Recruiting the CEF

[chris.wight]

I find it can be very confusing when trying to understand what happened to certain battalions, or individual men from the battalion number listed on their attestation papers.

Are there any books which really go into detail about how the CEF was recruited through the whole period of the war (and what happened to the battalions that were formed)?

I've seen some discussions here mentioning that service number blocks were assigned to the various battalions. How were the blocks assigned? Also I've seen some attestation papers which have more than one service number on it - why?

Is there any way of tracking where men who were assigned to a battalion broken up in the UK ended up. For example I was looking at the War diary of the 13th Bn where they mentioned a man who won a DCM. When I looked up his attestation paper, the battalion listed was the 119th. Doing it the opposite way I wouldn't have been able to discover he was a member of the 13th.

[David_Bluestein]

I can’t shed any light on how the service number blocks were assigned, except to say that CEF numbers can actually act a very important, and easy guide for the researcher.

They can tell us precisely what battalion a soldier enlisted too. (An enlistment unit will point the researcher to embarkation rolls and other related info for that battalion that will enhance your knowledge of the soldier in question) The army tried to keep men from the same geographical area together even after drafted to ‘serviceable’ battalions at the front.

So for instance a man who enlisted into the 35th (Toronto) Battalion would (in most cases) go to an Ontario Battalion serving in France, like the 3rd or 4th Battalion’s. The 13th Battalion, Royal Highlanders was created originally from militia units raised in Montreal, Quebec and parts of Eastern Ontario. So it is not surprising that the 119th, raised in North/Eastern Ontario would have drafted men to the 13th Battalion.

Hope some of that helps. I’m sure one of our other Canadian Pals will be able to further shed light on this subject.

[mordac]

Are there any books which really go into detail about how the CEF was recruited through the whole period of the war (and what happened to the battalions that were formed)?

Hi Chris:

I highly recommend 'A Call to Arms: The Organization and Administration of Canada's Military in World War One' written by David W. Love (or as my friend Broz would say "9 point Love"). It's published by Bunker To Bunker Books (ISBN: 189425503-8) 349 pages. This is a MUST HAVE book if you're planning on doing some serious CEF research. It will answer most if not all of your questions.

Garth

[chris.wight]

Thanks David, and Garth for your replies!

I'll put in an order for the book tomorrow.

"Nine Point Love" eh, sounds like there must be a story there.

[museumtom]

I picked up a great little book that was privately published by Edward H Wigney called 'Serial Numbers of the C.E.F'.

It shows where each number block was recruited and what their units were.

I can do a look up for you.

Tom.

[mordac]

"Nine Point Love" eh, sounds like there must be a story there. 

Hi Chris:

You'll see. The book is written in 9 point type. That's why Broz was so happy to get a magnifying glass for is birthday!! You won't be sorry you bought Love's book.

Tom - Ted's book is great to have on hand for a quick reference. Bet I use it half a dozen times a week.

Garth

[Broznitsky]

I've seen some attestation papers which have more than one service number on it - why?

Is there any way of tracking where men who were assigned to a battalion broken up in the UK ended up.

As David indicates, generally speaking the regimental number will provide some good geographic clues as to the man's service history. But there are always many exceptions to this guideline. As the war dragged on and casualties increased, men could be placed into whichever battalion had the most urgent need at the time.

As Garth states, Love's book is a gem, although it has inaccuracies. Also, I must clarify that I call him "6 Point Love," as the font is that small!! Hence the need for magnifying glass, courtesy of beloved wife.

There was some renumbering of blocks, for example the 41st Btn was orginally given 411000 onwards, but this had to be changed to 416-417 due to some cockup back in Canada, hence attestations with numbers stroked out or overwritten.

You are right Chris, some men have more than one number, I have seen as many as three. Don't quite know all the reasons for that. I bet Bill Alexander can offer some thoughts.

As I often repeat ad nauseum, the only sure way of knowing a man's history is to order his service records from NAC.

