Personnel records of the First World War

There are about 622,000 CEF service files. Most files are between 25 and 75 pages long. The shorter files are usually for people who were drafted or enlisted later in the war.

These service files contain documents about

• enlistment (attestation)
• movements between units and overseas
• medical, dental and hospitalization history
• discipline
• pay
• medal entitlements
• discharge or notification of death

The original files had more documents and correspondence, mostly about pension and disability claims. These documents were destroyed sometime after the Second World War. All the remaining documents are in the digitized files in this database.

Attestation papers and enlistment forms

• CEF volunteers completed a two-sided attestation paper when they joined.
• Men who were drafted under the provisions of the Military Service Act (1917) completed a simpler one-sided form.
• Officers completed a one-sided form called the Officers’ Declaration Paper.

Three copies of the attestation papers were completed. The CEF service file includes one copy, except for those who ended up not serving. Another set of the attestation papers was bound in registers (RG9-II-B-8, volumes 1 to 654). In an earlier project, those documents were digitized and linked to the database entries.

About CEF Files

CEF files indicate the units people belonged to and the locations of their postings in the United Kingdom. They do not include details about battles or locations in Europe. To find this information, find the unit (or units) in the person’s service file, then search for the unit(s) in the War Diaries of the First World War. Those diaries give details about locations and battles.

First World War service files do not contain photographs. The military did not take pictures of service members when they enlisted. Commercial photographers or family members took the majority of photographs of individuals for personal use.

Some Canadian nurses were not part of the CEF. Many served with British military and civilian units. In these cases, the person will not have a CEF service file.

During the war, units of the Non-Permanent Active Militia (NPAM) performed military tasks in Canada, such as guarding armouries, bridges and canals.

There are about 8,800 surviving NPAM service files. Most are less than 20 pages long. They include documents about

• enlistment
• medical history
• discipline
• pay
• discharge

They may also include post-war correspondence about eligibility for war service gratuities and other service-related issues.

The NPAM sometimes used the same attestation form as the CEF. For this reason, many of the NPAM attestation papers have “Canadian Expeditionary Force” or “Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force” at the top of the form. This does not mean that the person enlisted in the CEF.

This record group also contains a small number of files not related to NPAM. There are files for some members of the following:

• the Permanent Force
• the CEF, before going overseas
• the Royal Flying Corps (Canadians in the British air service)
• some nursing sisters and other members of the Canadian Army Medical Corps

There are about 6,700 service files. Most files are more than 100 pages long and have documents such as

• attestation papers
• medical forms
• conduct sheets
• movement cards
• pay documents
• correspondence with Newfoundland’s Department of Militia

Digitized copies of these files are available at:

• The Rooms (the provincial archives of Newfoundland and Labrador)
• Héritage

Shortly after the British declared war in August 1914, Canada offered an initial contingent of 25,000 men. This first contingent gathered at a camp in Valcartier, Quebec, before going overseas.

These are the files of the volunteers who were rejected for service at the Valcartier camp.

There are about 3,280 files. Most files only contain an attestation paper. This includes the reason for rejection if the person was rejected on medical grounds.

Canadians who served with the British Imperial Forces were entitled to a gratuity (payment) for war service overseas. See the Scope and Content section of the record description for more information.

There are about 16,800 Imperial Gratuities case files. They are between 20 and 50 pages long and include information about

• the service person
• their family dependents
• units
• dates of service
• payment of the gratuity
  

These are not service files. Records of members of the British Forces are in the custody of the National Archives in the United Kingdom.

Digitized copies of the Imperial Gratuities case files are available in the Canada, Imperial War Service Gratuities, 1919–1921 dataset on Ancestry. This subscription website is available free at LAC and many public libraries.

These forms list a service member’s details of service. Most of the entries are taken from unit Part II Daily Orders. The orders are the administrative directives concerning the movement of individuals into and out of each unit for reasons such as

• leave
• hospitalization
• transfers
• arrival in England and postings to training camps there
• movement to and from France or Belgium
• demobilization, departure and discharge

They also record details about

• promotions or reductions in rank
• changes in financial or ration allowances
• punishment awarded for service offences
• illness and injuries
• wounded or killed in action

Each unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force issued these daily orders. They are arranged by unit and date in Record Group (RG) 150, Series 1. However, each entry for an individual mentioned in the orders is also placed separately on his service record with a reference to the corresponding order number (see remarks column in the first image). Since the information is duplicated in the person’s service file, there is no need to consult the daily orders in Series 1.

The columns on this these two forms are:

• Report date (first column)
  • Date on which a specific report concerning 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; the authority to be quoted in each case (third column)
  • Information about the individual which has been noted in the unit administrative orders.
• Place (fourth column)
  • Place where the action noted occurred.
• Date (fifth column)
  • Date on which the noted action took place. It should not be confused with the earlier date, which referred only to the report being made (first column).
• Remarks (sixth column)
  • Reference to Part Il Order or other document in which the action is also recorded.

Understanding the abbreviations and terminology

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, recording the individual’s departure from one unit and entry into another, with the dates on which they occurred.

The term in the field means in France or Belgium.

A Memorial Cross card was created when a member of the Canadian Expeditionary Force died while in service.

The first line provides the name of the service member, and their regimental number, rank and unit.

Understanding the abbreviations

• Medals & Decs: Name and address of the next-of-kin to which the service member’s medals and decorations are sent
• P. & S.: Memorial Plaque and Scroll. Issued to the next-of-kin as a commemoration of the service member’s sacrifice in the service of the King
• Mem. Cross: Memorial Cross issued to the mother and/or widow of the deceased service member (also seen as "Cross of Sacrifice")

The other dates on the card refer to when the scroll and plaque were sent to the next-of-kin. The handwritten date refers to when the medals and decorations were sent (M). The number (C28869) is the number of the Medal Roll on which the awards were registered in the soldier's name.

Definition of next-of-kin

The recipient of the award was the next-of-kin of the deceased at the time of the award was sent out.

The order of next-of-kin is as follows:

1. widow
2. eldest surviving son
3. eldest surviving daughter
4. father
5. mother
6. eldest surviving brother, and so on, to the eldest surviving aunt on the mother's side

A medal card indicates the service medals the person was entitled to.

The sample medal card is from the service file of 718608, Frederic Charles Davies. He was killed in action March 4, 1918, on the Western Front. Davies received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, but he was not eligible for the 1914-1915 Star.

In the upper right corner, there is a capital B, with a check mark through it. The "B" denotes that Davies was awarded the British War Medal, and the check mark indicates that it was sent out.

• In the upper right corner, there is a capital B, with a check mark through it. The "B" denotes that Davies was awarded the British War Medal, and the check mark indicates that it was sent out.
• In the same corner is a capital V, also with a check mark. The "V" denotes he was awarded the Victory Medal, and the check mark indicates that it was sent out.
• There is no mark for the 1914-1915 Star, because he was not eligible since he enlisted in 1916.