Home > CMH > Vol. 35 (2026) > Iss. 1
Abstract
The ability to measure rates of Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) enlistment as a percentage of the eligible Canadian male population has proven both politically sensitive and historically relevant: on the one hand, contemporary politicians have used this data to blame certain provinces for not carrying their weight in the prosecution of war; on the other, historians have continuously refined these measurements in order to gain a better understanding of who enlisted for military service and why. Unfortunately, the latter has proven to be a rather imperfect exercise. This case study, using the New Brunswick census for 1911 as the reference point for all provincial attestations, offers further insight into how enlistment statistics have been calculated and offers alternative methodologies that address several of these challenges.
Recommended Citation
Mainville, Curt "A New Approach to Understanding CEF Enlistment Statistics." Canadian Military History 35, 1 (2026)
