CEF Study Group - List of Recommended Great War Websites - 2020 Edition (Richard Laughton)

[Borden Battery]

The CEF Study Group will be publishing the next edition of the "List of Recommended Great War Websites - 31 December 2020" edition before the end of the calendar year.  This edition will be dedicated to one of the late moderators of the CEF Study Group Discussion Forum – Mr. Richard Laughton.

 

Many of the original members of the CEF Study Group discussion forum came from the “Canadian Pals” on the Great War Forum.

 

This List is intended to facilitate the study, sharing of information and discussion related to the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) and all other participants in the Great War – in an “Open Source” mode.

 

The function of the CEF Study Group List of Recommended Great War Websites (circa 2005) is to serve as a directory for the reader of the Great War. These websites have been vetted and grouped into logical sections. Each abstract, in general, attempts to provide a "key word" search to find websites of immediate interest.

 

The document is over 200 pages and includes about 750 Great War websites.  Advanced Adobe pdf copies are available upon request to Borden Battery of the Great War Forum.

 

                                                    -   Table of Contents   -

Guide for Researching a Great War Soldier

Recommended Great War Books and Book Reviews

 

CEF - General Research Websites - Part 1

CEF - Canadian Government Websites - Part 2

 

General Great War Websites

 - CEF - General Websites - Part 3(a)

 - BEF - General Websites - Part 3(b)

 - AIF - General Websites - Part 3(c)

 - AEF, French & Other General Websites - Part 3(d)

 - General Research Websites - Part 3(e)

 

Individual Great War Soldier Websites/Videos - Part 4

CEF Battalion & Regimental Websites - Part 5

Newfoundland, Allied Battalion & Regimental Websites - Part 6

Great War Discussion Forums - Part 7

 

Miscellaneous Great War Websites - Part 8

Great War Weapons & Railway Websites - Part 9Great War Photographic & Mapping Websites - Part 10

Great War Art and Paintings Websites - Part 11

General Great War Nominal Roll Websites - Part 12

 

Great War Air Force Websites - Part 13

General Medical Websites - Part 14

Great War Honour Websites - Part 15

Great War Reference Book Websites - Part 16

 

Great War Documents Websites - Part 17

General Great War Naval Websites - Part 18

General Great War - Eastern Front - Part 19

General Great War Artillery - Part 20

 

Great War Medals & Collections - Part 21

General Great War Middle East - Part 22

Chemical Warfare Websites - Part 23

German & Austrian Great War Websites - Part 24

 

Belgium General Great War Websites - Part 25

Great War Blog Sites - Part 26

Great War Document Download Websites - Part 27

Great War Poetry - Part 28

 

Internet YouTube/Lecture Websites on Great War - Part 29

Great War Academic - Part 30

List of the 260 Canadian Battalions of the Great War – Part 31

 

 

 

 

 

[Borden Battery]

Here is a small sample of the type of websites included in the full List.  Borden Battery

 

General Medical Websites - Part 14

_________________________________________________________________________

 

War Story of the Canadian Army Medical Corps

This is a very comprehensive "on-line" book on the Canadian Army Medical Corps during the Great War. This on-line book of some 300 pages [with text, figures and footnotes] includes the following chapters an Introduction, Rise of the CAMC, Assembly at Valcartier, Salisbury Plain, With the BEF in France, Second Battle of Ypres (Gas), Festubert, Givenchy, Plugstreet, Establishment of Hospitals in France, Stationary Hospitals and Other Medical Units. [Recommendation by marc leroux / www.canadianGreatWarProject.com] [CEF Study Group – Sept 2020]

http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/adami/camc/camc.html                                                   

 

The C.A.M.C. With the Canadian Corps During the Last Hundred Days of the Great War

The 1924 scanned document describes the actions of the Canadian Army Medical Corps during the Last Hundred Days of the Great War.  One quarter of the total casualties of the Canadian Corps occurred during this period. [Recommended by Tighe McManus] [CEF Study Group – Sept 2020]

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/military-history/history-heritage/official-military-history-lineages/official-histories/book-1924-medical-corps.html

