Sources for Further Research

Fighting a war is a federal responsibility, and therefore the majority of records relating to Canada's formal involvement in the Great War, including military service files, can be found at the national archives, Library and Archives Canada (LAC). One major exception are records relating to Newfoundland's involvement, which can be found at the provincial archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (see below). [Newfoundland did not become Canada's tenth province until 1949.]

Federal records relating to the Great War can be found in the Ministry of Militia and Defence (RG 9), the Ministry of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada (RG 150), the records of the Prime Minister (Sir Robert Borden - MG 26), as well as records of other major figures including Arthur William Currie (MG 30), Sir Sam Hughes (MG 27-IID23), Sir George Perley (MG 27-IID12) and Sir Edward Kemp (MG 27-IID9). LAC has also created an online database of attestation papers (see below).

Newfoundland, then an independent colony of Great Britain, officially responded to the war effort on 8 August 1914. Both a public meeting and a special session of the Newfoundland Legislature supported the war effort. Materials relating to Newfoundland soldiers can be found in the Newfoundland and Labrador Archives at The Rooms; they have also created an online database of soldiers (see below).

Records of private individuals and some organizations may be found in archives across the country: one useful source to begin any search is ArchivesCanada, the national database of archival holdings (http://www.archivescanada.ca )

In Saskatchewan, the provincial archives (Saskatchewan Archives Board) holds some material relating specifically to Saskatchewan servicemen, including nominal rolls of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (found in the Department of Public Works records); the Regina Rifle Regiment, the Royal Canadian Legion, the British Empire Service League, and the Saskatchewan Provincial Command.

The University of Saskatchewan Archives holds materials specifically relating to University faculty, staff and students who enlisted (see http://library.usask.ca/archives/campus-history/world-war-i.php for a database of names); materials relating to "Military Matters" on campus; the Belgian Relief Fund; the Canadian Officers Training Corps; and other material. Most of these are available in the records of the first president, Walter Murray. Both the provincial archives and the University Archives also have numerous photographs relating to the War, as will virtually every other archives in the country.

• Bibliography/Selected Reading