CEF Study Group - Recommended Websites

The 11 November 2022 edition of the Recommended Great War Websites by the Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group is part of the CEF Study Group internet discussion forum dedicated to the study, sharing of information and discussion related to the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) in the Great War – in an “Open Source” mode. This List is intended to assist the reader in their research of a specific Great War theme with emphasis on the Canadian experience. Further, this recommended List of Great War websites is intended to compliment the active discourse on the Forum by its members.

In Q4 of 2020, background organizational steps were taken to form a partnership between the CEF Study Group and the Central Ontario Branch – Western Front Association.

The function of the CEF Study Group List of Recommended Great War Websites (circa 2005) is to serve as a directory for the reader of the Great War. These websites have been vetted and grouped into logical sections. Each abstract, in general, attempts to provide a "key word" search to find websites of immediate interest. Surfing this List is one of the objectives.

All aspects of the Canadian Expeditionary Force are open to examination. Emphasis is on coordinated study, information exchange, civil and constructive critiquing of postings and general mutual support in the research and study of the CEF. Wherever possible, we ask that members provide a reference source for any information posted. This will enable future readers to build upon the work of earlier researchers. A special section is related to air forces.

In general, you will not find many websites on this List which glorify war - the common theme is generally to accurately document this world impacting event and to provide for the Remembrance and an understanding of those who participated in this historic world conflict.

If you have a recommendation of a website related to either the Canadian Expeditionary Force and/or the Great War in general, or to report a broken website link, please forward a short note and URL address to “Borden Battery” [nomme de plume] on the CEF Study Group discussion forum under the “Recommended Website” thread. Many website abstracts include the name of the person who referred a good or unique website to this List. New websites are being assessed and stale and/or defunct website are now being culled on a regular basis. Exceptional websites have two or three asterisks.

In Q2 of 2012, the CEF Study Group was required to relocate to a new server and make a number of upgrades to its software and security. In addition, server costs have now increased, and the hundreds of hours of volunteer labour now requires donations to cover the internet server costs. A second major system upgrade was completed In Q1 of 2019 and the late Richard Laughton directed much of the technical reconfiguration of the discussion forum.

Since the last edition (18 December 2020) and pre-COVID 19, the webmasters and some 750 website locations have been surprising robust. Only 59 broken links (7.8% over 2 years) and under 15 actual websites lost and or taken down – most were minor sites. Government websites, with their perpetual re-organizing, remain the largest source of broken links. A few weaker websites have also been pruned to made space for new websites with good information to the members of the CEF Study Group.

Membership on the CEF Study Group forum is free - but in the future modest donations may be gratefully accepted - as there are definite fixed costs associated with the operation and file maintenance of what are now substantial amounts of posted information – over 15,000 topics as of 11 November 2022. The CEF Study Group discussion forum covers aspects on the ground and compliments the Aerodrome discussion forum.

Member backgrounds range from first-time neophytes of military history, to serious amateurs and finally to doctoral researchers and published authors. Everyone retains the informal status of "Other Ranks" or Privates on the CEF Study Group discussion forum - we all are expected to undertake "fatigue duties" for the Group. The synergy of over 900 members can be immense, especially for newer members just learning about the Canadian Corps.

This List may be shared with any other interested parties; however, it is recommended it be retained intact for both continuity, completeness and reference to the CEF Study Group.

And finally; and perhaps most importantly - this List is also dedicated to the many Webmasters and assistants who are creating an “Open Source” medium whereby the documentation, cataloguing and dissemination of cooperative research on the Great War is enabled by sharing. There are hundreds of thousands of hours of volunteer work invested to create this "community of information". As you visit and utilize the information on these websites, remember to provide suggestions and factual input to these webmasters - a thank you to these webmasters would also be appreciated. Please feel free to forward this List to other persons and groups interested in the Great War. Webmasters of all Great War websites have permission to use this List.

The CEF Study Group Discussion Forum can be accessed at the following URL address:

http://cefresearch.ca/phpBB3/


New additions for 11 November 2022 edition are in BROWN font.