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INTRODUCTION

Prior to the rebellions of 1837, Anna Jameson toured Upper Canada and recorded her impressions in a book entitled Winter Studies and Summer Rambles. Her text offers Canadian historians an interesting glimpse into the early development of the Province of Ontario. For anyone interested in military history, she recorded the following review of an early militia muster in the community of Erindale, just west of Toronto. It speaks volumes about the state of our country’s early military preparedness.

On a rising ground above the river which ran gurgling and sparkling through the green ravine beneath, the motley troops, about three or four hundred men, were marshalled — no, not marshalled, but scattered in a far more picturesque fashion hither and thither. A few men, well mounted, and dressed as lancers, in uniforms which were, however, anything but uniform, flourished backward on the green sward, to the manifest peril of the spectators; themselves and their horses, equally wild, disorderly, spirited, undisciplined: but was perfection compared to the infantry. Here there was no uniformity attempted of dress, of appearance, of movement; a few had coats, others jackets; a greater number had neither coats nor jackets, but appeared in their shirt sleeves, white or checked, or clean or dirty, in edifying variety! Some wore hats others caps, others their own shaggy heads of hair. Some had firelocks, some had old swords suspended in belts, or stuck in their waistbands; but the greater number shouldered sticks or umbrellas.

Mrs. M. told us that on a former parade day she heard the word of command given thus — “Gentlemen with the umbrellas take ground to the right! Gentlemen with the walking sticks take ground to the left!” Now they ran after each other elbowed and kicked each other, straddled, stooped, chattered; and if the commanding officer turned his back for a moment, very cooly sat down on the bank to rest. Not to laugh was impossible, and defied all power of face.[1]

Militia drilling, Elora, Ontario. Archives Ontario, C 286-1-0-6-31.

From the earliest days of this country, our ancestors were required to perform some form of military service, often as militia. At least once a year, or as commanded by the military authorities, all able-bodied men between the ages of sixteen and sixty were required by law to muster for military training. Indeed, a myth developed that, during the various conflicts it endured, this country was saved by the local militia. It is hard to believe, after reading Anna Jameson’s account, that the men who mustered in Erindale in 1837 were capable of stopping a determined enemy or eventually serving, as many of their descendents did, in major world conflicts. Or that many of these men had ancestors who had served during the War of 1812 or even farther back in time during the American Revolution. But they did.

By 1856 the British government had decided that it was about time for their North American colonies to take more responsibility for their own defence. Many of the British regiments that had been stationed in the colonies had been withdrawn during the Crimean War, and British taxpayers were already overburdened. So a more professional militia was recommended for Canada. Uniforms, arms, equipment, and professional training were provided by England and our militia took on a more professional look. Militia 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.