery awarded to other ranks (non-officers)
  MRD	Manitoba Regimental Depot	facility behind front used to assemble men and to store and administer equipment and materials
  NCO	non-commissioned officer	non-commissioned officer
  NSRD	Nova Scotia Regimental Depot	facility behind front used to assemble men and to store and administer equipment and materials
  NYD	not yet determined	a medical condition not yet diagnosed
  OMFC	Overseas Military Forces of Canada	Canadian cabinet ministry that conducted Canadian military affairs in London, England
  Orpington	Orpington	location of military hospital in Kent, England
  O.S.	Overseas	all areas outside the territorial waters of North America
  P&S	Plaque and Scroll (Memorial)	given to the families of soldiers who died during service
  Pnr	Pioneer	member of a pioneer battalion, used for specialized engineering work in rear areas
  PPCLI	Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry	Canadian regiment of experienced soldiers privately established by Hamilton Galt
  Pte	Private	lowest rank of enlisted soldier
  Pt. II O	Part II Orders	administrative orders issued by a unit (see DO)
  PUO	pyrexia of unknown origin	fever of an undetermined cause
  QRD	Quebec Regimental Depot	facility in England used to assemble men and to store and administer equipment and materials
  RAF	Royal Air Force	British air force (Royal Flying Corps (RFC) before April 1918)
  RCD	Royal Canadian Dragoons	heavy cavalry unit
  RCHA	Royal Canadian Horse Artillery	specific regiment of artillery inside the Royal Canadian Artillery
  RCR	Royal Canadian Regiment	one of the oldest Canadian infantry regiments, founded in 1883
  rem	remained	stayed in an area, or stayed on duty
  Res	Reserve	force of men remaining behind the lines to reinforce the front lines where needed
  RFB	Reported from Base	unit base report about a soldier
  RFC	Royal Flying Corps	see RAF
  RSM	Regimental Sergeant-Major	senior non-commissioned officer in a regiment
  RTC	Returned to Corps	a soldier returning to duty
  Salisbury	Salisbury	location of first Canadian military training base in Southwest England in 1915
  Seaford	Seaford	location of Canadian military training base in Sussex, England
  SEF	Siberian Expeditionary Force	small international force sent to Russia in 1918 to help anti- communist forces
  Shorncliffe	Shorncliffe	location of Canadian military training base in Kent, England
  SOS	Struck off strength (of a unit)	when a soldier ceases to be a member of a unit because of transfer, injury or death
  Spr	Sapper	lowest enlisted rank in Canadian Engineers (see CE)
  SS	Steamship	transport vessel used to carry troops and equipment
  Staty	Stationary (Hospital)	large movable hospital of between 400 and 1,000 beds
  SW	Shrapnel (Shell) Wound	type of wound received from shrapnel or shell fragment
  TMB	Trench Mortar Battery	small- to medium-calibre mortars used in infantry support and to shell enemy trenches
  TOS	Taken on strength (of a unit)	entry of a soldier to a unit
  Tpr	Trooper	lowest rank in a cavalry unit
  trans	transferred	to be sent from one unit or location to another
  unk	unknown	location of a soldier is not known
  VDG	venereal disease, gonorrhea	a sexually transmitted disease
  VDS	venereal disease, syphilis	a sexually transmitted disease
  Wilton	Wilton	location of Canadian military training base in Wiltshire, England (on Salisbury Plain)
  w, (w)	wounded	Injury caused by enemy action

• How to read a record of service or a casualty form from the First World War

  The entries on these documents are taken from unit Part II Orders. The orders are the administrative directives concerning the movement of personnel into and out of a unit for various reasons, such as leave, hospitalization and transfer to and from another unit, as well as changes in financial or ration allowances, or punishment awarded for service offences.

  Each unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force issued these orders on a regular basis, and they are collected in our holdings and arranged by unit and date in Record Group (RG) 150, Series 1. However, each entry for an individual mentioned in the orders is placed separately on that individual’s personnel record, with a reference to the order number of the original entry (see remarks column on the image).

  • Report date (first column): Date on which a specific report about the individual is received by a higher authority.
  • Report from whom received (second column): Information about who is making the report.
  • Record of promotions, reductions, transfers, casualties, etc. during active service (third column): The authority is quoted in each case, providing information about the individual that has been noted in the unit administrative orders.

  Note: The terms “taken on strength” (TOS) or “struck off strength” (SOS) refer to the movement of personnel into and out of a unit. They are usually entered in pairs in an individual’s personnel records, recording the departure from one unit and the entry into another, and the dates when such movements took place.

  • Place (fourth column): The place in which the noted action occurred.
  • Date (fifth column): Date on which the noted action took place. It should not be confused with the previous date, which refers to when the report was made (first column).
  • Remarks (sixth column): These are taken from official documents and refer to the Part Il Order that noted the action.

