Canada and WWII

The ultimate resource for information on WWII and Canada

Military history: World War II (1939-1945)

History: Canada and World War I

Canadian history resources on WWI - battles, aircraft, air aces, trench warfare, photographs and In Flanders Fields.

General

Aircraft
Fighter aircraft used by the Allies and the Germans in the First World War. From the Air Aces and Heroes site.

Book of Remembrance
This Book of Remembrance lists 66,655 Canadians who gave their lives in The Great War. Kept in the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Book of Remembrance - Merchant Navy
Canadians and Newfoundlanders in the merchant marine who died in the First World War ensuring the lifeline of men and supplies. Kept in the Peace Tower.

Book of Remembrance - Newfoundland
Names of the Newfoundland men and women in the armed forces of the British Commonwealth and Allies who died in World War I.

Canada and World War I
Canada's participation in the First World War, including the homefront, major battles, and the ceasefire. From National Defence Canada.

Canada's War Medals (1866 to 1918)
Dexcriptions and pictures of war medals for this period, the reasons they were won, and how they should be mounted and worn. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

Canadian Air Aces and Heroes
The stories of Billy Barker, Billy Bishop, Roy Brown, Ray Collishaw, and Alan McLeod.

The Canadian Great War Homepage
Lots of detailed information here: statistics, equipment, uniforms. Includes history of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and of the Newfoundland Regiment.

The Canadian Red Cross
The role of the Canadian Red Cross in the First World War. From Jack Turner's War, one of Canada's Digital Collections.

Canadian Veterans Recollect
Veterans discuss their World War I experiences in graphic detail. Needs RealAudio. From Canada's Digital Collections.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Search the database to find the final resting place or memorial for Canadians and Newfoundlanders killed in WWI and WWII. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

Canadian War Museum Tour
Use the arrows for a quick WWI tour, from trench signs, through weapons, Vimy Ridge, and fighter aircraft.

Chronology of World War I
Events of WWI, from the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand to the signing of the Armistice. From Courage Remembered, one of Canada's Digital Collections.

Courage Remembered - A Brief History
Enlistment, trench warfare, weapons, battles on land, sea, and air, and Canada's contributions. Part of Courage Remembered, one of Canada's Digital Collections.

For Valour
Background to the Canadian Veterans Recollect audio. Info on artillery, aviation, communications, transportation, infantry, and life in the trenches in WWI.

The Halifax Explosion
Stories of courage during the explosion that leveled much of Halifax in 1917. From National Defence Canada.

In Flanders Fields
Written in 1919 by John McRae. On the Veterans Affairs Canada site.

Jack Turner's War
A wonderful collection of candid photographs taken by PEI farmboy Jack Turner. Good articles go with the photos in this Canada Digital Collection.

John McCrae
A biography of John McCrae, the Canadian brigade surgeon who wrote In Flanders Fields for a friend killed at Ypres. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

Military Terms
Military terms used during the First and Second World Wars. Meanings may differ from those used now. From Courage Remembered, one of Canada's Digital Collections.

Native Soldiers, Foreign Battlefields
The role and experiences of Canadian native soldiers in the First World War. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

Popular English Songs
Words and music to songs like "Pack up your Troubles", and "It's a Long Way to Tipperary". Needs RealAudio. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

Popular French Songs
Words and music to songs like "Ma Normandie" and "Partons la mer est belle". Needs RealAudio. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

Remembrance Day in Canada
Resources to help remember and honour Canada's war dead. From your About.com Guide.

Valour Remembered
A good overview of Canada's involvement in the First World War. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

Victoria Cross Heroes
Photos, citations, and diary extracts for Canadian recipients of the Victoria Cross during the First World War. From Canada's Digital Collections.

War Artists of World War I
Biographies and examples of the work of six Canadian Official War Artists during World War I. From Courage Remembered, one of Canada's Digital Collections.

Battles

Cambrai
The use of tanks on a large scale to break through the German Hindenburg Line. From Jack Turner's War.

Passchendaele
Arguments over strategy, heavy rains, and mud marked this three-month struggle. From Jack Turner's War.

The Somme
The battle that nearly annihilated the Newfoundland Regiment, and gave the Canadian Corps a reputation as shock troops. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

Vimy Ridge
From the arrival of Canadian troops in France to the costly victory at Vimy Ridge. From Veterans Affairs Canada.

Vimy Ridge Significance
A description of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and the many accomplishments there. From the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery.

Ypres
Poison gas, and heavy Canadian casualties. From Veterans Affairs Canada.