WWI Navy

Wilfred Tait was in the Royal Navy Canadian Volunteer Reserve during WWI.

*This page goes with the article posted 15 May 2017 titled WWI Canadian Navy Records.

There it explains how to find if your ancestor is listed in the navy records.

Also refer to my Days of Their Lives post titled The Day Wilfred Received His Prize Money.

Images that are posted in the two articles, I did not repeat here. 

To order copies of the navy service records I went to the Library and Archives Canada Order Form page to do an online application.  After agreeing to both terms, next page must choose Textual Documents.  I chose to get emailed digital copies of the records. Fill in as much info as you can from the info just gathered (see post).  Next page I filled in my personal information. Down the page is *Method of Payment... Check the box that is for the General Public (unless you happen to work for the government and have the codes). Submit. 

They assessed the file then sent me an invoice for the copies.  Once they received payment by credit card they emailed me the file in a PDF. 

I received 42 pages* for a total of $13.78. I sent a separate request for the Service Ledger Sheet and that was a whopping 13¢.  It is almost the same as the Naval Signal document in the service file. Each one only took less than 3 weeks from ordering to receiving.

The Navy records are different from the Army records. 

During the war the Niobe was a depot ship in Halifax. 

Documents Received:

Application for position in Radiotelegraph Service

Affidavit of birth, signed by his mother

Baptism record

Signature card

Oath of Allegiance

Letter of approval of appointment

Appointment Notices (promotions)

Record of Sea Service

Navy Signal Record

Written requests for share of prize money

Affidavit of service for prize money

Receipts for payment of prize money

Awarded medals 

War Badge Correspondence, Application and Certificate

Final Discharge Form

The service file lists the names of the ships Wilfred served on, with dates.

The Navy Signal Record shows on what ships and in what capacity he served as a Wireless Operator.

The final discharge form has his date of entry in the service, and things he is given or entitled to upon discharge.

He was mailed a Service Badge and the certificate

front

back

From correspondence that followed, Wilfred deemed he was due the Class A badge, not the Class B.  He was subsequently sent the Class A. 

The following is the Navy Ledger Sheet, applied for separately.

The Navy Ledger Sheet has pretty much the same information as the Navy Signal Record. Near the bottom is a notation of medals and service badge sent, with the dates. 

If you have an ancestor in the Canadian Navy it is well worth your while to get the service file from LAC if they have it.  

In answer to my question to LAC I was told these files will eventually be digitized, though it may take a while.