  

  

    

   

• How to read a medal card from the First World War

  

  The sample document is taken from the service file of Private George Albert Broome, who died of wounds on 7 November 1917. He received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, but was not eligible for the 1914–1915 Star. One can determine these awards from his medal card in the following ways:

  • In the upper right corner there is a capital letter B, with a check mark through it. The “B” denotes that Mr. Broome was awarded the British War Medal, and the check mark indicates that it was sent out.
  • In the same corner is a capital letter V, also with a check mark. The “V” denotes the award of the Victory Medal, and the check mark indicates that it was sent out.

  Note: If there is only one letter on the card, only one of the medals has been awarded. This is most likely the British War Medal.

  • Eligibility for the 1914–1915 Star is determined by Theatre of War and Date of Service. If Theatre of War reads France, and Date of Service shows a date before 31 December 1915, the soldier is eligible for the Star. In this case, we can see that Mr. Broome was transferred to France on 21 January 1916, and is therefore not eligible for the Star.

  Note: If Theatre of War reads England, and the Date of Service is before 11 November 1918, the soldier is only eligible for the British War Medal and only a capital letter B will be written in the upper right corner. Soldiers who never left Canada are not eligible for any service awards, and consequently there is no medal card in their service files.

• Criteria for the award of First World War Theatre medals

  • 1914–1915 Star: Granted to all officers and other ranks who actively served on the establishment of a unit in a Theatre of War, for example France or Belgium, between midnight 22 November 1914 and midnight 31 December 1915.
  • British War Medal: Granted to all officers and other ranks, who either entered a Theatre of War on duty, or left places of residence and rendered approved service overseas, on or before midnight 11 November 1918. According to regulation, all veterans of the Canadian Expeditionary Force who proceeded to the United Kingdom were eligible for the award. In addition, the medal was awarded to all naval personnel who performed 28 days of mobilized service anywhere. It was also awarded to those who proceeded to the British West Indies and to Siberia.
  • Victory Medal: Granted to all officers and other ranks who actually served on the establishment of a unit in a Theatre of War on or before midnight 11 November 1918, and to those officers and other ranks of the Canadian Expeditionary Force who proceeded to Siberia.

  Note: Decorations such as a Mentioned-in-Despatches, Military Medal or Military Cross, Distinguished Service Order, etc. are not indicated on the medal card, but are entered on the individual’s Record of Service and Casualty Form, along with the number (issue) of the London Gazette in which the award was promulgated.

• How to read a Memorial Cross card from the First World War

  The first line provides the name of the soldier, his regimental number, rank and unit.

  Medals & Decs

  This abbreviation (also written as M&D) refers to the medals and decorations that were sent to the next of kin of the deceased soldier.

  P. & S.

  This abbreviation refers to the memorial Plaque and Scroll. It was issued to the next of kin as a commemoration of the soldier’s sacrifice in the service of the King.

  Mem. Cross

  This abbreviation (also written as the Cross of Sacrifice) refers to the Memorial Cross. It was issued to the mother and/or widow of the deceased soldier.

  The other dates entered on the card refer to when the plaque and scroll were despatched to the next of kin by the government, and when medals and decorations (M) were awarded. The number C37475 signifies the number of the Medal Roll on which the awards are registered in the soldier’s name.

   

  

  

   

• Next of kin

  The recipient is deemed the blood next of kin of the deceased at the time the memorials are distributed. The order of the next of kin is defined as follows.

  1. widow
  2. eldest surviving son
  3. eldest surviving daughter
  4. father
  5. mother
  6. eldest surviving brother
  7. eldest surviving aunt on mother’s side

• Pay and allowances

  In 1914, the original daily rates of pay and allowances for members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force were as follows

  Rank	Rate
  Colonel or Lieutenant-Colonel	$5.00
  Major	$4.00
  Captain	$3.00
  Lieutenant (qualified or provisional)	$2.00
  Paymaster, Quartermaster (QM)	$3.00
  Adjutant, in addition to pay of rank	$0.50
  Brigade, Regimental or Staff Sergeant-Major (SM)	$1.85
  Brigade, Regimental or Staff SM (if Warrant Officer)	$2.00
  Brigade, Regimental or Staff SM (if QM Sergeant (QMS))	$1.60
  Orderly Room Sergeant	$1.50
  Pay Sergeant	$1.60
  Squadron, Battery, Troop or Company SM	$1.60
  Squadron, Battery, Troop or Company QMS	$1.50
  Farrier Sergeant	$1.50
  Sergeant	$1.35
  Corporal, Bombardier or 2nd Corporal	$1.10 $1.05
  Private, Gunner, Sapper, Driver, Batman, etc.	$1.00

  Field allowance rates were authorized according to the following scale:

  Rank	Rate
  Colonel	$1.50
  Lieutenant-Colonel	$1.25
  Major	$1.00
  Captain	$0.75
  Lieutenant	$0.60
  Warrant Officer	$0.30
  Staff Sergeant	$0.20
  Sergeant	$0.15
  Rank and file (Corporal, Private, etc.)	$0.10

  For example, a Private in the Canadian Expeditionary Force would be paid $1.00 per day plus an additional 10 cents per day for being in the field (on the battlefront).

