This week, September 10 marked the 75th anniversary of Canada’s entry into the Second World War. The anniversary reminded me about the McGill Remembers section on McGill University’s website that was created to honour the university’s students, alumni, faculty and staff who had contributed to the Second World War effort. Until yesterday, it had been a while since I had looked at it.
The McGill University War Records hold “6,617 index cards and more than 3,000 files containing newspaper clippings, correspondence and approximately 700 photographs.” You can search the records by name or browse the alphabetical list.
This collection documents the information on 5,568 men and women on active service, including 295 women. It also provides information on the 298 dead, 52 prisoners of war, and 629 recipients of medals.
Curious to see if any of my relatives were in the records, I entered “Dever,” and found the index card for my great-uncle Walter, who served as a wing commander in the RCAF. I was unaware he had attended McGill or worked there, so now I intend to contact his daughter to find out more about his experience. Although his card does not contain a lot of information, other cards provide more details.
Americans also in records
Take note that this is not a database about only Canadians. Since Americans have long enrolled as students and taught at McGill, it should be no surprise to find some of our neighbours to the south in the records. For example, I found American John P. Ayer who served as a surgeon with with the US Army Medical Corps.
McGill University War Records office established in 1942
The section General Description of the Records explains how and why the university created a war records office: “In January 1942, with the approval of the McGill University Board of Governors, Principal and Vice-Chancellor F. Cyril James established the McGill University War Records office. The objective was to compile a thorough record of the contribution to the war effort by McGill faculty, students, and staff–past and present, in all branches of armed and civilian war services. In conjunction with the Office of the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, and the Graduates’ Society, the War Records office solicited information from individuals and families to create files concerning their participation in the war.”
You can research these records on the McGill Remembers website.
