February 15, 2025, 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time

Canada and the First World War

In the First World War, the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) consisted of more than 650,000men and women. Individual service records are available and accessible. Tens of thousands of those in uniform were British-born who had emigrated to Canada or theUnited States before1914. Might you have an ancestor who served with the Canadians in the Great War?

Bio

Glenn Wright was born and educated in Toronto, Ontario. Following graduation from the University of Toronto, he worked as a researcher for well-known historical writer, Pierre Berton, before joining the federal public service in 1975. During a career that spanned more than 30 years, Glenn worked as an archivist and historian with Canada’s national archives (now Library and Archives Canada)and the Royal CanadianMounted Police.He is a frequent speaker at family history and genealogical events, with a special interest in Canada’s military history and the men and women who have served in uniform. Glenn has also been associated as a researcher with television programs such as “Who Do You Think You Are?”and“Ancestors in the Attic.” He is author of Canadians at War, 1914-1919: A Research Guide to War Service Records (2010) and in 1987, he co-authored with Desmond Morton Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915-1930. Glenn feels that the search for information about our military ancestors is never-ending. He is currently investigating records relating to the military service of Canadians in the First World War that have yet to be used by researchers.