  Permission was given to officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks to assign a portion of their pay, not exceeding four-fifths of the monthly amount, to their relatives. The amount was instructed to be in dollars only (no cents), and the maximum amount assigned by a Private was $25.00.

• Divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (November 1918)

  Blank cells = not applicable

  Divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (November 1918)

  1st Division	2nd Division	3rd Division	4th Division
  1st Brigade Canadian Field Artillery 1st Field Battery 3rd Field Battery 4th Field Battery 2nd Howitzer Battery 2nd Brigade Canadian Field Artillery 5th Field Battery 6th Field Battery 7th Field Battery 48th Howitzer  Battery 1st Divisional Ammunition Column 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion 2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion 4th Canadian Infantry Battalion 1st Trench Mortar Battery 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade 5th Canadian Infantry Battalion 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion 8th Canadian Infantry Battalion 10th Canadian Infantry Battalion 2nd Trench Mortar Battery 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade 13th Canadian Infantry Battalion 14th Canadian Infantry Battalion 15th Canadian Infantry Battalion 16th Canadian Infantry Battalion 3rd Trench Mortar Battery 1st Brigade Canadian Engineers 1st Battalion Canadian Engineers 2nd Battalion Canadian Engineers 3rd Battalion Canadian Engineers	5th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery 17th Field Battery 18th Field Battery 20th Field Battery 23rd Howitzer Battery 6th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery 15th Field Battery 16th Field Battery 25th Field Battery 22nd Howitzer Battery 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade 18th Canadian Infantry Battalion 19th Canadian Infantry Battalion 20th Canadian Infantry Battalion 21st Canadian Infantry Battalion 4th Trench Mortar Battery 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade 22nd Canadian Infantry Battalion 23rd Canadian Infantry Battalion 25th Canadian Infantry Battalion 26th Canadian Infantry Battalion 5th Trench Mortar Battery 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade 27th Canadian Infantry Battalion 28th Canadian Infantry Battalion 29th Canadian Infantry Battalion 31st Canadian Infantry Battalion 6th Trench Mortar Battery 2nd Brigade Canadian Engineers 4th Battalion Canadian Engineers 5th Battalion Canadian Engineers 6th Battalion Canadian Engineers	9th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery 31st Field Battery 33rd Field Battery 45th Field Battery 36th Howitzer Battery 10th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery 5th Field Battery 6th Field Battery 7th Field Battery 48th Howitzer Battery 3rd Divisional Ammunition Column 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade The Royal Canadian Regiment Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry 42nd Battalion 49th Battalion 7th Trench Mortar Battery 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles 8th Trench Mortar Battery 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade 43rd Canadian Infantry Battalion 52nd Canadian Infantry Battalion 58th Canadian Infantry Battalion 116th Canadian Infantry Battalion 9th Trench Mortar Battery 3rd Brigade Canadian Engineers 7th Battalion Canadian Engineers 8th Battalion Canadian Engineers 9th Battalion Canadian Engineers	3rd Brigade Canadian Field Artillery 10th Field Battery 11th Field Battery 12th Field Battery 9th Howitzer Battery 4th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery 13th Field Battery 19th Field Battery 27th Field Battery 21st Howitzer Battery 4th Divisional Ammunition Column 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade 44th Canadian Infantry Battalion 46th Canadian Infantry Battalion 47th Canadian Infantry Battalion 50th Canadian Infantry Battalion 10th Trench Mortar Battery 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade 54th Canadian Infantry Battalion 75th Canadian Infantry Battalion 87th Canadian Infantry Battalion 102nd Canadian Infantry Battalion 11th Trench Mortar Battery 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade 38th Canadian Infantry Battalion 72nd Canadian Infantry Battalion 78th Canadian Infantry Battalion 85th Canadian Infantry Battalion 12th Trench Mortar Battery 4th Brigade Canadian Engineers 10th Battalion Canadian Engineers 11th Battalion Canadian Engineers 12th Battalion Canadian Engineers

• Corps troops of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (November 1918)

