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Military Monday: Second World War RCAF Service

Did someone in your family tree serve in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War? Between 1939 and 1945, the RCAF enlisted 232,000 men and 17,000 women.  How can you find out about their service?

As with other Canadian military personnel, the only WW2 service files openly available are for the 17,395 who died. A selection of documents from Canada’s war dead records for RCAF casualties is available on Ancestry.ca/.

Perhaps your ancestor received an award that you are not aware of. Names of the 8,736 members of the RCAF who received decorations and honours, almost half of whom received the Distinguished Flying Cross, are listed in the 3 volume history of the Air Force, as noted here. These publications are available online

The R.C.A.F. Overseas, Volume 1: The First Four Years: Page 393 onwards
The R.C.A.F. Overseas, Volume 2: The Fifth Year: Page 387 onwards
The RCAF Overseas: The Sixth Year: Page 497 onwards.

Most of those, and likely more, should be in the Canada Gazette. As shown in the extract below, recognition was not confined or restricted to male members of the RCAF or to those who served overseas.


A valuable resource and not to be overlooked is the  awards database of the RCAF Association. The entry for Nursing Sister Brown includes additional information on the locations where she served as well as the text of the commendation.

You may also find information in the various Royal Canadian Legion Military Service Recognition Books. Good for all military, not only RCAF, they are:

British Columbia/Yukon Command
www.dropbox.com/sh/sfuwolxzqyfanq4/AAB-eDD5P7Kbs7-ayCrBnw_ka?dl=0/
Fourteen volumes starting in 2006. PDFs are not searchable.

Alberta-NWT Command
abnwtlegion.com/in-the-community/military-service-recognition-books/
Eleven volumes starting in 2009.

Saskatchewan Command
sasklegion.ca/military-service-recognition-book/
Eleven volumes and a commemorative booklet were published starting in 2007.

Manitoba/Northwest Ontario Command
www.mbnwo.ca/fenety.htm
Ten volumes starting in 2010.

Ontario Command
www.on.legion.ca/remembrance/military-service-recognition-book/
Six volumes starting in 2014. A master index at www.on.legion.ca/docs/default-source/pdf/msr-book/msrb—names-listing.pdf?sfvrsn=299973f_4

Quebec Command
None found

New Brunswick Command
nb.legion.ca/veterans/military-service-recognition-book/
Thirteen bilingual volumes and a commemorative booklet is starting in 2003.

Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command
www.ns.legion.ca/index.php/veterans/veteran-service-recognition-book/
Fifteen volumes starting in 2005.

Prince Edward Island Command
peilegion.com/projects/military-service-recognition-booklet/
Fifteen volumes and a commemorative booklet is starting in 2003.

Newfoundland and Labrador Command
www.legionnl.com/forms-facts-faqs/lest-we-forget-books/
Seven volumes known as Lest We Forget Books starting in 2011.

No research on those who served with the air force would be complete without consulting the RCAF Operations and Record Books (LAC: Royal Canadian Air Force operations record books [textual records (some microform)] (bac-lac.gc.ca). Many of these records have been digitized and are available at Heritage-Canadiana (Héritage (canadiana.ca).

Nothing will replace a close look at a complete service file. There are restrictions under Privacy legislation, but find out more about accessing military service records at LAC here: Requests for Military Service Files – Library and Archives Canada (bac-lac.gc.ca)

Finally, check newspapers and history websites for the hometown for mention of enlistment, return and other newsworthy events.

Thanks to Glenn Wright for a review and advice.

 

 

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Co-Lab updates for September

Of Library and Archives Canada’s Co-Lab Challenges progress is reported on one since last month.

Although there has never been a lot of activity on these challenges, many having attracted no contributions, it may well be that the way into Co-Lab is too obscure on the new LAC website.

Summiting Mount Logan in 1925: Fred Lambart’s personal account of the treacherous climb and descent of the highest peak in Canada is 11% complete, up from 9% last month.

Travel posters in the Marc Choko collection remains 98% complete.

Women in the War remains 0% complete.

