Requests for Military Service Files

Open records

The following are open records and no access restrictions apply: all military records before 1914 service files for those who served in the First World War (1914 to 1918)

service files for those who died in service during the Second World War or who subsequently died due to wartime injury or illness (1939 to 1947)

records relating to medals, honours and awards

Restricted records held by Library and Archives Canada (service files after 1919)

Access restrictions apply for military service files from 1919 to the present, including the Second World War. The only exception is the files for those who died during the war.

The personal information contained in the restricted files is protected by the provisions of privacy legislation. For the same reason, the database and indexes that are used to identify the files cannot be made available on our Web site. Only staff may access them; therefore there is no online database available.

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds the restricted military service files for the following:

Canadian Forces regular members (1919 to 1997), including Permanent Force, Second World War (those who did not die during the war) and Korea

Canadian Forces reserve members (1919 to 2007) (note that not all files were retained for the Reserves)

Newfoundland Militia members who served in the Second World War (note that not all files were retained)

Restricted records held by National Defence

The Department of National Defence holds the following records:

Canadian Forces regular members currently serving, were released from service or died in service between 1 January 1998 and the present

Canadian Forces reserve members currently serving, were released from service or died in service between 1 March 2008 and the present

Exception: Requests for the medical or dental records of the above Canadian Armed Forces members who were released from service more than five years ago or who died in service more than five years ago are handled by Library and Archives Canada.

For more information:

Department National Defence Director, Access to Information and Privacy (DAIP) National Defense Headquarters Ottawa, ON K1A OK2

www.bac-lac.gc.ca

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