There is a new database search available that will augment the existing ones available. "Search Entire Database" will search through the soldier entries, the war diaries, letters and newspaper articles. I'd like some feedback from people on how useful this will be. On one hand, it is all encompasing, so it makes finding information easier. On the other hand, there are going to be a lot of results returned.

So let me know what you think. And, as always, other suggestions for improvements are appreciated.

I have just released the latest version of the CEF Soldiers from the Great War program. Version 4 is a complete rewrite, based on changes that were made in the Libraries and Archives Canada (LAC) database. It also includes links to Courts-Martial information.You can find the download here.

This program provides a flexible way of searching through the index to records in the "Soldiers of the First World War" database provided by Libraries and Archives Canada (LAC). It does not add any new information, and any errors that exist in the LAC site will also be in this database.

Wile the personnel at LAC are to be commended for the superb job they did rewriting the search engine for the database, it isn't flexible for doing advanced queries like "Give me all the names of people born in 1891 that have a name starting with McW and have a 6 digit regimental number starting with 13".

This program allows queries like the above, and can be done off line. There are links to the LAC site, so you can easily navigate to the right attestation paper record in the LAC database.

Ther eis still quite a bit of work to be done to improve the database, specifically with mapping the soldiers in the Courts-Martial area to soldiers in the general area. This is a manual exercise, and takes quite a bit of time. Anyone that would like to volunteer to help, please let me know. I will release an update once this work is complete.