Arthur Lismer’s Children’s Art Classes remains 0% complete.

John Freemont Smith remains 93% complete.

Canadian National Land Settlement Association remains 98% complete.

Molly Lamb Bobak remains 93% complete.

Diary of François-Hyacinthe Séguin remains 99% complete.

George Mully: moments in Indigenous communities remains 0% complete.

Correspondence regarding First Nations veterans returning after the First World War remains 99% complete.

Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 remains 96% complete.

Legendary Train Robber and Prison Escapee Bill Miner remains 99% complete.

Japanese-Canadians: Second World War remains 0% complete.

The Call to Duty: Canada’s Nursing Sisters remains 92% complete.

Projects that remain 100% complete are no longer reported here.

Other unidentified Co-Lab activities not part of the Challenges may have happened.

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Sunday Sundries

Miscellaneous items I found of interest during the week.

Panic at the Library: The sinister history of fumigating “foreign” books.
If you’re wondering, https://guides.nyu.edu/coronavirus/handling-library-materials has results of studies on COVID-19.

Manors and Their Records: England and Wales

8 Books That Investigate Family History with Imagination

The Bird Migration Explorer

Slavery in Britain?
Under the heading Child “Care” – 1840s’  Style The Family History Federation Really Useful Bulletin copies the following from the British Newspaper Archive, also on Find My Past.

Stamford Mercury, 30 June 1843
A few days ago, Robert Stokes, baker, at Wansford, sold one of his children, an interesting girl two years of age, for three guineas! The unfeeling parent went into the Granby public house with his child, and whilst there a dealer in drapery goods, named John Turley, made his appearance, noticed the little girl, and asked Stokes whether he would sell her. To the astonishment of all present, a bargain was struck, and the child was transferred to the hawker, an Irishman, who said he had been living for 17 years at Oundle, but was about to return to Newry, in Ireland, his native place. Turley took away his bargain immediately and conveyed her in his cart to Stamford. The news soon spread thatthe baker had sold his child, and the mother became almost frantic. The female neighbours got together and warmly remonstrated with Stokes, who, perceiving that he was not likely to be treated by them in the most agreeable manner, promised to re-purchase his child and started in pursuit for that purpose. The hawker and his wife were fortunately found at the Woolpack inn at Stamford; and although, having no children of their own, they were delighted with the little girl, and would probably have taken better care of her than Stokes had shown a disposition to do, they were prevailed upon to restore the child to her father on the return of the “purchase money”.

Thanks to this week’s contributors: Anonymous, Brenda Turner, Bruce Murduck, Gail B., Glenn Wright, Helen Gillespie, Linda Reid, Teresa, Sylvia Smith, and Unknown.

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Canadian Records NEW on MyHeritage

As of 14 September, the following appeared on MyHeritage.

Canada, Nova Scotia Census, Property Assessments and Poll Taxes, 1770-1841
This collection is 69,772 records of individuals who were registered in lists of an assortment of early census, property assessments, and poll taxes between the years 1770 and 1841. Records typically include the name of the individual and the year and place of residence.

And © 2021, Government of Saskatchewan, Provincial Archives.

Canada, Saskatchewan Deaths, 1869-1951
63,735 FREE index records.

Canada, Saskatchewan Births, 1832-1921
950,875 FREE index records.

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Free access to British newspapers

The following was posted as an addendum to the weekly notice of updates from Findmypast.

“We are deeply saddened this week by the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and extend our deepest sympathies to the royal household at this time. We are commemorating her reign by allowing the public to explore her life and reign through our newspaper archives, entirely free of cost, from Friday 16 September at 10am to Tuesday 20 September at 10am. Discover her marvelous life in pictures through our blog, or take the opportunity to dive into the archives yourself, and see what wonderful stories you can find.”

It’s unclear whether this access is through the newspaper section on Findmypast, through the British Newspaper Archive, or both, and whether there are any limitation on searching. Explore and enjoy.