 

The Royal Army Medical Corps

The Royal Army Medical Corps was formed on the 23rd June 1898. The formation was the merger of the former Medical Staff with the Medical Staff Corps thus uniting the Senior Officers with the lower ranks. This website provides general overview sections, medical units and personal soldier profiles from each unit. [CEF Study Group – Sept 2020]

http://ramc-ww1.com/index.html

 

Canadian Medical Association Journal - Archives

The Canadian Medical Association Journal has been published continuously since 1911 and there are several editions from the 1914-1919 period and beyond that provide some insight into the thinking and actions of the medical profession associated with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Europe and the work back in Canada. The reader will have to scroll down to the bottom of the page on this website to access the archival documents. [Recommended by Avidgenie] [CEF Study Group - Oct 2020]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/77/

 

Hospitals and Casualty Clearing Stations – BEF

The website includes eighteen direct photostats of documents, dated 13th. July 1923 which were sent from the Ministry of Pensions to the British Red Cross Society Records Office. Theses typed pages give the names of the locations, in alphabetical order, dates and positions of the various Hospitals or Casualty Clearing Stations on the Western Front for the British Expeditionary Force. The names of these medical units are as follows: Bac-Du-Sud-La to Boisleux-au-Mont, Bonn to Bussy - Le- Chateau. Calais to Chocques. Clerques to Don, Duai to Etaples, Etaples to Gezaincourt, Gezaincourt to Hazebrouk, Hazebrouk to Le Quesnoy, Le Touquet to Lozinghem, Mallasise to Moulle, Namps to Paris Plage, Pernes to Recmenil Farm, Remy to Roziere, Rouitz to Sweveghem, Tincourt to Versailles. This material may be of use to researchers trying to verify hospital and CCS locations.

[CEF Study Group – Sept 2020]

http://www.vlib.us/medical/CCS/ccs.htm

 

 

 

[Borden Battery]

Aboriginal Veterans Tribute Website
This website honours Canada's Aboriginal veterans and is dedicated to their descendants. The website features a wide range of tables listing Aboriginal soldiers by unit and actions, officer lists and NCO lists, and short biographies on many soldiers. The compilation includes over 7,000 names and brings forward a topic area in need of greater research. [Recommended by 1st Motors] [CEF Study Group – Sept 2020]
http://www.vcn.bc.ca/~jeffrey1/tribute.htm

Aboriginal Contributions During the First World War
During the First World War, thousands of Aboriginal people voluntarily enlisted in the Canadian military. While the exact enlistment number is unknown, it is estimated that well over 4,000 Aboriginal people served in the Canadian forces during the conflict. About one third of First Nations people in Canada age 18 to 45 enlisted during the war. Métis and Inuit soldiers also enlisted; however, only status Indians were officially recorded by the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). Aboriginal soldiers served in units with other Canadians throughout the CEF. They served in every major theatre of the war and participated in all of the major battles in which Canadian troops fought. The simple website outlines the following: Recruitment of Aboriginal Soldiers, Aboriginal Enlistment, Aboriginal Soldiers’ Experiences during the First World War, Canadian Wartime Policies on the Homefront, Aboriginal People and the Homefront, Aboriginal Women’s Contributions, Post-War Experience of Aboriginal Veterans, and Bibliography. [CEF Study Group – Oct 2020]
https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/14141 ... 4152548341

Sniping and Canada’s Most Decorated First Nation Soldier
Francis Pegahmagabow (9 March 1891-5 August 1952) was the most decorated Canadian First Nation soldier in the First World War. He was awarded the Military Medal (MM) plus two bars for bravery in Belgium and France. Pegahmagabow was one of 39 members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) to receive two bars to the MM. Royal Montreal Regiment. [CEF Study Group – Nov 2020]
https://royalmontrealregiment.com/378-k ... er-in-ww1/

