Canadian War Veterans Memorial Project – Help Page

1. Introduction

Welcome to the Canadian War Veterans Memorial Project (CWVMP) — a community-driven platform dedicated to recording, preserving and making searchable the service details of Canadians who served in conflicts since 1914.

This help page is here to guide you — whether you’re searching for a veteran, entering data, contributing sources, or using the forum (powered by phpBB) to connect with others.

2. What the site does

• Combines data from multiple official and archival sources: for example, service records from Library and Archives Canada (LAC), commemoration records from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial (CVWM) as well as personal histories and images.
• Provides a searchable interface: you can look for individuals by name, regiment or service number, etc.
• Enables crowd-sourced contributions: users can add or update information, upload images/scans (where permitted), add references, and help broaden the dataset.
• Fosters community discussion: The phpBB forum allows users to ask questions, share family research, collaborate, correct errors and volunteer.
• Honours commemoration: Beyond simply data, the site provides a way to remember and reflect on Canadian service and sacrifice.

3. How to search and browse

• Navigate to the Search/Explore page. Enter a surname (or partial), given name(s), or service number. Use filters for conflict (WWI, WWII, post-1945), branch (Army, Navy, Air), status (served, died in service) and region.
• For advanced search, use the “General” field and enter anything — a place name, or often a parent’s name.
• When you click on an individual’s record, you’ll see service information, personal data (if available), burial or commemoration location, uploaded images (photos, attestation papers), and links to original source scans when available.
• Use the “Statistics & Research” page (coming soon) to explore aggregate data and visualizations.

4. How to contribute

• Register: First register on the site and agree to our contributor guidelines.
• Add a new veteran entry: On the “Add Entry” page, enter name, service number, conflict, regiment/unit, enlistment date/place, death date/place (if applicable), burial/commemoration location, etc. Reference any source you used (e.g., LAC attestation paper, CVWM entry, cemetery record).
• Edit an existing record: If you notice missing or incorrect data, you can propose a change. Provide a comment or forum post explaining the source or correction.
• Upload supporting documents: Photos of the veteran, scans of service records, medals, letters or other memorabilia (please ensure you have rights/permissions to upload).
• Forum participation: Use the forum (separate registration required, sorry) to ask for help identifying records, share family-history tips, collaborate with other researchers, or highlight new archives.
• Respect data-use & copyright: If you upload a scan from a restricted archive, ensure you’re allowed to do so. Do not upload personal private data about living persons without consent.
• Quality matters: Provide as much detail as you can; cite sources; avoid speculation unless clearly marked; use consistent formatting (e.g., conflicts = WWI, WWII, Korea, Afghanistan, etc.).

5. Data sources & reliability

• Many entries draw from official sources such as Library & Archives Canada (LAC) attestation papers, service files, war diaries; Veterans Affairs Canada records including the Canadian Virtual War Memorial (CVWM).
• Some information (especially for post-WWII service) may be incomplete or inaccessible; we rely on public records, published unit histories, and community contributions.
• Since this is a volunteer-driven database, data may contain errors or omissions — please treat information as “best available” not guaranteed. If you find corrections, you’re encouraged to contribute via the “Edit” or forum process.
• For serious research or official use, we recommend verifying directly with primary sources (e.g., original service files at LAC, unit war diaries, cemetery administrations).

6. Using the forum (phpBB)

• Choose a username, follow forum rules: be respectful, accurate, and stay on topic.
• Post in appropriate boards: e.g., “Help & How-To”, “Family Research”, “Unit Histories”, “Contribute Data”.
• When asking for assistance, supply as many details as you know (unit, approximate dates, family name, etc.).
• If you’re posting new data, use the “New Entry” thread or link back to the main site entry so contributors can coordinate.
• The forum also serves as a collaboration spot: others may help you identify a soldier, decode handwriting, locate missing records.

7. Data-use & privacy

• The site is intended for historical and commemorative research only.
• We do not publish private contact details of living persons. For veterans who served many decades ago (e.g., WWI, WWII) and are deceased, we rely on public records. If you believe personal or sensitive data has been posted incorrectly, contact us via the forum or site admin.
• When uploading images, you should hold rights or permission for the content, or ensure it falls under public domain / fair use (for example, scans of war-era public records).
• Please credit sources clearly when uploading. Acknowledging the contributor helps maintain transparency.

8. FAQ / common issues

(We include a link to the FAQ page for more detailed answers.)

• Why can’t I find a veteran I know? Possibly the record hasn’t yet been entered; try searching with fewer filters or posting a request in the forum.
• Can I upload a scan of a service file I downloaded from LAC? For space (and cost) considerations please provide a link to the appropriate material.
• What if I don’t know much about a veteran, only a surname? Start an “incomplete record” in the database, mark missing fields as “unknown” and hopefully the community will help fill it in.
• How is the data licensed? Unless marked otherwise, all database entries fall under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International — you’re free to use the data for non-commercial research with attribution.
• How can I request a new feature (e.g., visualizations, export data)? Visit the “Feature Requests” board in the forum or email the site admin.

9. Getting help / contact

If you have questions not covered here:

• Post in the forum board “Help & How-To”.
• Check the “Documentation” board for user-guides and tutorials.
• Use the contact form (top right side of every page) for site-technical issues (login problems, upload errors).
• If you find an error in the data, please use the contact form with the “Report Issue” subject on the record page (with details: record ID, issue, suggested correction).

10. Thank you

We are grateful to all contributors, researchers, families and community members who help build this shared resource. Every entry helps to remember, honour, and understand the service and sacrifice of Canadians. Together we make the lesser-known service stories visible and support new research questions.

— The CWVMP Team