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Findmypast Weekly Update

National School Admission Registers & Log-Books 1870-1914
Find 8,817 additions for six schools in Halifax, Yorkshire, from 1875 to 1922. Five are infant schools: Queens Road, Salterhebble, St Joseph, St Mary, and Sunnyside. The other additions are for Warley Road Boys School. These are transcripts from the originals at West Yorkshire Archives.
Another 1,938 records are from Elmfield College, York, between 1874 and 1932, mostly up to 1914.
The National School Admission Registers & Log-Books collection now holds over nine million records

Lincolnshire Marriages and Banns
Nearly 40,000 records are added to this collection from 10 churches in the Isle of Axholme, North Lincolnshire:

St Oswold, Althorpe
St Norbert, Crowle
St Oswald, Crowle
St Bartholomew, Eastoft
St Nicholas, Haxey
St Oswald, Luddington
St Martin, Owston Ferry
St Mary the Virgin, West Butterwick
St Pancras, Wroot
This is a combination of transcription and in many cases images of the original register record with signatures of the bride, groom and witnesses.

Lincolnshire Monumental Inscriptions
Discover 65,636 monumental inscription transcripts, from 129 churches and chapels in Lincolnshire and one church in Nottinghamshire.

These transcriptions by the Lincolnshire Family History Society cover 1392 to 2022, often giving additional information such as parents’ names, next of kin, and burial location.

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Family Tree Magazine: October 2022

Here’s a selection of items from the October issue.

A TRAGIC INHERITANCE
David Swidenbank tells the sad story of an ancestor whose receipt of a generous inheritance led to his downfall.

ADMINISTRATIONS
Family Tree Academy tutor (and BIFHSGO conference speaker) David Annal sheds light on some little-used probate records at The National Archives. They are the Prerogative Court of Canterbury Administration Act Books and Administration Bonds.

WHAT’S THERE? WHAT ISN’T THERE?
Chris Paton dives into the records of Ireland’s new Virtual Treasury to find out what is actually available. His view is that while there’s much to applaud from such a novel and worldwide collaboration, but equally still a great deal to lament from the tragic loss of Ireland’s historical record.

THE TUDORS & THEIR HISTORY
Stephen Roberts reflects on the Tudor dynasty, the key players & events.

THINKING OF TRACING TUDOR-ERA ANCESTORS
Hints and tips on leads to help you leam about researching in the 16th century, which saw the start of Church of England records of baptisms, marriages and burials with Helen Tovey.

And that’s not to mention my contribution with information about an RAF maintenance man in Canada with the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

There’s much more.

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Canadian Newspaper News

The Ancestor Hunt Updates Canadian Newspaper Links by Province
In the past two weeks, Kenneth R Marks has been updating the Canadian newspaper links on The Ancestor Hunt site. To my knowledge, it’s by far and away the best way to find out about Canadian digitized newspapers across the scattered websites hosting them. Here are the starting pages for the various provinces and territories.

You don’t pay to access the site. However, to pay the bills the site is now monetized with ads .. lots and lots. While the ad blocker I’ve downloaded, but rarely use, will do a good job of  eliminating them from the list, that doesn’t seem quite right for such prodigious effort. If there were fewer ads the temptation would be less.

Student project creates accessible database of Canada’s first newspapers
A press release from the University of Toronto describes a project to create an accessible, free database of Canada’s first newspapers which they hope to launch next year.

Terrace Bay News
Terrace Bay, Ontario, in the Thunder Bay District, is 75 years old and the Public Library is digitizing the weekly Terrace Bay News from 1948 to today. Already 1948-1970 are online and full text searchable here.
via ODW Quarterly Newsletter, September 2022

Microfilm Newspapers at Library and Archives Canada
Does the new LAC website have you fumbling around trying to find the list by province, then alphabetically by community, they used to have. It’s changed. Now go to https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng/collection/research-help/pages/newspaper-collection.aspx

From there select a Region and enter the name of the community in the “Filter Items” seach box. I

Wouldn’t it be nice if this could be presented as a clickable map so we could easily see nearby communities that might have newspaper coverage of something you’re seeking?