First Nations in the Great War
Initially, the Canadian Expeditionary Force didn’t accept aboriginal soldiers, but by 1915 their participation was approved. By 1917, active recruitment of First Nations’ men began. Over 4,000 First Nation men joined the armed forces at higher rates percentage wise than non-Aboriginals. These soldiers excelled in scouting and as snipers. [CEF Study Group – November 2020]
http://vimyridge.valourcanada.ca/the-ro ... t-nations/

Deadliest Sniper of WWI - Francis Pegahmagabow, an Ojibwa soldier
Short history and video vignette of Francis Pegahmagabow’ s role during the Great War and later in life. Awarded three medals for valour on the battlefield. Considered the deadliest sniper in the Great War with 378 confirmed kills while serving with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. [CEF Study Group – Nov 2020]
https://www.cbc.ca/2017/canadathestoryo ... -1.4083644

[Borden Battery]

*** The CEF Paper Trail - An Unofficial Guide to the Official Canadian Army Service Records from the Great War

This project involves collating examples of each type of document found in a soldier's World War I Canadian Expeditionary Force Service Records. The guide shows researchers what they may expect in a soldiers' service records. It's important to be aware that you will only find a selection of these records in your particular CEF soldier's file.  A very well-done summary of representative documents and invaluable for any student of the Great War.

[Brett Payne Website] [CEF Study Group – Sept 2020]

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~brett/cef/cefpapertrail.html#top

 

www.canadiansoldiers.com

This reformatted website/wiki [formerly known as “CANUCK] is perhaps the largest and most comprehensive single source, on-line or off, regarding the organization, vehicles, weapons, uniforms, traditions, and insignia of Canadian soldiers in the 20th Century. Over 6,700 images on 500+ pages dealing with history, equipment, literature and more are presented here for students of history, re-enactors, modelers, gamers, serious researchers and anyone interested in the Canadian Army between 1900 and 2000. Serious contributions to site content, such as information, photos, or anecdotes, are welcomed and will be fully credited. Major information on other military periods also.

[Michael A. Dorosh website] [CEF Study Group – Sept 2020]

http://www.canadiansoldiers.com

 

** Acronyms & Abbreviations: CEF Service Records & War Diaries

The private records of Canadian Expeditionary Force soldiers may contain a litany of bewildering abbreviations.  However, Brett Payne and others, have taken the time to prepare a definitive alphabetical list of the majority of these abbreviations – additions coming forward through the CEF Study Group on a regular basis.  This information will be of use to both the neophyte and the seasoned Great War researcher. The list is available via the following link to the CEF Study Group Discussion Forum. [CEF Study Group – Sept 2020]

http://www.cefresearch.ca/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=655#p3402

 

*** Nominal Rolls of the Canadian Expeditionary Force - Doing Our Bit

This nice little website provides a URL link to most of the original Nominal Rolls of unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. A Nominal Roll is a list of the Officers, NCOs and Men who served in a unit of the CEF at a specific point in time. They were often compiled prior to a unit embarking for England and sometimes include embarkation information such as ship name, embarkation port and the date of sailing. A Nominal Roll usually lists a soldier’s Regimental Number, Rank, Name, Former Corps, Name of Next of Kin, Address of Next of Kin, Country of Birth, and both the place and date they were “Taken on Strength”. It’s important to note that units experienced continual and sometimes significant changes to personnel. Major battles resulted in huge numbers of casualties but so did “wastage “, a term used to describe the daily toll of soldiers wounded or killed by sniping and shelling. The never-ending need for reinforcements meant that Nominal Rolls had a very short shelf life. [CEF Study Group – Sept 2020]

https://militaryandfamilyhistory.blog/2016/04/18/nominal-rolls-of-the-canadian-expeditionary-force/

 

Canadian Military Heritage Society

The Canadian Military Heritage Society is a non-profit, charitable organization. Its members are dedicated volunteers that are committed to the promotion and the preservation of Canada's national and military heritage. One elements of the Society are the PPCLI Living History Unit - one of a few projects in the CMHS. The members are dedicated Historians / Antiquarians who study all aspects of Canadian military history and re-enact several time periods of interest. The PPCLI unit includes background, images of equipment, a short video and information on membership, a mobile museum and other items. [CEF Study Group – Sept 2020]

 http://www.cmhslivinghistory.org/

[Borden Battery]

The latest edition of the CEF Study Group's "List of Recommended Great War Websites - 18 December 2020" is available.  The document is 214 pages long (6mb) in 30 chapters.  This edition is dedicated to the late Richard Laughton - one of the moderators on the CEF Study Group discussion forum.

