-
Léo Major – A Quebec Military Hero
Military legend Léo Major is best known for single-handedly liberating the Dutch city of Zwolle. The multiple retellings of his story have portrayed him as a true hero.
-
The Régiment de Maisonneuve: A Unit in Search of Its Armory
One of six regiments based in Montreal, the Régiment de Maisonneuve is also one of the oldest, with a rich history marked by its involvement in both World Wars, as well as its contribution…
-
Discipline on the docket: Courts martial and the lives of Quebec soldiers during the Second World War
For thousands of Canadian soldiers, the Second World War was not just about major battles, as it deeply marked them in other ways. Courts martial records are a surprising source of information about how…
-
The Reality and Myths of Black Service in the Great War: No 2 Construction Battalion
Since their rediscovery, there has been a growing amount of misinformation about the service of the No. 2 Construction Battalion. These myths diminish the contributions of these men. We owe it to them to be…
-
The Canadian Forestry Corps
Did you know that Canada sent more than 35,000 loggers to Europe during World War I? War isn’t just about battles: thousands of people had to perform thankless tasks to support the war effort!…
-
Matron Margaret Fraser and the tragedy of the Llandovery Castle
Matron Margaret Marjory Fraser, from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, was a nursing sister working aboard the Canadian hospital ship HMHS Llandovery Castle when it was torpedoed and sunk by the German U-Boat U-86 on…
-
Four Faces: Goddard, Giesebrecht, Blais and Mendes
Canada’s involvement in Afghanistan was unique in a number of ways. It was the first time a NATO member country invoked Article 5, where an attack on one member is seen as an attack…
-
Canadian submarines during the First World War
Did you know that Canada acquired its first submarines during the First World War? When the war started, the Canadian navy was pretty small and mostly focused on the war in the Atlantic. This…
-
The Royal Montreal Regiment: Legacy within their walls
Now celebrating its centennial, the Royal Montreal Regiment of Westmount is one of the oldest military units in the Greater Montreal area. From the Great War to the present day, members of the RMR…
-
The signing of Japan’s surrender
Did you know that Canada came close to ruining the signing of Japan’s surrender document? On September 2, 1945, representatives of the Japanese and American governments met to formalize Japan’s surrender and the end…
-
Robert Jupiter – A defender of Niagara
In Ontario, few places are as closely connected to the War of 1812 as the Niagara Region. Monuments and military sites from the period are popular tourist destinations in the region and highlight the…
-
‘So it looks as if there must be some mistake’… Flying Officer Carl H. Howald
There was no job more dangerous than being a bombardier during World War II! While enemy fire was obviously the greatest risk to crew members, simple accidents could also happen, sometimes resulting in terrible…
-
Holiday Reading (2025)
2025 was probably the biggest year yet for Je me souviens and its sister program Honoring Bravery: new exhibits, new activities, and most importantly, lots of new schools visited! So it’s no surprise that…
-
The Lost Ship: SS Nerissa
Most of us have never heard of the SS Nerissa. She is an obscure ship named after an equally obscure character from the Merchant of Venice. A small passenger and cargo steamer with a…
-
Age is just a number: Avoiding age requirements during First World War enlistment
During World War I, some Canadian recruits overcame age restrictions in order to join the army. As a result, children and men much older than the official age limit were sometimes enlisted as soldiers!…
-
Remembrance Day and its commemorations
Remembrance Day is important to all Commonwealth countries. Why is the poppy its symbol? What is the importance of this day? What is remembrance?
-
Cynthia Oakley – CWAC Officer
A native of Toronto, Cynthia Oakley was one of many Canadian women who enlisted in the Canadian Army Women’s Service during World War II. Through her service in Canada and Europe, she paved the…
-
Miriam Freedman – Travelling the Roads of War
Between 1939 and 1945, Miriam Freedman served with the British army and then the Canadian army. Her service exemplifies the incredible journey of many Canadian women away from the beaten path during the Second…
