Beginning in Canadas earliest days, our ancestors were required to perform some form of military service, often as militia. The discovery that an ancestor served during one of the major conflicts in our history is exciting. When you find a family name on a Loyalist muster roll, a Canada General Service Medal with an ancestors name engraved on it, a set of First World War attestation papers, or a box of Second World War medals, you realize that one of your ancestors faced challenging events beyond the scope of ordinary living. There are ways to trace their journeys and thus flesh out a more complete story of the history of your family.

A Call to the Colours provides the archival, library, and computer resources that can be employed to explore your familys military history, using items such as old photographs, documents, uniforms, medals, and other militaria to guide the search. The book is generously illustrated with examples of the sorts of artifacts and documents you can find.

Ken Cox is a retired elementary school principal who has been collecting military memorabilia since he was a teenager. He lives in Toronto.

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