  • Cavalry
  • Royal Canadian Dragoons
  • Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
  • Fort Garry Horse
  • Canadian Light Horse
  • R.N.W.M.P. Squadron
  • Artillery
  • RCHA Brigade
  • 8th Army Brigade Canadian Field Artillery
    • 24th Field Battery
    • 30th Field Battery
    • 32nd Field Battery
    • 43rd Howitzer Battery
    • 8th Army Brigade Ammunition Column
    • AE Anti-Aircraft Battery
  • Corps Heavy Artillery
  • 1st Brigade, Canadian Garrison Artillery
  • 1st Siege Battery
  • 3rd Siege Battery
  • 7th Siege Battery
  • 9th Siege Battery
  • 2nd Brigade, Canadian Garrison Artillery
  • 1st Heavy Battery
  • 2nd Heavy Battery
  • 2nd Siege Battery
  • 4th Siege Battery
  • 5th Siege Battery
  • 6th Siege Battery
  • 3rd Brigade, Canadian Garrison Artillery
  • 8th Siege Battery
  • 10th Siege Battery
  • 11th Siege Battery
  • 12th Siege Battery
  • 5th Divisional Artillery
  • 13th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery
  • 52nd Field Battery
  • 53rd Field Battery
  • 55th Field Battery
  • 51st Howitzer Battery
  • 14th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery
  • 60th Field Battery
  • 61st Field Battery
  • 66th Field Battery 58th Howitzer Battery
  • 58th Howitzer Battery
  • 5th Divisional Ammunition Column
  • Engineers
  • 1st Army Troops Company
  • 2nd Army Troops Company
  • 3rd Army Troops Company
  • 4th Army Troops Company
  • 5th Army Troops Company
  • Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Company
  • 3rd Tunnelling Company
  • Corps Survey Section
  • 1st Tramways Company
  • 2nd Tramways Company
  • Machine Gun Corps
  • 1st Motor Machine Gun Brigade
  • 2nd Motor Machine Gun Brigade
  • Army Service Corps
  • Corps Troops Motor Transport Company
  • 1st Divisional Motor Transport Company
  • 2nd Divisional Motor Transport Company
  • 3rd Divisional Motor Transport Company
  • 4th Divisional Motor Transport Company
  • Engineers Motor Transport Company
  • Motor Machine Gun Motor Transport Company
  • 5th Divisional Artillery Motor Transport Company
  • 5th Divisional Train Detachment
  • Medical Corps
  • No. 1 Canadian General Hospital
  • No. 2 Canadian General Hospital
  • No. 3 Canadian General Hospital
  • No. 6 Canadian General Hospital
  • No. 7 Canadian General Hospital
  • No. 8 Canadian General Hospital
  • No. 2 Stationary Hospital
  • No. 3 Stationary Hospital
  • No. 7 Stationary Hospital
  • No. 8 Stationary Hospital
  • No. 9 Stationary Hospital
  • No. 10 Stationary Hospital
  • Forestry Corps Hospitals (6)
  • No. 1 Casualty Clearing Station
  • No. 2 Casualty Clearing Station
  • No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station
  • No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station
  • No. 7 (Cavalry) Field Ambulance
  • No. 14 Field Ambulance
  • Canadian Railway Troops
  • Canadian Overseas Railway Construction Corps
  • 1st Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 2nd Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 3rd Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 4th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 5th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 6th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 7th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 8th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 9th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 10th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 11th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 12th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • 13th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops
  • Labour
  • 1st Infantry Works Company
  • 2nd Infantry Works Company
  • 3rd Infantry Works Company
  • 4th Infantry Works Company
  • 5th Area Employment Company
  • 6th Area Employment Company
  • 7th Area Employment Company
  • 8th Area Employment Company
  • 9th Area Employment Company
  • Miscellaneous
  • Canadian Cyclist Battalion
  • Corps Signal Company
  • Corps Reinforcement Camp
  • Corps Schools
  • Forestry Companies (58)

• Battles and other engagements in which Canadian forces participated

  From the Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914– 1919 by Colonel G.W.L. Nicholson, pgs. 534 to 536.

  France and Flanders: 1915–1918

  Dates shown are those during which Canadian troops were present and do not necessarily cover the full period of the battle. An asterisk has been placed before the names of battles and actions in which the only Canadian forces present were detached units or sub-units, e.g., Batteries, Tunnelling Companies, etc. This list uses the official names contained in the Report of the Battles Nomenclature Committee, 1921.

  Blank cells = not applicable

  Trench Warfare 1915

  Battle/engagement	Date
  *Battle of Neuve Chapelle	10 March
  Action of St. Eloi	14-15 March
  The Battle of Ypres, 1915
  Gravenstafel Ridge (The Gas Attack)	22-23 April
  St. Julien	24 April-4 May
  Frezenberg Ridge	8-13 May
  Bellewaarde Ridge	24-25 May
  *Battle of Aubers Ridge	9 May
  Battle of Festubert	17-25 May
  Second Action of Givenchy, 1915	15-16 June
  The Battle of Loos	25 September-8 October
  *Action of Bois Grenier	25 September
  *Actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt	13-19 October

  Trench warfare 1916

  Battle/engagement	Date
  Actions of St. Eloi Craters	27 March-16 April
  Battle of Mount Sorrel	2-13 June

