Shortly after the declaration of war, the Canadian government sent a note to the British Government to determine what Canada could send right away. The British government hoped that Canada’s contribution would eventually be as great as that of the 1914 war but requested a division of infantry immediately. They could complete their training in […]
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1939-Nov-6 | Able Seaman James Westcott, RCN | HMCS Fraser James Westcott had lived in Victoria, BC all his life. The town of Esquimalt, next door, was host to the major Royal Navy and then Royal Canadian Navy base on the Pacific coast. Although the RCN was small in those days, Jim knew he wanted
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1939-Sep-14 | Warrant Officer James Doan and Corporal James Rennie | RCAF 8 (GP) Squadron Canada’s military was small and equipped with outdated gear. But when war seemed inevitable, they were determined to be ready. The Royal Canadian Air Force prepared an Ottawa-based squadron for anti-submarine patrols from Sydney, Nova Scotia. They planned to use
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1939-Sep-14 | Private Aurele Chevarie | Corporal Emery Rogers | New Brunswick Rangers Corporal Emery Rogers and Private Aurele Chevarie were both proud to be part of Moncton’s local militia unit, the New Brunswick Rangers. Chevarie had been in the army cadets as a boy but pursued a career as a bookkeeper. At 26 years
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1939-Sep-03 | Pilot Officer Ellard Cummings | 1 Air Observers School, RAF When the German Army invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, the British and French governments gave them two days to pull back to their borders, but when they did not, war was declared and on September 3, war had come again to Europe.
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What Makes a Canadian? Canada is not a particularly martial country. Its armed services have always been small, especially in consideration of the vast size of the country. But when it contributes, it punches way above its weight. The first foreign expedition was the British Empire’s call to arms for the Second Boer War in
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