Peter in Vancouver

P.S. Garth, does Wigney's book give anything else that Love's doesn't?

[mordac]

P.S.  Garth, does Wigney's book give anything else that Love's doesn't?

Hi Broz:

The beauty of 'Serial Numbers of the C.E.F.' is it lists all the numbers sequentially. That's the only problem with 'A Call to Arms,' there's no sequential list. You can spend 15 minutes looking for a number that belongs with the CAVC. So you check the number in Wigney's book, find the unit and then go to Love's book for the details.

It's structured in columns that list Serial Number, Unit, MD, Mobilized, Area, and Notes. For example:

108051-109050, 3 CMR, 13, Medicine Hat, Alta, changed from 3001-4000

166001-169000, 2nd Pnr Bn, 2, Toronto, Ont/NB/PQ, Includes base depot

Garth

P. S. - I have a copy of Ted's book at home and another at work. Not that I get a chance to use the work copy that often.

[chris.wight]

Tom, thanks for your kind offer - I'll take you up on it the next time I get stumped on a number.

Peter the font is that small, hmm, I'll see if being near sighted is a help then. What you say about service records being the best source of information makes sense to me, and I will keep that in mind.

The type of information all of you have provided make this forum a great resource. I've always been interested in the CEF, but getting books, and information isn't the easiest thing to do unless you know what's out there. I only came across the on-line service records last year, and the war diaries this year - what a great resource they are. Really I find doing research becomes addictive.

I've got another question related to Canadian War Memorials that you find in every town. Are there any standard criteria as to who is commemorated on them? Why I ask is that I went to the Memorial in my town, and decided to research those listed. Some whose papers I have checked, have no apparent link to the town - no parents here, not born here, etc.

There is one name singled out on the plaque, Lt Henry Cuthbert Stuart, DCM who was killed Sept 9th, 1916. He was a member of the 2nd Battalion, machine gun section noted on his papers. Since he has a service number, I assume (dangerous) he rose from the ranks. Stuart was born in Trois-Rivieres, and his parents remained there during the war. I believe he was the brother of Gen Ken Stuart of WW2.

[Broznitsky]

doing research becomes addictive.

Since he has a service number, I assume (dangerous) he rose from the ranks.

Welcome to the addicts Chris!

I think it is safe to assume he rose from the ranks. Men without service numbers seem to have joined as officers.

[marc leroux]

Hi Chris,

I'm also a new addition to the list of the addicted, so welcome! My library of Great War books has grown tremendously in the past 4 months; we are now at the point where my wife jsut rolls her eyes when I propose a trip up to Canada to "visit" friends and relatives.

I encountered the same problem that you did when I started researching those on the Cenotaph in the area I grew up in. First, it was a rural farming community, and some of the names were from small places, miles away, that had undergone name changes or been assimilated into larger towns.

The second problem was with names that came from places that made no sense. Then I started to go through the archives of the local newspaper, and found, for instance, a youth born in Nova Scotia, killed at Vimy (2 days short of his 20th birthday) was the son of a man that had moved to the area to manage a local textile company. I believe the manager later moved away, but the son was "from the area" when he enlisted. Others had migrated out west, so they were born in my area, but no longer lived there.

I have a number of others that I can find no reason why they might be included, but I suspect they, or there parents, were in the area at the time they were killed.

marc

[chris.wight]

Hi Marc,

I just left you a short reply on the CEF Pals' thread.

Thanks for the Welcome! The numbers of my books is on the increase as well (though I do have a couple of competing interests for WW1 book money - rail fan/movie buff - which makes it harder).

That makes sense Marc about the fellow or their families being in the area for a short time only, thus making the link harder to find. Persistence pays off at times though - you must have been pleased to come across the link in the newspaper, makes the effort worthwhile.

I'll keep at it.

[chris.wight]

I just got Love's book - it's great!!!