How are websites useful?
Understanding general facts about military history will make your research that much more effective since you can put the facts you find into context. There are many websites that contain authoritative information on the history of our armed forces.
Since national defence is within the federal jurisdiction, most of the resources on this page are from our national archives, Library and Archives Canada. There are also authoritative websites from international organizations, the provincial archives, and local groups.
Visit the links on the right to explore Canada's miltary history:
General Military Websites
This website from Library and Archives Canada outlines Canada's military heritage from the 17th century up until the Second World War. Each time period or major conflict has its own page, and many databases and digitized records are available from this site.
Directorate of History and Heritage
The directorate of the National Defense Department preserves and promotes Canadian military history and heritage.
First World War Websites
This page from Library and Archives Canada includes databases, links, aids, and tips to assist researchers with researching WWI soldiers.
Canada and the First World War - We Were There
From Library and Archives Canada, this page is very useful as it aids researchers in understanding the experiences of specific individuals during the First World War. Photos and digitized records provide examples of the experiences of individuals. By reading their stories, you will become more familiar with how records you find in databases and archives relate to one another to tell an individuals' First World War story.
Canada and the First World War - War Diaries
From Library and Archives Canada, this website aids researchers with understanding the CEF War Diaries. These accounts of the "actions in the field" tell of the experiences of the unit as a whole and provide a first-hand record of how and where that unit was deployed. Examples from specific battles (such as Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele) show researchers how the information in the War Diaries can be interpreted.
The WFA formed to further interest in the Great War. Established by a military historian, the goal is to educate the public in the history of the experiences on the Western Front. This website is an expansive reference that includes essays, maps, and photos.
From Enlistment to Burial Records: The Canadian Expeditionary Force in the First World War
This blog post from Library and Archives Canada outlines research tips on how to search for WWI service files.
This research guide was created by the Lambton County Archives when the Archivist consulted for the LCCVI History Club's project on writing biographical essays on local First World War soldiers for the Lest We Forget Project. The research guide contains tips, links, and databases for researching a soldier from WWI.
Commemorating the Hundredth Anniversary of World War I
This site from the Archives of Ontario contains resources from their collection relating to World War I.
Archives Association of Ontario: WWI Resources
This page from the Archives Association of Ontario provides a collection of links to WWI projects across the province.
Second World War Websites
This page from Library and Archives Canada includes databases and links to assist researchers with researching WWII soldiers. As the only open records are those who died in service, researchers should keep this in mind when searching for records.
From Enlistment to Burial Records Part II: The Canadian Forces in the Second World War
This blog post from Library and Archives Canada outlines research tips on how to search for WWII service files.
Sarnia Collegiate Institute & Technical School World War II Memorial Project
This project was created by students at SCITS high school in Sarnia to honour former students who gave their lives during World War II. Taken from the memorial plaque hanging in the school, students created an alphabetical list of soldiers and linked to their Canadian Virtual War Memorial record. The "List of Names" serves as a wonderful resource which identifies a group of Sarnia's soldiers.