Wouldn’t it be nice if LAC assumed its national leaderhip role under the Decentralized Plan for Canadian Neewspapers?

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mtDNA Matches

Here are counts year-by-year of my mtDNA full scan matches. I’m mtDNA Haplogroup H, the most common in the UK. To be precise, it’s H1bb

The peak from 2016 to 2018 matches that for Y-DNA tests. Data for 2022 is to 10 September.

My six exact matches were in 2022, 2021, 2019, 2017, 2014 and 2010. Partial matches, with mismatches at 1,2 and 3 bases, were in all years reported.

As with Y-DNA, FTDNA can alert you to significant mtDNA matches.

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British Union History

The Modern Records Centre at the University of Warwick announced the milestone of 100,000 pages of trade union journals digitised and made available online for free.

  • Agricultural workers (The Labourer, 1915-18, and The Land Worker, 1915-1950)
  • Railway workers (Railway Review, 1880-1892, 1907-1920, The Railway Express, 1890-1892; Railway Herald, 1896-1901, and The Railway Clerk, 1904, 1908-1918)
  • Merchant seamen (The Seaman, 1908, 1912-1946, and The International Seafarer, 1923-1930)
  • Travelling sales reps (On The Road, 1883-1920)
  • Postal workers (Postman’s Gazette, 1895-1918, and The Postal Mentor, 1902)
  • Local government employees (The Municipal Officer, 1911-20, and Public Employees Journal, 1929-1936)
  • Dockers (The Dockers Record, 1901-1914)
  • Boot and shoemakers (Monthly Reports, 1877-1886)
  • Asylum workers (NAWU Magazine, 1912-1929, and The Asylum News, 1906)
  • Printers (The Printer, 1843-1845, and Typographical Circular, 1874-1879)
  • Health service employees (Health Services Journal, 1946-1950)
  • Poor Law officials (Poor Law Gazette, 1923-1930)
  • Clerical staff (The Clerk, 1908-1912, 1916-1931, 1938-1939)
  • Scottish building and monumental workers (The Building and Monumental Workers’ Trade Journal, 1924-1935, 1939-1941)
  • Warehouse workers and co-op employees (New Dawn, 1921-1922, 1924-1928)
  • Foundry workers (Monthly Report and Journal, 1920-1923)
  • Clothiers (Clothiers Operatives’ Monthly Gazette, 1898-1900)
  • Transport and general workers (The Record, 1921-1931)
  • Engineering and shipbuilding draughtsmen (The Draughtsman, 1918-1920)
  • The Labour Prophet (1892-1897)
  • Firefighter (1932-2001)
  • local labour publications for York (1904-1906), Carlisle (1908-1910) and the Clyde (1916).

It’s page images that are available, they are not full text searchable. It’s worth a browse if you know someone of interest was associated with one of the trades covered.

https://warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/archives_online/digital/unionjournals/

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Search with Name/Initial Variants

Take a name and optional keywords and generate a set of name variants (for “John Paul Smith” you’d get John Smith, Smith John Paul, JP Smith, etc) and build search URLs for Google, Google Books, Google Scholar, and Internet Archive.

That’s the facilityTara Calishain, proprietor of ResearchBuzz, has built. She calls it  Carl’s Name Net in honour of one of her Patreon supporters.

I found some oddball hits new to me among many that were the “wrong” person. Worth a try!

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Philemon Wright and his Town

The Historical Society of Ottawa presents live and in person, on Wednesday, 14 September at 1 pm in the Ottawa Public Library, Main Branch Auditorium.

Philemon Wright and his Town, by Rick Henderson.

Wright carved a settlement from the Ottawa Valley wilderness over two centuries ago. His was a saga emblematic of the beginnings of Canada’s industrial development.

Rick Henderson is author of Walking in the Footsteps of Philemon Wright, and Capital Chronicles blog; great-great-great-great-grandson of Philemon Wright

All are welcome to attend without charge.

https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/activities/events/eventdetail/78/16,17,19,21/philemon-wright-and-his-town