  The Allied offensive 1916

  Battle/engagement	Date
  The Battles of the Somme, 1916 *Albert, 1916 (Capture of Montauban, Mametz,Fricourt, Contalmaison and La Boisselle)	1-13 July
  Bazentin Ridge	14-17 July
  *Attack at Fromelles	19 July
  Attacks on High Wood	20-25 July
  Pozieres Ridge (Fighting for Mouquet Farm)	1-3 September
  *Guillemont	3-6 September
  *Ginchy	9 September
  Flers-Courcelette	15-22 September
  Thiepval Ridge	26-29 September
  Le Transloy Ridges (Capture of Eaucourt l'abbaye)	1-18 October
  Ancre Heights (Capture of Regina Trench)	1 October-11 November
  The Ancre, 1916 (Capture of Beaumont Hamel)	13-18 November

  The Advance to the Hindenburg Line 1917

  Battle/engagement	Date
  German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line	24-29 March

  Blank cells = not applicable

  The Allied offensive 1917

  The Battle of Arras, 1917	9-14 April
  Vimy Ridge	9-14 April
  *First Scarpe, 1917	23-24 April
  *Second Scarpe, 1917	23 April
  Attack on la Coulotte	28-29 April
  Arleux	3-4 May
  Third Scarpe, 1917 (Capture of Fresnoy)
  Affairs South of the Souchez River	3-25 June
  Capture of Avion	26-29 June
  Battle of Hill 70	15-25 August
  *The Battle of Messines, 1917 (Capture of Wytschaete)	7-14 June
  The Battles of Ypres, 1917	31 July-2 August
  *Pilckem Ridge
  *Langemarck, 1917	16-18 August
  *Menin Road Ridge	20-25 September
  *Polygon Wood	26 September-3 October
  *Broodseinde	4 October
  *Poelcappelle	9 October
  *First Passchendaele	12 October
  Second Passchendaele	26 October-10 November
  Battle of Cambrai, 1917
  The Tank Attack	20-21 November
  *Capture of Bourlon Wood	23-28 November
  The German counter-attacks	30 November-3 December

  Blank cells = not applicable

  The German offensives 1918

  Battle/engagement	Date
  The First Battles of the Somme, 1918 St. Quentin	21-23 March
  *Actions at the Somme Crossings	24-25 March
  *First Bapaume	24-25 March
  *Rosieres	26-27 March
  *First Arras, 1918	28 March
  *Avre	4 April
  *Capture of Hamel	4 July
  The Battles of the Lys
  *Estaires (First Defence of Givenchy, 1918)	9-11 April
  *Messines, 1918 (Loss of Hill 63)	10-11 April
  *Hazebrouck	12-15 April
  *Bailleul (Defence of Neuve Eglise)	13-15 April
  *First Kemmel Ridge	17-19 April
  *Action of La Becque	28 June

  Blank cells = not applicable

  The Advance to Victory 1918

  Battle/engagement	Date
  The Battle of Amiens	8-11 August
  Actions round Damery	15-17 August
  The Second Battles of the Somme, 1918
  *Albert, 1918	21-23 August
  *Second Bapaume	31 August-3 September
  The Second Battles of Arras, 1918
  Scarpe, 1918 (Capture of Monchy-le-preux)	26-30 August
  Drocourt-Queant Canal	2-3 September
  The Battles of the Hindenburg Line
  *Havrincourt	12 September
  *Epehy	18 September 27
  Canal Du Nord (Capture of Bourlon Wood)	September-1 October
  St. Quentin Canal	29 September-2 October
  Beaurevoir Line	3-5 October
  Cambrai, 1918 (Capture of Cambrai)	8-9 October
  *Battle of Ypres, 1918	28 September-2 October
  Pursuit to the Selle	9-12 October
  *Battle of Courtrai	14-19 October
  *Battle of the Selle	17-25 October
  Battle of Valenciennes (Capture of Mont Houy)	1-2 November
  Battle of the Sambre	4 November
  Passage of the Grande Honnelle	5-7 November
  Capture of Mons	11 November

  Other theatres of war

  Battle/engagement	Date
  Macedonia	1915–1917
  Dardanelles	1915–1916
  Egypt and Palestine	1915–1916, 1918
  North West Persia and Caspian	1918–1919
  Murman	1918–1919
  Archangel	1918–1919
  Siberia	1918–1919

• Bibliography

  Military, First World War, general

  Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1919, by Colonel G. W. L. Nicholson, Queen's Printer, Ottawa, 1962.

  "Overseas" The Lineages and Insignia of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1919, by Charles H. Stewart, Little and Stewart, Toronto, 1970.

  Silent Battle: Canadian Prisoners of War in Germany, 1914-1919, by Desmond Morton, Lester Publishing, Toronto, 1992.

  Official History of the Canadian Forces in the Great War 1914-1919, in two volumes, by Colonel A. Fortescue Duguid, King's Printer, Ottawa, 1938.

  Report of the Ministry: Overseas Military Forces of Canada 1918, H. M. Stationery Office, London, 1918.

  Amid the Guns Below; The Story of the Canadian Corps, 1914-1919, by Larry Worthington, McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 1965.

  To Seize the Victory; The Canadian Corps in World War I, by John Swettenham, Ryerson Press, Toronto, 1965.

