Service number?

I was fortunate to buy a nice overseas ww2 canadian battledress recently from someone who knew nothing about its history. In one of the breast pockets is a small bible, and a canadian forces hospitality and information bureau Paris leave map.
On the cover of the map someone has written " D-92636   Gnr. Amirault A.E.    25 Aug to 3 Sept".

I am curious if the number is a service number, and if so can I use it to identify the soldier who wore this BD? It's easy to research American GI's from their laundry number, but I don't know about doing the same with Canadian numbers.

It is a service number that belongs to the block of numbers issued to No. 4 Det., RCE and you have his name A.E.Amirault and his rank Gnr.
It may or may not be his BD, hard to say with certainty with nothing marked on the BD. Someone may just have tucked the bible in the uniform. Only way is if the previous owner could tell you that they belong together 100%.

Researching WW2 records in Canada is not that easy. If you can prove this soldier died 20 years ago or more(through obits, death certificates), then you can submit a request to LAC and his file would not be covered under the privacy act.
If you can find that info, you could submit a request to LAC and you may get back a file that has information blacked out to protect the soldiers privacy.
The other option is to reseach him and see if you can get in touch with the family, a letter from the NOK will get his service file as well.

I would recommend getting "Regimental Numbers of the Canadian Army" by Clive Law at Service Publications. I've bought many books from Clive and he is a member here.

http://www.servicepub.com/

Thanks Jeff; The BD has 5aa RCE on the bands on the epaulettes, and has the burgandy rectangle for the overseas mark on the sleeves, so I think this is right for this guy.Does Gnr= gunner?

Any Chance of a few photos of this Battledress. The Maroon rectangle would be 5th Canadian Armoured Division. Under the 5th Div, there was a 5 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment, but they were RCA not RCE. Gnr is the artillery equivalent to the Army rank of Pte. The equivalent to a Pte, in the RCE is a sapper.

I for one, being interested in all things 5th Canadian Armoured Division, would love to see some photos of this BD

Sorry; I just realized I posted this in WW1 instead of WW2; perhaps the moderator could move it for me?
As requested, photos of the BD. Does this BD match the info from the service number that came off the Paris leave map that came with it?
It has quite a few moth holes in it or else it would be a real beauty![/url

The BD is clearly 5th Light Anti Aircraft Royal Canadian Artillery. It does fit with the paperwork as as the Rank on the paperwork dated 1943? Was to a Gnr, This BD being a Home Coming Tunic at the Rank of Bombardier, the RCA equivalent of a Cpl, in the Army.

Note the medal ribbon, 35-45 Star Italy Star, France and Germany Star, CVSM w O/S clasp and Defense Medal. It appears the War Medal ribbon is missing. This combination is very typical of personnel from both the 1st Cdn Inf Div, and the 5th Cdn Armd Div.

Thanks for the knowledgeable info Cliff: now that I'm pretty sure I know who wore this tunic I need to figure out how to find out more about him, and where he fought.

fireguyfire wrote:Thanks for the knowledgeable info Cliff: now that I'm pretty sure I know who wore this tunic I need to figure out how to find out more about him, and where he fought.

I think you are misunderstanding what is being said.... the information on the map does not correspond to what is on the tunic. The ranks are different and the units are different so it is unlikely that it is the same soldier.

This will help you in regards to your paperwork research.....

Private Alvinie E. AMIRAULT
Date Deceased: January 27th, 1989
Age: 68
Service Information

Rank: Private
Unit: Royal Canadian Engineers
Period of Service: World War II
Service Numbers: D92636

Infanteer wrote:

fireguyfire wrote:Thanks for the knowledgeable info Cliff: now that I'm pretty sure I know who wore this tunic I need to figure out how to find out more about him, and where he fought.

I think you are misunderstanding what is being said.... the information on the map does not correspond to what is on the tunic. The ranks are different and the units are different so it is unlikely that it is the same soldier.

I guess I was not as clear as I could have been. I posted the information about the man IDed on the map or paperwork. Since he died in 1989, you can order his service records. As for proof of death, I have been successful using a screen shot of the LAST POST entry in the past.

Here is the link I provide to people who visit my site asking for help on their relatives Service. It will walk you through the process. IIRC correctly, the wait times are up to about 6-9 months. However, you can also make an Access to Information Act Request. Not need in this case as he had been dead more than 20 years, but it will be a 30 day turn around, for $5.00, not bad at all.

Scroll through this link and it should answer all your questtions in regards to ordering http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-909.007-e.html

nice items, if you send a request to Library and Archives canada for a Geneology (excuse spelling) package you will get a good lot of info, I just recieved a package the other week (free) on a number I submitted from a helmet, I got info back on regiment, overseas, medical, medal, discharge, the wait time is apx 11 months at present, but it was worth the wait, have another one submitted, am 4 months off getting that one, but it will be a nice suprise when it turns up in the mail box,

Understood; I meant the same thing, that it is the name on the map, not the tunic it came with with does not line up.
Thanks for all the help guys; it would have been better to know that name on the map was the owner of the BD, but this is still a cool historical item to me.