My great grandad lived in Canada served in Italy and died there in 1945. How can I find stuff about him?

Question

He had a child-my grandmother-and another before that. I want to find things out, like if any of his relatives are still alive, but don't want to pay anything like ancestry.com how can I access obituaries and deed polls and things like that?

Answer 1

Here are a few free  sites that I have found useful for researching Canadian ancestors:

http://search-recherche.collectionscanad...

http://www.archivescanada.ca/english/net...

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~canwgw...

http://www.familysearch.org/

http://www.islandnet.com/~jveinot/cghl/n...

There are many more if you could please edit your question with more details or send me an email through my profile and I can try to help.

EDIT

Canadian Virtual War Memorials

In memory of Corporal JOHN  OWEN

who died on December 17, 1944  Age: 25

Son of George L. and Maud A. Owen; husband of Edith R. Owen, of Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

Military Service: Service Number: M/15777

Force: Army  Unit: Loyal Edmonton Regiment, R.C.I.C.

RAVENNA WAR CEMETERY, Italy Grave Reference: V. G. 6.

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.c...

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The site for the cemetery was selected by the Army in 1945 for burials from the surrounding battlefields. Ravenna was taken by the Canadian Corps at the beginning of December 1944, and the burials in the cemetery there reflect the fighting for the Senio line. Many of the men buried there were Canadians; one of the last tasks of the Canadian Corps before being moved to north-west Europe was the clearing of the area between Ravenna and the Comacchio lagoon......

http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_deta...

Canadian Armed Forces Associated with the Italian Campaign, 1939-1945

......in mainland Italy from September 3, 1943, to February 25, 1945, the fighting was particularly bitter. The Germans, taking full advantage of mountain peaks and swiftly running rivers, made Allied advance very difficult and costly. There were 25,264 Canadian casualties in the fighting, including more than 5,900 who were killed.

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.c...

I'll continue to search a few more sites that I know of and if I find more records, I will email you. God Bless.

Answer 2

contact the Canadian legion.

they should be able to help you if you know his full name.