  When Your Number's Up: The Canadian Soldier in the First World War, by Desmond Morton, Random House of Canada, Toronto, 1993.

  Marching to Armageddon: Canadians and the Great War, by Desmond Morton and J. L. Granatstein, Lester & Orpen Dennys, Toronto, 1989.

  The Road Past Vimy; The Canadian Corps, 1914-1918, by D. J. Goodspeed, Macmillan, Toronto, 1969.

  Ghosts Have Warm Hands: A Memoir of the Great War, 1916-1919, by Will R. Bird, CEF Books, Ottawa, 2002.

  Military, First World War, unit histories

  Dragoon; the Centennial History of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, 1883-1983, by Brereton Greenhaus, Guild of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, Belleville, Ontario, 1983.

  Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians); a Record of Achievement, by J. M. McAvity, Bridgens Limited, Toronto, 1947.

  The Gate; a History of the Fort Garry Horse, by G. T. Service and J. K. Marteinson, Commercial Printers, Calgary, 1971.

  The Royal Canadian Regiment, 1883-1933, Volume I, by R.C. Fetherstonhaugh, Gazette Printing Company, Montreal, 1936.

  100 Years: the Royal Canadian Regiment 1883-1983, by Ken Bell and C. P. Stacey, Collier-MacMillan Canada, Don Mills, Ontario, 1983.

  Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, by Ralph Hodder-Williams, G. R. Stevens and R. B. Mainprize, Hodder, London, 1923.

  The Patricias: The Proud History of a Fighting Regiment, by David J. Bercuson, Stoddart Publishing Company, Toronto, 2001.

  The Fighting Newfoundlanders: a History of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, by G. W. L. Nicholson, Government of Newfoundland, Ottawa, 1964.

  The History of the 2nd Canadian Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment) Canadian Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918, by W. W. Murray, Historical Committee, 2nd Canadian Battalion, Ottawa, 1947.

  The 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles [British Columbia Horse] in France and Flanders, by G. Chalmers Johnston, Vernon, BC (no date).

  Records of the Fourth Canadian Infantry Battalion in the Great War 1914-1918, by W. L. Gibson, Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, Montreal, 2001.

  The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles, 1914-1919, by Stewart Gordon Bennett, Murray Printing, Toronto, 1926.

  Gallant Canadians: The Story of the Tenth Canadian Infantry Battalion, 1914-1919, by Daniel G. Dancocks, Calgary Highlanders Regimental Funds Foundation, Markham, Ontario,1990.

  The 13th Battalion Royal Highlanders of Canada, 1914-1919, by Robert Collier Fetherstonhaugh, 1925.

  The Royal Montreal Regiment, 14th Battalion, C.E.F., 1914-1925, by Robert Collier Fetherstonhaugh, Gazette Printing Company, Montreal, 1927.

  The History of the 16th Battalion (the Canadian Scottish) Canadian Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1919, by Hugh MacIntyre Urquhart, MacMillan of Canada, Toronto, 1932.

  The History of the Twentieth Canadian Battalion (Central Ontario Regiment) Canadian Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918, by David James Corrigall, Stone & Cox Limited, Toronto, 1935.

  Le 22e Bataillon (canadien-français), 1914-1919: Étude socio-militaire, by Jean-Pierre Gagnon, Les Presses de l'Université Laval, Québec, 1986.

  Histoire du 22e Bataillon canadien-français, by Joseph-Henri Chaballe, L. Lamontagne et Charles Marie Boissoneault, Chantecler, Montreal, 1964.

  The 24th Battalion, C.E.F., Victoria Rifles of Canada, by R. C. Fetherstonhaugh, Gazette Printing Company, Montreal, 1930.

  The Twenty-fifth Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force: Nova Scotia's Famous Regiment in World War One, by F. B. MacDonald and John J. Gardiner , Nova Scotia, 1983.

  New Brunswick's Fighting 26th: A Draft History of the 26th New Brunswick Battalion, C.E.F., 1914-1919, by S. Douglas MacGowan and Harry M. Heckbert, 26th Battalion Overseas Association, Saint John, 1991.

  From the Forks to Flanders Fields; The Story of the 27th City of Winnipeg Battalion, 1914-1918, by Bruce Tascona, Winnipeg, 1995.

  The History of the 28th Northwest Battalion, C.E.F. (October 1914-June 1919), by Major D. G. Calder, Regina, 1961.

  Vancouver's 29th; A Chronicle of the 29th in Flanders Fields, by Henry Randolph Notman Clyne, Tobin's Tigers Association, Vancouver, 1964.

  History of the Thirty-first Battalion C.E.F.: from its organization November, 1914 to its demobilization, June 1919, by A. A. Peebles, Calgary, 1938.

  The 42nd Battalion, C.E.F.: Royal Highlanders of Canada, in the Great War, by Lieutenant-Colonel C. Beresford Topp, Gazette Printing Company, Montreal, 1931.