 

Regards

 Borden Battery

20-CEF Study Group-Mercer-18 Dec-Final-.pdf

[RussT]

54 minutes ago, Borden Battery said:

The latest edition of the CEF Study Group's "List of Recommended Great War Websites - 18 December 2020" is available.  The document is 214 pages long (6mb) in 30 chapters.  This edition is dedicated to the late Richard Laughton - one of the moderators on the CEF Study Group discussion forum.

 

Many thanks for posting - a valuable resource.

 

Regards

 

Russ

[Borden Battery]

Thank you Russ.  This List have been in the making for about 15 years and represents a collaborative effort on the part of many others.

 

For the members of the Great War Forum, and other discussion forums, this List is intended to act as a directory in support a wide range of Great War research projects - which can then be brought back the the discussion forum for discussion, elaboration and sometimes healthy debate.

 

Borden Battery

Edited 3 January , 2021 by Borden Battery
typo

[MaureenE]

Is there a URL link to a download of this document, or  the document?

[RussT]

I just downloaded the document that was provided via the icon below the post - is it not there for you?

 

Russ

[MaureenE]

Yes, but I would like to add something to a Wiki I write for, and for that I need a URL.

Maureen

[Borden Battery]

Maureene - is there anything else you might require regarding the CEF Study Group's "List of Recommended Great War Websites - 18 December 2020"?

 

A further update will likely come out in late Q1 of 2021.

 

Regards

 Borden Battery

[MaureenE]

Is there a CEF Study Group webpage that has a link (URL) to the download, or the actual download of the List of Recommended Great War Websites? If the download is to change reasonably often, probably a link to a page which has the download would be best.

 

 Hopefully something in the same format as   Salonika Campaign Bibliography salonikacampaignsociety.org.uk

 

Cheers

Maureen

[Borden Battery]

Not aware of the current websites with this newest List.  Generally people track me down on the CEF Study Group discussion forum.  I am one of the moderators.

 

Create a link on your Blog site if you wish.  If you do, let me know and I can send you updates.

 

Borden Battery

[KernelPanic]

A fantastic resource!  Thanks.

[Borden Battery]

Thanks.  Welcome to share with others who would be interested. 

 

Dual purpose - a research resource + support for these hundreds of webmasters who have created this resource.  My list is really just a "directory" to their work.

[Borden Battery]

Here is the first addition to the pending 2021 edition of the List.  Blog site is very detailed and addresses one of the lesser known combat theatres of the Great War.  We try to keep the abstracts distilled with just enough key-words to facilitate a general document search. Borden Battery

 

Salonika Campaign Society

The Salonika Campaign Society was formed to promote interest in the Salonika Campaign, fought in northern Greece, Serbia and Albania from 1915 to 1918. The aim of the Society is to perpetuate the memory of those of all nations who served, whether they were members of the armed forces, medical services or civilian staff.  This very detailed and multi-layered Blog site has numerous theme “buttons” which take the reader deeper into the topic.  Site is mature and very well organized. [CEF Study Group – Jan 2021]

[Borden Battery]

Here is an interesting new addition to the List.  Borden Battery

ActiveHistory.ca

A Canadian general history website with publications, podcasts and essays that connects the work of historians with the wider public and the importance of the past to current events.  Although not specifically Great War related – a search of the website does provide a good list of Great War articles. Active History is a project open to contributions from all historians seeking to publish short essays that align with their mandate. As an entirely volunteer-run organization, they have a loose editorial structure, whereby copyright and ownership of published material remains with the author under a “Creative Commons”.  The site is now home to 2,000+ blog posts, podcasts, papers and exhibits. [CEF Study Group – Jan 2021]

http://activehistory.ca/