- Reaction score
- 5
- Points
- 430
One of the effects of maintaining my website is the periodic appearance in my e-mail in-box of questions which inquire about how to learn more about the First World War activities of the senders' family members. The opening questions often make it clear that it is their first inquiry and they have identified no logical starting point to learn more about their father, grandfather, great-uncle, etc. in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF).
I have quite often typed out, or edited from previous versions, responses introducing them to the various Library and Archives Canada databases, the Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group, the Great War Forum and other resources. Over time I came to realize that many of the sites I have come to draw upon are not easily found, and take some guidance to navigate.
In the interests of establishing better guidance to the introductory stages of researching CEF soldiers, I have been working on a basic set of instructions, a sort of "Researching CEF Soldiers 101" to share with others. Over the past few days, I've knocked together a set of six pages and added them to my website.
Researching Canadian Soldiers of the First World War
Part 1: Find your Man (or Woman)
Part 2: The Service Record
Part 3: Court Martial Records
Part 4: War Diaries and Unit Histories
Part 5: Casualties
Part 6: Researching Honours and Awards
Part 7: Deciphering Battlefield Location Information
Part 8: More Mapping Information
Part 9: Matching Battlefield Locations to the Modern Map
(Comments, suggestions, and the pointing out of the inevitable typos welcome.)
I have quite often typed out, or edited from previous versions, responses introducing them to the various Library and Archives Canada databases, the Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group, the Great War Forum and other resources. Over time I came to realize that many of the sites I have come to draw upon are not easily found, and take some guidance to navigate.
In the interests of establishing better guidance to the introductory stages of researching CEF soldiers, I have been working on a basic set of instructions, a sort of "Researching CEF Soldiers 101" to share with others. Over the past few days, I've knocked together a set of six pages and added them to my website.
Researching Canadian Soldiers of the First World War
Part 1: Find your Man (or Woman)
Part 2: The Service Record
Part 3: Court Martial Records
Part 4: War Diaries and Unit Histories
Part 5: Casualties
Part 6: Researching Honours and Awards
Part 7: Deciphering Battlefield Location Information
Part 8: More Mapping Information
Part 9: Matching Battlefield Locations to the Modern Map
(Comments, suggestions, and the pointing out of the inevitable typos welcome.)