regiments like the Queen’s Own Rifles and the 48th Highlanders are good examples of the result of this change in policy. It soon became fashionable for young gentlemen with money to join one of the more prestigious militia regiments. By 1870–71 the remaining British regiments were withdrawn and Canada found itself responsible for its own defence. However, when necessary, Britain did send regiments back to Canada during periods of international or internal tension, such as during the Red River and North West Rebellions.
Canada’s involvement in the Boer War heralded our first real military involvement beyond our own borders. Of course, by the end of the First World War Canadian soldiers proved that they were ready to be called upon to serve with distinction anywhere the country needed them. Unfortunately, this call would come again a mere two decades after the end of the “war to end all wars.”
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The discovery that an ancestor served during one of the major conflicts in our history is exciting. To find a family name on a Loyalist muster roll, a Canada General Service Medal with an ancestor’s name engraved on it, a set of First World War attestation papers, or a box of Second World War medals says that one of our ancestors faced challenging events beyond the scope of everyday living.
It could have been that an ancestor served with a British regiment and chose to remain in Canada following his discharge or had seen service with one of the Provincial Corps established during the American Revolution and later applied for a land grant in Canada. You may discover that an ancestor served with a Canadian regiment during the First or Second World Wars, or with the 1st Polish Armoured Division attached to the Canadian Army in Northwest Europe. Polish Canadians who may have fought alongside our troops can access their records at The General Sikorski Institute and Museum, 20 Princess Gate, London, SW7, www.pism.co.uk/archive/archive-documents.html.
During times of peace or even insurrection, your ancestors may have served in the sedentary, active, or incorporated militia as part-time soldiers. You might even discover that a distant ancestor decided to join one of the early Fencible Regiments and saw more extensive action. It’s exciting to discover an ancestor had seen action in one of the major battles of the War of 1812, fought the Fenians at Ridgeway in 1866, served on the Nile in 1884, or went west to fight the Métis during the Red River Rebellion in 1870 and again in 1885 during the North West Rebellions. There is a very strong likelihood that someone in your family served during the South African Boer War (1899–1902), First World War (1914–18), or Second World War (1939–45). Your female ancestors may have served as a nursing sister or with the Royal Flying Corps as a driver in the Second World War or even in the army, navy, or air force during the Second World War. Remember, some of our ancestors also served on sea and in the air throughout many of the conflicts mentioned in this resource guide. You will want to understand the events in which your distant relatives lived their lives and served their country.
The purpose of this educational resource guide is to offer archival, library, and computer resources that will provide the family historian with the tools to commence your own search for your ancestor’s personal military history and surround his or her name with the appropriate context. I hope to provide you with the shovel to let you do the digging!
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The limited scope of this guide precludes any in-depth history of battles and wars. That is left to the professional military historian. The study of our military history, excluding wars and battles, can be compared to studying a new and unfamiliar culture with its own customs, laws, and mores. I have, however, attempted to provide a basic knowledge of military structure at one particular point in history.
Each military event also includes an introduction to a research subject as a focus for discovering the records. I trust this makes the guide more personal and relevant.
I have focused only on the periods of our history when we were involved in active military events. A brief outline of these events introduce each chapter. Each chapter ends with resources and a bibliography that researchers can use to acquire more knowledge about the events.
I have also included additional information that I hope will be of some use to those family historians who have discovered old photographs, documents, uniforms, and other “militaria” owned by their ancestors. An old uniform; rank, skill at arms, or trade badges; hat badges or collar dogs; pieces of webbing; and especially old medals all tell us something about the times in which our ancestors served. Medals, in particular, are the one item that our ancestors tended to keep and, for this reason, I have included pictures of the type of medal you might expect to find in a family collection.
Finding a family name on a monument, muster roll, medal, land grant application, or any other resource is not the end of the search. You need to prove that person is your relative by consulting other sources. This guide deals only with military records and assumes that you will also include in your final product references to vital statistics, census returns, land records, and church registers.
You will soon discover that researching military records requires that you learn about a whole new “culture” with its own language, structure, and customs. For instance, the title A Call to the Colours refers to the flags that every regiment holds in esteem: the king’s or queen’s colours and regimental colours. In early periods, both flags were carried into battle as a rallying point for the men of the regiment. In later wars they were given into the care of the regimental garrison church for safekeeping until hostilities ended. Our early militia’s colours were often made by some of the women in the community. During the War of 1812, for instance, these ladies joined what was referred to as a “Loyal and Patriotic Society,” made clothes for the troops, conducted fundraising activities, and, in the case of the 3rd Regiment of York Militia, sewed its colours. Every regiment in Canada has a set of colours (also referred to as standards), often bearing the names of past battle honours. These flags are well worth viewing, especially if your ancestor served with one of these regiments during a past war.
Many of the regiments your ancestors might have known still exist, either on their own or through amalgamation with another unit. Most have headquarters in various cities throughout the country and websites highlighting the history of the regiment. These regimental websites can offer a wealth of information and sometimes provide resource material to help with your search.
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Searching for your military ancestors and placing them in historical context can be a rewarding experience. Good luck and I hope that this resource guide helps you start the search for your military ancestors.
NOTES
1. Anna Jameson, Winter Studies and Summer Rambles (reprinted by Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1990), 49–50.
PREFACE
How to Make the Best Use of This Guide
Your family history comes alive, then you add details about events that had an impact on your ancestors’ lives — the battles, equipment used, medals earned, or interesting family stories — all create historical context. Otherwise, the history is merely a collection of names and a list of vital statistics: birth, marriage, death.
Throughout this book, many websites or textbooks have been referred to as potential sources of information. Only include any web address as a source after you have verified the material. There are six basic online resources:
• national archival web pages
• provincial archival web pages
• city, historical society, and museum websites
• free information sources prepared by either organizations or individuals
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