  Six Thousand Canadian Men: Being the History of the 44th Battalion Canadian Infantry 1914-1919, by Edgar Stanford Russenholt, De Montfort Press, Winnipeg, 1932.

  The Suicide Battalion, by James L. McWilliams and R. J. Steel, Hurtig, Edmonton, 1978 [46th Battalion].

  The 50th Battalion in No Man's Land, by Victor W. Wheeler, Historical Resources Foundation, Calgary, 1980.

  From Thunder Bay through Ypres with the Fighting 52nd, by William Chisholm Millar, 1918.

  Cinquante-Quatre: Being a Short History of the 54th Canadian Infantry Battalion, by John Beswick Bailey, 1919.

  History of the 72nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, by Bernard McEvoy and A.H. Finlay, Cowan & Brookhouse, Vancouver, 1920.

  From B.C. to Baisieux: Being the Narrative History of the 102nd Canadian Infantry Battalion, by L. McLeod Gould, T. R. Cusack, Victoria, 1919.

  Military, First World War, corps histories

  Royal Canadian Engineers

  The History of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers, by A. J. Kerry and W. A. McDill, Ottawa, 1962.

  Royal Canadian Corps of Signals

  History of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, 1903-1961, by J. S. Moir, Corps Committee of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, Ottawa, 1962.

  Royal Canadian Army Service Corps

  Wait for the Wagon; the Story of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, by Arnold Warren, McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 1961.

  Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps

  The Medical Services (Official History of the Canadian Forces in the Great War, 1914-1918), by Sir Andrew MacPhail, King's Printer, Ottawa, 1925.

  Seventy Years of Service; a History of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, by G. W. L. Nicholson, Borealis Press, Ottawa, 1977.

  Canada's Nursing Sisters, by G. W. L. Nicholson, Canadian War Museum, Toronto, 1975.

  Royal Canadian Army Chaplain Corps

  Padres in No Man's Land (Canadian Chaplains and the Great War), by Duff Willis Crerar, McGill-Queen's University Press, Montreal, 1995.

  Royal Canadian Artillery

  Canada's Guns; an Illustrated History of Artillery, by Leslie Barnes, Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, 1979.

  The Gunners of Canada; the History of the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery, by G. W. L. Nicholson, McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 1967-72.

  RCHA - Right of the Line; An Anecdotal History of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery from 1871, by George Duncan Mitchell, with B. A. Reid and W. Simcock, RCHA History Committee, Ottawa, 1986.

  Canadian Machine Gun Corps

  The Canadian "Emma Gees," a History of the Canadian Machine Gun Corps, by C.S. Grafton, Canadian Machine Gun Corps Association, London, Ontario, 1938.

  The Emma Gees, by Herbert W. McBride, Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1918.

  Canadian Intelligence Corps

  The Intelligence Service within the Canadian Corps 1914-1918, by Major J. E. Hahn, Macmillan, Toronto, 1930.

  Canadian Forestry Corps

  The Canadian Forestry Corps; its Inception, Development and Achievements, by Rev. C. W. Bird, His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1919.

  Military, First World War, miscellaneous units

  Saga of the Cyclists in the Great War 1914-1918, by W. D. Ellis, Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion Association, Toronto, 1965.

  A Legacy of Courage; "Calgary's Own" 137th Overseas Battalion, C.E.F., by Fred Bagley and Harvey Daniel Duncan, Plug Street Books, Calgary, 1993.

  The Canadian Y.M.C.A. in the Great War 1914-1918, by Charles W. Bishop, National Council of Young Men's Christian Associations of Canada, Toronto, 1924.

  History of No. 1 General Hospital, Canadian Expeditionary Force, by Kenneth Cameron, The Tribune Press, Sackville, NB, 1938.

  Extracts from the War Diary and Official Records of the Second Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column, by H. D. Clark, J. & A. McMillan, Saint John, N.B., 1921.

  A History of the Canadian Knights of Columbus Catholic Army Huts, by Rev. I. J. E. Daniel and Rev. D. A. Casey, 1922.

  No. 3 Canadian General Hospital (McGill), 1914-1919, by Robert Collier Fetherstonhaugh, Gazette Printing Company, Montreal, 1928.

  6th Battery, 2nd Brigade, C.F.A., by L. M. Firth, C. Georgi, Bonn, Germany, 1919.

  Historical Records of No. 8 Canadian Field Ambulance: Canada, England, France, Belgium, 1915-1919, by J. N. Gunn, Ryerson, Toronto, 1920.

  The 127th Battalion, C.E.F.: 2nd Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, by H. M. Jackson, Montreal, 1957.

  Battery Action!: the Story of the 43rd Battery, C.F.A., by Hugh R. Kay, George Magee and F. A. MacLennan, Warwick & Rutter, Toronto, 1920

  The History of the Fifty-fifth Battery, C.F.A., by D. C. MacArthur, H. S. Longhurst, Hamilton, 1919.

