LAC Update: Digitization of First World War Service Files

Library and Archives Canada has busy digitizing the service files of the First World War veterans.

They have sent out this press release -

 As of today, 171,771 of 640,000 files are available online via our Soldiers of the First World War: 1914-1918 database at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/search.aspx.

Library and Archives Canada is digitizing the service files systematically, from box 1 to box 10686, which roughly corresponds to alphabetical order. Please note that over the years, the content of some boxes has had to be moved and, you might find that the file you want, with a surname that is supposed to have been digitized, is now located in another box that has not yet been digitized. So far, we have digitized the following files:

A to Dagenais (boxes 1 to 2257)

Free to Gorman (boxes 3298 to 3658)

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the following boxes were skipped in the digitization process, but will be done in the next few months.

Dagenais to Fredlund (boxes 2258 to 3297)

Please check the database regularly for new additions and if you still have questions after checking the database, you may contact us directly at 1-866-578-7777 for more assistance

Extra news items 15 July 2015

Here are some news items which have come across my desk this morning -

The news comes to us that the Samuel Holland map of Prince Edward Island which dates back to 1765 is on display at the Confederation Centre in Charlottetown.

The exhibit is called Imperial Designs: Samuel Holland's 1765 Map and the Making of Prince Edward Island and will be at the Centre until January 2016.

The website is at http://www.confederationcentre.com/en/exhibitions-current-read-more.php?exhibition=102

The Holland 250 website is at http://www.samuelholland250pei.ca/book

A newspaper article by Joy Neighbours entitled THE JOY OF GENEALOGY: When you unearth a family secret, tells us to be careful what we do with the subject and explores the effects that family secret have on genealogy.

To read the article, go to http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5731234-the-joy-of-genealogy-when-you-unearth-a-family-secret-be-careful-what-you-do-with-it/

The Library and Archives Canada has posted a blog on the subject of do you want to know who your first French ancestor was and when he or she left France and arrived in Canada? Are you curious about your French origins?

If so, their website is a great place to begin your research. Here you will find a page dedicated to genealogical research on the French. This page provides you with historical information, archival documents and published material from the Library and Archives Canada collection, as well as links to other websites and institutions.

Library and Archives Canada holds a vast collection of census material at , from 1666 to 1916, in which you can find names of your French-Canadian ancestors http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/history-ethnic-cultural/Pages/french.aspx

Until next time, this is what crossed my desk this morning.

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Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

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