Does anyone here know where you can find WW2 SN?, My Grandfather called and asked if I could look up his Father's, obviously it predates computers, so doubt it could be searched.
Helpful for someone of my generation or my dad's, but social insurance numbers were only used as service numbers from the late 60s to the early 90s. Pretty sure OP is looking for his great-grandfather's WW2 svc no, and SINs didn't even exist until ~20 years after that war.
I still find it a little nuts we even ever did that. Like, I still know my dad's SIN by heart, because you had to know it to do just about anything on base. The MPs even stamped your dad's (or mom's) SIN on your bike, in case it was stolen and recovered (Operation Ident-a-bike, lol). The last time we moved I realized his SIN was still stenciled on a couple of old trunks of his I have and that I should probably remove them or obscure them, because identity theft is a heck of a lot easier with that number.
If you can document his death (not a high standard, a newspaper death notice is fine) you should be able to get his service file from the Public Archives of Canada. The SN will be in there along with everything else.
Try his social insurance number
Helpful for someone of my generation or my dad's, but social insurance numbers were only used as service numbers from the late 60s to the early 90s. Pretty sure OP is looking for his great-grandfather's WW2 svc no, and SINs didn't even exist until ~20 years after that war.
I still find it a little nuts we even ever did that. Like, I still know my dad's SIN by heart, because you had to know it to do just about anything on base. The MPs even stamped your dad's (or mom's) SIN on your bike, in case it was stolen and recovered (Operation Ident-a-bike, lol). The last time we moved I realized his SIN was still stenciled on a couple of old trunks of his I have and that I should probably remove them or obscure them, because identity theft is a heck of a lot easier with that number.
I remember as a kid every peice of kit had my dad's SIN number on it. Strange as it's a secret number. As the second kid I was -04 to his number.
Sadly while my grandfather is in a relatively good mindset, his memory isn't the greatest, let alone to remember his father's SIN.
Back then they used Regimental Numbers as service numbers weren't a thing yet.
SIN was first implemented in 1964. It was not there in WWII.
You're not the first person to try to figure this out. Here are some links:
https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/how-find-military-service-records-and-attestation-papers
https://www.canada.ca/en/library-archives/collection/research-help/military-history/first-world-war/fww-personnel.html
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/list.aspx?AttestationProvince=BC&
https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/help/pffww
The Regimental Rogue also has a good page explaining it:
https://regimentalrogue.com/misc/researching_first_world_war_soldiers_part2.htm
https://regimentalrogue.com/misc/researching_military_records.htm
The Canadian Expeditionary Force Research Group is also a really great resource for further reading.
https://cefrg.ca/cefrg/
I googled my great grand fathers name the other day and found his dads (my great great grandfathers) WWI CEF signing papers online
Yeah lots on his work after the war. Not much about during sadly.
We found all of my grandfather's service records so it's still possible. Try starting with the legion, they'd be able to help.
Thank you I'll try that.
If you can document his death (not a high standard, a newspaper death notice is fine) you should be able to get his service file from the Public Archives of Canada. The SN will be in there along with everything else.
Yeah I found that on their site, he was a mayor at the time of his death so trying to find an original article.
Thank you to everyone, I put in an ATIP. Hopefully get a response soon.
All the files from that far back are in the archives now. You’ll need to file an access of information request
https://www.canada.ca/en/library-archives/collection/research-help/military-history/second-world-war/personnel-records-second-world-war.html