  Gun fire: a Historical Narrative of the 4th Bde. C.F.A. in the Great War (1914-1918), by J. A. MacDonald, Greenway Press, Toronto, 1929.

  The War and the 7th Bn. C.R.T, by J. R. O'Gorman, Mortimer, Ottawa, 1920. [Canadian Railway Troops]

  Soldiers of Christ: Canadian Catholic Chaplains, 1914-1918, by J. R. O'Gorman, Toronto, 1936.

  Canada's Black Battalion, No. 2 Construction 1916-1920, by Calvin W. Ruck, Society for Protection and Preservation of Black Culture in Nova Scotia, Halifax, 1986.

  The Diary of the 13th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, by C. Sifton, Canadian Newspaper Company, London, Ont., 1919.

  The 60th C.F.A. Battery Book, 1916-1919, Canada Newspaper Company in London, 1919.

  From the Rideau to the Rhine and Back: the 6th Field Company and Battalion Canadian Engineers in the Great War, by K. Weatherbe, Hunter Rose, Toronto, 1928.

  With the 4th Canadian Div'l Signal Coy. C.E. on Active Service [microform], filmed by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, Ottawa, 1996.

  Military, First World War, battles

  Ypres (1915)

  Gas!: the Battle for Ypres, 1915, by James L. McWilliams and R. James Steel, Vanwell Publishing, St. Catharines, Ontario, 1985.

  Beyond Courage: the Canadians at the Second Battle of Ypres, by George Cassar, Oberon, Ottawa, 1985.

  Welcome to Flanders Fields: the First Canadian Battle of the Great War: Ypres, 1915, by Daniel G. Dancocks, McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 1989.

  The Somme (1916)

  The Somme, by Anthony H. Farrar-Hockley, Batsford, London, England, 1964.

  Vimy (1917)

  Vimy, by Pierre Berton, McClelland and Stewart, Toronto, 1986.

  Canada and the Battle of Vimy Ridge 9-12 April 1917, by Brereton Greenhaus, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, 1992.

  Passchendaele (1917)

  They Called It Passchendaele: the Story of the Third Battle of Ypres and of the Men Who Fought in It, by Lyn Macdonald, M. Joseph, London, 1978.

  Legacy of Valour: The Canadians at Passchendaele, by Daniel G. Dancocks, Hurtig Publishers, Edmonton, 1986.

  Amiens (1918)

  The Battle of Amiens, 8-11 August 1918 (Canadian Battle Series No. 15), by Brereton Greenhaus, Balmuir Books, Toronto, 1995.

  Canada's Hundred Days; with the Canadian Corps from Amiens to Mons. Aug 8-Nov 11, 1918, by John Frederick Bligh Livesay, Thomas Allen, Toronto, 1919.

  Spearhead to Victory: Canada and the Great War, by Daniel G. Dancocks, Hurtig Publishers, Edmonton, 1987.

  Russian Intervention (1918-1919)

  Canadians in Russia, 1918-1919, by Roy MacLaren, Macmillan, Toronto, 1976.

  CSEF: Canada's Soldiers in Siberia, 1918-1919, by John Ernest Skuce, Access to History Publications, Ottawa, 1990.

  Allied Intervention in Russia, 1918-19, and the Part Canada Played, by John Swettenham, Ryerson, Toronto, 1967.

  Military, First World War, medals and citations

  The Military Cross (Awarded to the Canadian Expeditionary Force 1915-1921), by David K. Riddle and Donald G. Mitchell, Kirkby-Marlton Press, Winnipeg, 1991.

  The Distinguished Conduct Medal to the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1920, by David K. Riddle and Donald G. Mitchell, Kirkby-Marlton Press, Winnipeg, 1991.

  The Distinguished Service Order to the Canadian Expeditionary Force and Canadians in the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, 1915-1920, by David K. Riddle and Donald G. Mitchell, Kirkby-Marlton Press, Winnipeg, 1991.

  The Military Medal; Canadian Recipients, 1916-1922, by Harry and Cindy Abbink, Alison Publishing Company, Calgary, 1987.

  First World War online resources

  Library and Archives Canada

  Canada and the First World War (flickr)

  From Colony to Country: A Reader's Guide to Canadian Military History (archived)

  Mary Riter Hamilton: Traces of War (flickr)

  Military History

  Oral Histories of the First World War: Veterans 1914-1918 (archived)

  Personnel Records of the First World War

  Prime Ministers' Fonds (ArchiviaNet Research Tool) (archived)

  War Diaries of the First World War

  Other sources

  Canadian Military History Gateway

  Canadian Virtual War Memorial

  Canadian War Museum

  CBC Archives: The First World War – Canada Remembers

  Commonwealth War Graves Commission

  Indigenous Soldiers – Foreign Battlefields

  Military History Research Centre

  National Film Board: Front Lines

  Peace and War in the 20th Century

  The Canadian Letters and Images Project

  The Memory Project