Obtaining Your Relative's Service Record

Died in RCAF Service up to 1947

If your family member is Canadian with the RCAF and died or was killed in the Second World War, most likely CASPIR has a direct link to it. The CASPIR record contains a link that looks tlike this:

• Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)
• If your relative trained in Canada and was involved in an aircraft accident (most accidents were not fatal), go to RCAF Accident Cards (1939-1945) above and enter the last name. Any associated accidents cards will be shown.

Other Services and Survivors

If your relative was in any branch of Canadian armed services, you can request his/her file as follows:

• Canadians can request copies of Second World War and later service records from Library and Archives Canada using the Formal Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) procedure. (Spending the $5 for a formal request is a lot faster than the free option, it's a 6-8 month wait for the paid option versus 2+ years for the free requests.) If the service member's death was less than 20 years ago or is unconfirmed, a redacted file will be provided.
  Click Here


• An obituary or grave reference can be used to establish the date of death for the request. You can receive a redacted file, but that should still give you enough information to follow his postings and movements during his career. Normally, the information that is redacted is related to identifying other people (such as next of kin who are not the subject of the request) as well as any details of disciplinary or medical topics. A redacted file now will let you continue your research, and then requesting the complete file 20 years after his death may help to satisfy any curiosity over redacted portions.