Canada, Courts Martial Of The First World War Index
Members of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces who were accused of military and civilian offenses can be found in this collection, and punishments ranged from fines to imprisonment to execution. What stories might you discover?
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Members of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces who were accused of military and civilian offenses can be found in this collection, and punishments ranged from fines to imprisonment to execution. What stories might you discover?
Learn more about these records
This index typically includes the following information for each individual:
- - Given Name and Surname
- - Regiment
- - Rank
- - Unit
- - Date of event
- - Offence
- - Reason for Courts Martial
This index includes only the surviving courts martial references, thus is not comprehensive for the duration of the Great War. It covers the Canadian Expeditionary Force and is provided in partnership with Library and Archives Canada (Record Group 150-8). It is well worth pursuing the original case file for the courts martial in question, as they average 20 – 25 pages in length and can include the officers who sat in judgement, the evidence presented in court including statements by the accused and witnesses, and in cases of conviction, the records documenting the sentence. The original records have been digitized and are available on Heritage, organized by microfilm number.
Ministry of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada: Courts martial records, 1914-1919
Search tips
It is important to remember that this set is not comprehensive, it covers only those cases for which records survive.
Be cautious when searching by regimental number. Officers will only have one if they were enlisted first as privates or non-commissioned officers.
Remember to search for abbreviations as well as full names, such as G.E. Benson or T. Gale.