Canadians in the Air, 1914–1919, 1939–1945

While some recruitment and training were done in Canada, the flying services were British in organization, administration, and operation. For this reason, while Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds some records relating to individuals, most First World War air services documentation is held at the National Archives of England and Wales. Records can be located by searching the record references provided (ex. WO 363). Many records can be obtained online through the archive that holds them, or through Ancestry.co.uk.

Royal Flying Corps: For airmen who died or were discharged before 1 April 1918, their service records (WO 363), pension matters (WO 364), and medal roll cards (WO 372) remained with the British Army, and can be searched at the National Archives in England.

Royal Naval Air Service: In Canada, the Royal Canadian Navy was responsible for enrolling Canadians who were interested in joining the Royal Naval Air Service. See LAC’s First World War Personnel Records database to learn more about these files.

The National Archives in England holds Officers’ service records between 1906 and 1918 (ADM 273), Ratings (rank) in the Royal Naval Air Service in the Register of Seamen’s Services (ADM 188), and the Naval Medal and Award Rolls (ADM 171).

Royal Air Force: Records for Officers (AIR 76) and airmen (AIR 78; AIR 79) who remained in the flying services after the creation of the RAF in 1918 are held by the National Archives in England.

During the Second World War the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was involved in important operations such as coastal surveillance, convoy escort, strategic bombing, air-to-air combat, tactical support to ground forces, and the Battle of Britain. In addition, the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) was created to train Commonwealth and Allied air personnel in Canada, including pilots, navigators, air observers, bomb aimers, gunners, flight engineers, instructors and ground crew. By the end of the war, more than 130,000 aircrew had been trained on Canadian soil through this important program.

Service files for those who served with the RCAF during the war are held by Library and Archives Canada (LAC). All post-1919 service files are subject to privacy legislation; see LAC’s Requests for Military Service Files page for the rules and procedures when accessing non-open records. Records of those who died in service between 1939 and 1947 are available without restriction.

Second World War service files are typically more extensive than those from the First World War, as all documents relating to an individual were retained. Second World War service files contain extensive personal information on the individual and in most cases include a photograph. The documentation between the two wars is otherwise similar as records were likewise required to prove service, pay, and medical details for pension purposes.

The most important documents are:

• Attestation / Enrolment Paper: Included basic personal information such as age, date and place of birth, parents, where resident, education, employment, medical and health information, as well as squadron or unit, and service number;
• Record of Promotions, Reductions, Transfers, Casualties, Reports: The key chronological summary of wartime employment, from date of enlistment to discharge. This document recorded what unit they served with, during what dates, and at what rank.
• Service and Casualty Form: Included training, postings, hospitalization and discharge.