GWCA First Lecture -Canada's First World War and the Politics of The Past by Jon Weier Jon Weier is a Western University of Western Ontario PHD candidate working on a dissertation National and Religious identities in the Canadian, American and British YMCAs During the First World War was the speaker for the night. An unusual... Continue Reading →
Review of Somme Presentation at Laurie Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies
‘Ghastly and Gruelling’: Canada’s Ignored Campaign on the Somme, 1916 by William F. Stewart William F. Stewart is the author of "The Embattled General: Sir Richard Turner and the First World War" and a historian with a particular interest in the Canadian Expeditionary Force's involvement at the Somme in the late summer and fall of... Continue Reading →
Elgin County Soldiers Who Served in the 18th Battalion
The Elgin Military Museum at St. Thomas, Ontario works very hard to preserve and recognize the military history of the men and women of Elgin County. One of the efforts was a transcription by Joseph O'Gorman of the Elgin County Book of Remembrance. This document lists those that served and gives short biographical descriptions of... Continue Reading →
18th Battalion Connection to Pancho Villa
Adding soldiers to this blog involves some work, often repetitive. But more often than not an unexpected gem of history is illuminated. In this case it all started with a simple war diary entry for November 26, 1916: "Battalion pay and clothing parades. 1 o.r. admitted to hospital. 54145 Sgt. C.J. JACKSON posted to commission as... Continue Reading →
The Vixen and the Virgin on CBC Ideas
Listen here... Mati Hari and Edith Cavell where both iconic figures in First World War history. Last night CBC Radio 1 had an interesting documentary about these women and their place in history. Specifically the documentary dealt with the women behind the myth. Strongly recommended...
New Link Category and Links Added
Created a new link Category today focusing on Canadian Expeditionary Force Units. The quality of the pages varies but the efforts of the people doing this work is always appreciated. The 19th Battalion site interests me because they often served beside each other in the field or were relieving each other. If anyone has any... Continue Reading →
Patriotism in Canada Small and Large
Coming from Waterloo Region I would hazard that there is hardly anyone that has lived here that is not aware of the fact that Kitchener, Ontario was once named Berlin. With its large German population at the turn of the last century and this group's influence still significant culturally with such events as the 2nd... Continue Reading →
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 