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The Battle of Ortona
From December 20 to 28, 1943, the Canadian Army experienced its “little Stalingrad” in Ortona, Italy. Famous for its strategic impact, the Battle of Ortona remains one of the Canadian Army’s greatest victories of…
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VE-Day
On May 8, 1945, the Allies declared victory over fascist forces in Europe. In other words, VE Day! Long-awaited, Canadians celebrated the end of the Second World War in the streets of major cities…
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The Elections of 1917
Did you know that Canadian soldiers voted for the first time in December 1917… right in the middle of trench warfare? The federal election of 1917 was probably the most bitter in Canadian history!…
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Bicycles and the Normandy landings
While almost everyone knows how to ride a bicycle, not everyone knows that these machines were also deployed during the infamous Normandy landings. In this short article, Julien Lehoux describes the Canadian Army’s wartime…
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The date of the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Planning the Vimy Ridge offensive took several months for the Allied nations. For Canada, such an operation involved an incalculable number of troops and particularly meticulous preparation. However, did you know that the date…
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The Canadian’s armoured divisions in Italy
The Italian campaign was one of the biggest Canadian campaigns of the Second World War and, for the armoured regiments, it was the first opportunity to put years of training in Britain to the…
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Congo – Canada as a Member of the United Nations
In 1960, the Congo gained its independence, but ethnic and political tensions remained high, prompting the United Nations to intervene. Canada answered the call, deploying troops to stabilize the situation and assist civilians in…
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Gérard Pelletier (1919-1943): tracing his story
In November 2022, Catherine Dion-Gagnon and her mother Louise travelled to Italy to visit the resting place of their uncle Gérard Pelletier. Enlisted in the Canadian forces at the start of the Second World…
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How Canada Helped Finance the Chinese Revolution
At the beginning of the 20th century, China experienced numerous periods of insurrection that led to the advent of the Republic on January 1, 1912. Through the international actions of three major players -…
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Anti-Semitism in Canada during the Second World War (1933-1945)
On 7 November 2017, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, made an official apology for the Jewish refugees who had been refused entry to Canada a few months before the outbreak of the…
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The Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Corps (1918-1919)
In 1919, with the outbreak of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, Canada sent a large force of soldiers to combat this new perceived threat. However, the mission did not turn out as expected, as…
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Harry H. Dinning (1890-1916): The Legacy of an Irish-Canadian Soldier from Chaudière-Appalaches
Harry H. Dinning, originally from the Township of Ireland in Quebec, enlisted in the army in 1916 before tragically disappearing during the Battle of Ancre Heights. A memorable figure in Maple Grove, Harry H.…
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Léo Major – A Quebec Military Hero
Léo Major is probably Quebec’s most famous soldier thanks to his impressive exploits during the Second World War. But do you know his whole story? This short article tells you all about the life…
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Passing the Time in German Prison Camps (1939-1945)
Passing the time was a very big part of a soldier’s life – almost as big as the war itself. To cope with the boredom, soldiers interred at German prison camps had to show…
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When the World Revolution Converged in Montreal
The “Hemispheric Conference to End the Vietnam War” was held in Montreal from November 29 to December 2, 1968 and attended by a delegation from the Black Panther Party, representatives from North Vietnam, and…
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The Aleutian Island Campaign (1942-1943)
The fighting in the Aleutian Islands is one of the lesser-known fronts of World War II. And yet, just off the coast of Alaska, a major campaign was conducted by the Allies to combat…
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Dollard Ménard – Commander of the Fusiliers Mont-Royal
Dollard Ménard is perhaps one of the best-known Quebec soldiers and one of the most important commanders in the history of the Fusiliers Mont-Royal. During the Dieppe Raid, he was wounded five times as…
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Landing Crafts: The Means of Transport to Dieppe
The Dieppe Raid, on August 19, 1942, was the Canadian army’s biggest military operation to date. To transport these thousands of infantry soldiers and tanks, the Allies had to use hundreds of ships. This…
