Frequently Asked Questions

What is www.canadiansoldiers.com?

www.canadiansoldiers.com is the largest and most comprehensive single source, online or off, regarding the uniforms, traditions, and insignia of Canadian soldiers in the 20th Century. Over 5,500 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 1999. Serious contributions to site content, such as information, photos, or anecdotes, are welcomed and will be fully credited. This site is proud to be a member of the small but growing community of those interested in this diverse and important subject area.

Who pays for it?

This site, like so many on the internet, is run privately as a one-person operation. There are no user fees and no government funding.

How can I buy the books you list in the extended bibliography?

The webmaster regrets that he cannot enter into correspondence on this matter, as many of these books have gone out of print decades ago. The list is meant as a reference, not as a catalogue, and the webmaster is not a book dealer.

Can I buy cap badges from the site?

The webmaster also regrets that the badges illustrated on this site are from private collections, or collected from on-line sources such as auctions, and are thus not for sale. This site is meant as a reference, not a commercial enterprise.

How can I contribute?

By emailing the webmaster, who is always on the lookout for quality images and information regarding Canadian soldiers of the 20th Century. Bear in mind several points, however;

• The webmaster will credit fully anyone who contributes material that is used on the site.

• The webmaster will not knowingly use copyrighted material for which permission has not been granted by the legal custodian of said material

• The webmaster is not obligated to make use of any material sent to him and has the final say as to what is appropriate site content and what is not.

How often does the site get updated?

While the webmaster recognizes and appreciates the enthusiasm that contributors feel for having their material added to the site in a timely manner, this is not always possible.

• The webmaster is not rewarded financially for his work on this site; it is done in his spare time.

• Submitted material, no matter how high the quality, may sometimes be held back in anticipation of including it in a more comprehensive format pending further research or work. In other words, your photo of your uncle in uniform may be terrific, but if the webmaster can include it on an entire page of photos relating to a specific battle or unit, he will hold back until the material can be best presented. This may be a few days, it may be several months. The webmaster apologizes for any inconvenience or perceived injury this causes on the part of his contributors.

Where can I go to research a relative who served in the Canadian Army?

Geoff Winnington-Ball's page on researching veterans is a terrific start. In fact, his Maple Leaf Up site as a whole is an excellent reference on the Canadian Army in the Second World War.

An online collection of World War One attestation papers - ultimately to include all currently held on file - can be found at http://www.archives.ca/02/020106_e.html

Canadian Forces after 1918 (including Second World War) Research at Library and Archives Canada

How to Send an Inquiry Concerning Your Own or Another Individual's Records

• Your request must be signed.

• To identify a file, we require surname, full given name(s), date of birth, and service number or social insurance number.

• If you do not know the date of birth, service number or S.I.N. (social insurance number), secondary information (e.g., the names of next of kin, postings, dates of service, place of enlistment) can assist in identifying the correct individual.

• Please specify what document(s) you require. If you are doing family history research, we recommend that you request a "genealogy package," which will include copies of selected documents from the file that highlight/summarize the individual's service.

• We do not accept e-mail inquiries for these records.

• We do not accept e-mail inquiries for these records. Inquiries must be sent by mail or fax.

• Your request can be written as a letter or you can print off a blank copy of the Application Form, which should be filled in, signed and sent by mail or fax.

• Inquiries should be sent by mail or fax to:

Personnel Records Unit Library and Archives Canada
395 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0N3
Fax: (613) 947-8456

Also, for Canadian servicemen killed on active duty, the Virtual War Memorial is a terrific database featuring information on all Canadian war graves throughout the world. The database is searchable by name, and many entries have photo galleries, as well as grave locations, next of kin, and other information.

Can you link to my website?

www.canadiansoldiers.com does not have a links page, for several reasons:

• Modern search engines can find information with astonishing speed and ease, when used correctly. http://www.google.com is the worldwide standard.

• Website addresses tend to change without warning, and with great rapidity. Keeping a page of links checked, researched, and updated is time consuming. The webmaster recently received an email advising him that one of his links was "not working correctly", and would he please correct it - yet no mention was given of the proper URL or any clue given as to why the link was not working.

• The number of truly worthwhile sites is staggering, making any attempt at an all-inclusive list of links an impossible task, especially given the scope of this site and the wide variety of websites that would fall under the umbrella of "related subject material".

While this site does not claim to be the first or last word on its subject matter, readers are urged to use Google to find further information, to post enquiries at our forum (or the related message boards linked to from the forum main page), and where relevant, to post links to interesting websites on the forum for others to visit and enjoy.

The webmaster appreciates the efforts of all other webmasters who host sites - private or professional - that shed light on Canadian military history, and hopes that his views on this question are seen not as an indictment of these other sites (do a search for MAPLE LEAF UP, ARMOURED ACORN, Service Publications Inc., Chris Johnson, Francis Tavares, or Convoy Magazine - you won't be disappointed!) but as a reflection of the realities of the Internet today, and the nomadic nature of its denizens - which makes any truly meaningful list of links impossible.

Why do you bother? Henry Althouse grew up in Canora, Saskatchewan with my father. He was born a little bit before my dad was, and I remember my dad telling me how he rode in Henry's gravel truck once. Thanks to the efforts of our veterans in World War Two, guys born in the same era as Henry and my dad have really lived pretty good lives. Not only have they lived mostly in peace, but the standard of living has continually gone up. It staggers the mind to think of all the advances in technology - muscle cars, refrigerators, colour TVs, 8-track stereos and cassette decks, followed by computers, VCRs, CD players, DVDs, and even cars that start themselves in the morning. My dad has lived through some amazing changes, and it's hard to think of a better time to have been a Canadian than his lifetime. Henry Althouse was killed by five bullets from a machine gun on the 1 May 1953. He never got to drool over the tail fins of a '57 Chevy, watch the Stanley Cup playoffs in a sports bar, listen to Dolly Parton, name a baby, swear at a VCR because he couldn't program it, or debate about the Reform Party.

As Canadians, we may not agree that young men needed to go to Korea, or to Kuwait, Sicily, Hong Kong, Normandy or Flanders, but I think we can all appreciate the tragedy that our young men had to die in such large numbers - as if one single death wasn't bad enough. For its true that every family has, or knows of, a Henry Althouse - a young man who volunteered to serve overseas and was taken while barely in his prime.

Henry is buried with 377 other Canadians at the United Nations Cemetary at Pusan, South Korea. I can't ever thank Henry properly for doing what he did, but I can remember him; and just as important, we can all thank the veterans who are still with us. They're tough to spot, sometimes, and as Canadians, they're usually modest. But they appreciate a heartfelt word of thanks.

I'm grateful to all of the men and women who volunteered - for us - and I hope this website will help others to keep their memory alive. My thanks, too, to all the re-enactors, collectors, historians, curators, veterans, modellers, costumers, tailors and vendors around the world who do their part to keep the faith and whom I've had the good fortune of coming in contact with.

It's great to be a Canadian. Thanks, Henry. And to all your buddies now with you on the other side.