Manitoba Military Records

Canada Manitoba Military Records

Manitoba never really had a militia, nor did it have the need for contingents of the British army to remain on a regular basis. For these reasons, not many military records exist. A few muster rolls, pay lists, and enlistment records for the period 1815–1877 are located at the National Archives of Canada.

Indexes to military records of major conflicts, rebellions and wars can be accessed through the Genealogy Unit of the National Archives (see the “Archives and Libraries” section for the address and telephone number). Copies of specific documentation may be obtained by written request to the Personnel Records Unit, Researcher Services Division of the National Archives of Canada.

Military Records

Men and women who served in the military may have created extensive records about their time in the service. The records for those who served prior to World War I have little personal detail beyond muster rolls, pay lists and medal registers. The information about those who served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force is available from the Library and Archives Canada. The records after this time are only available to the person themselves or members of their immediate family providing the military person is deceased.

Red River Rebellion (1870)

Information about the men who served in the Red River Rebellion can be found in the Red River Register of Service (RG 9 ll B 4), volume 16 which is available on microfilm reel T-6955 through interlibrary loan from the Library and Archives Canada.

North West Rebellion 1885 (Riel's Second Rebellion)

Veterans

Many men from Manitoba served in the North West Rebellion. No official list of the men who served survives but there was an Honour Roll of the officers, non-commissioned officers and men composing the North West Field Force that served in 1885 published in A History of Riel’s Second Rebellion and How it Was Quelled. The book is available on microfiche in both the Canadian Institute of Historical Microreproductions and Peel’s Bibliography of the Prairie Province series. An image of the book is found on the Peel’s Prairie Province website.

A copy of the list was also reproduced in Generations: The Journal of the Manitoba Genealogical Society.

Guides

• Haultain, Arnold, Souvenir Number of the Illustrated War News: Being a History of Riel’s Second Rebellion. Toronto: Grip Print and Publishing Co., 1885. CIHM/ICHM FC 18.C5 Fiche No. 30722; Peel Fiche No. 1460.
  

• Haultain, Dr. Theodore Arnold, The Souvenir Number and Illustrated War News: A History of Riel’s Second Rebellion and How it was Quelled. Toronto: Grip Print and Publishing Co., 1885. Peel No. 1461-there are images of the book on the web page.
  

• "1885 North West (Riel Rebellion) Honour Roll of the Officer, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men Composing the North-West Field Force Which Suppressed the Rebellion of 1885." Generations: The Journal of the Manitoba Genealogical Society 15 (June 1990).
  

• "Manitoba’s Militia Officers 1883-1914." Generations: The Journal of the Manitoba Genealogical Society 29 (March, June 2004).

 Indexes to Medal Registers North West Rebellion 1885 

The Library and Archives Canada has an index to the medal registers for the North West Rebellion 1885 available on microfilm. If you find a name you are searching for you can then order a microfilm with more information.

Index

C-15729       A                Grealis, Michael

C-15730      E. - Z

              North West Rebellion Teamsters

              North West Rebellion Transport Officers, A - Sykes

C-16731      North West Rebellion Transport Officers, Streets, John-Z

Medal Registers

C-1861	Volume 1	Volume 5, page 42
C-1863	Volume 9, page 42	Volume 15
C-1862	Volume 6, page 43	Volume 9, page 41

Land Grants

The veterans who served in the North West Rebellion were eligible to receive a land grant of 360 acres. The records for these grants are found in the Library and Archives Canada as Dominion Lands Branch, 1870-1946 RG 15 Series D Section II. These records have not been microfilmed.

Military Bounty Land Warrants

Riel Rebellion, 1885-1888

Warrants to officers and soldiers engaged in the suppression of the 1885 Rebellion who were entitled to a free land grant of 320 acres issued by the Minister of Militia and Defense. Volumes 1629-1633.

Receipts for Military Bounty Land Warrants or Military Scrip, 1885-1899

Aperture card books nos. 47-49 (Series D-II-g) serve as a finding aid for the above receipts. Notes for the 1885 Rebellion, 1885-1899. Volumes 1639-1638.

Military Bounty Land Warrant Stubs, 1885-1913

Homestead Permit number 001 - 1372. Each stub provides the file number, militia warrant number, military bounty land warrant number, name, battalion and date. Blank warrants are attached to stubs 1373 to 1500. Index in aperture cards book no. 46. (Series D-IIl9-g) serve as a finding aid. Volumes 1639-1644

Alphabetical List of Claimants and Registers, 1886-1887

Alphabetical List of Claimants and Registers of Military Bounty Land Warrants of 1885 Rebellion, 1886-1887. (Aperture cards books nos. 45- 49)

Warrants 1- 6846. List of content of books available from the Library and Archives Canada.

Veterans of the South African (Boer War) 1898-1913

RG 38, volumes 1-116 are the service records for those who served in the Boer War. The records have been microfilmed and are available at Library and Archives Canada.

The digitized images of the attestation papers are found online as Soldiers of the South African War (1899-1902).  An index to the records is also found in the Family History Library. It is listed in the catalog as South African War Land Grant Index, 1899-1902 with microfilm number 1819520.

The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa have published a book An Index to Canadian Service Records of the South African War (1899-1902). Held at the National Archives of Canada. The book contains the names of 6,000 Canadian servicemen whose records are found in the Library and Archives Canada. The index provides the surname, given name, regimental number, regiment name, volume number and microfilm number for those records in the Library and Archives Canada. A separate index lists the names of another 1,000 servicemen whose records are found in South Africa.

Medal Registers Index

C-15731   SouthAfrica                   A - Z

C-1861     Volume 1                      Volume 5, page 42

C-1862     Volume 6, page 43       Volume 9, page 41

C-1863     Volume 9, page 42       Volume 15.

Land Grants

The men and the women who served in the Boer War were eligible to receive a land grant of 360 acres in western Canada. There were no fees but they had to comply with the homestead regulations. Those who received the patent to the land are found on the Western Canada Land Grants database at Library and Archives Canada. The actual records would be part of the homestead records in the provincial archives where the land is located. Those who applied for the grants are part of the homestead index. They would also be listed in the Township Register.

Guide

• An Index to Canadian Service Records of the South African War (1899- 1902) Held at the National Archives of Canada. Ottawa: British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa, 1999.

World War 1

The Library and Archives Canada has the records for those who served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) in World War I. These records include the attestation papers, training, medical and dental records, hospitalization, discipline, pay and discharge or notification of death. The attestation papers include the recruit’s name and address, next-of-kin, date and place of birth, distinguishing physical characteristics, occupations, and previous military service. There are no details about actual battle records. You can learn about these in the war diaries. Digitised images of the attestation papers for many of the soldiers are found on the Library and Archives website. Attestation papers that were missed in the original digitisation project will be added.

The records are available to the general public without restrictions. Most files contain an average of 25 to 75 pages. Copies can be obtained for a per page fee (plus applicable taxes). Orders must be prepaid. They can be charged to a VISA or Master Card.

Library and Archives Canada
Reproduction Service
395 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N3

World War I (1914-1918)

Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) service records are available through the Personnel Records Unit of the National Archives of Canada (see Manitoba Archives and Libraries for the address). These service records contain detailed information from enlistment to demobilization (discharge). Information may include each person's date and place of birth, address at time of enlistment, name and address of next of kin, marital status, occupation, personal description (eye and hair color, height, weight, distinctive marks or scars), and religion. When requesting information from the Personnel Records Unit, please include the person's name, rank, and regiment (where known).