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Full-Text Articles in History
The German 79th Reserve Infantry Division In The Battle Of Vimy Ridge, April 1917, Alfred Dieterich
The German 79th Reserve Infantry Division In The Battle Of Vimy Ridge, April 1917, Alfred Dieterich
Canadian Military History
Canadian narratives of the Great War rarely give a very clear picture of the enemy. They may mention German regiments, brigades, divisions or corps that opposed Canadian troops on this or that front, but detailed citations from German sources are often missing. There are a number of reasons for this, most notably the scarcity of translated primary documents. A number of comprehensive regimental histories were published in Germany during the interwar years, but these are often difficult to obtain and tend to be printed in old German. Consequently, we were glad to receive this translation of Generalleutnant Alfred Dieterich’s report …
A Trophy Of The First World War In The Air: Captain William Wendell Rogers And His Victory Over A German Gotha Bomber, 12 December 1917, James Whitham
A Trophy Of The First World War In The Air: Captain William Wendell Rogers And His Victory Over A German Gotha Bomber, 12 December 1917, James Whitham
Canadian Military History
On 12 December 1917, Captain Wendell Rogers, a Canadian pilot in the Royal Flying Corps, was leading a patrol near Ypres, Belgium when his flight intercepted a group of German bombers. In the ensuing combat Rogers shot down a giant Gotha bomber, the first time such an aircraft had been brought down over continental Europe. A piece of that bomber was recovered and was recently acquired by the Canadian War Museum. The artifact, a fabric Iron Cross salvaged from the wing of the downed Gotha, was donated by Captain Rogers’ son Lloyd. The following article will trace how this object …
Faith, Hope And Love: The Wartime Motivations Of Lance Corporal Frederick Spratlin, Mm And Bar, 3rd Battalion, Cef, Michelle Fowler
Faith, Hope And Love: The Wartime Motivations Of Lance Corporal Frederick Spratlin, Mm And Bar, 3rd Battalion, Cef, Michelle Fowler
Canadian Military History
In an attempt to understand the motivations that drive soldiers in war, historians often seek to capture the experience of an individual soldier through his letters, diaries and other personal accounts. But what of the artifacts that are left behind? The personal effects that arrive home to a family after a soldier’s death, neatly labeled and wrapped in yellowed paper. These also have a story to tell. Lance Corporal Spratlin, from Toronto, was killed during the Battle of Amiens in 1918. Today his remains lie in the Toronto Cemetery in France, but following his death one of his most treasured …
Learning From The Canadian Corps On The Western Front, Christopher Pugsley
Learning From The Canadian Corps On The Western Front, Christopher Pugsley
Canadian Military History
There is a curious paradox about the Canadian Corps that is summed up in this quotation from Canadian Brass, Stephen J. Harris’s study of the evolution of a professional army in Canada. How did this military organisation become so effective in war, considering the background it had and the structure that supported it for most of its existence? This model of tactical excellence was born amid the chaos of Canadian Minister of Defence Sam Hughes’ egomaniacal control at Valcartier Camp. It was beset by jealousies, political backhanders, corruption and influence peddling, and saddled with favourites as incompetent officers who …
The Liberation Of Holland: A Photographic Record, Bob Mcgirr
The Liberation Of Holland: A Photographic Record, Bob Mcgirr
Canadian Military History
No abstract provided.
A Foo At Troteval Farm: 20–21 July 1944, A. Britton Smith
A Foo At Troteval Farm: 20–21 July 1944, A. Britton Smith
Canadian Military History
No abstract provided.
The Pawns Of War: A Personal Account Of The Attack On Verrières Ridge By The South Saskatchewan Regiment, 20 July 1944, John S. Edmondson, R.D. Edmondson
The Pawns Of War: A Personal Account Of The Attack On Verrières Ridge By The South Saskatchewan Regiment, 20 July 1944, John S. Edmondson, R.D. Edmondson
Canadian Military History
A number of current books deal with Operations Goodwood and Atlantic, but scant attention has been paid to the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade and its three regiments, the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada (CAM), the Fusiliers Mont-Royal (FMR) and the South Saskatchewan Regiment (SSR), and to the Essex Scottish Regiment which was attached to 6th Brigade during this operation. When our role has been discussed at all, historians have inferred that the SSR fled or withdrew in panic in this action. My role was as Commander “B” Company of the SSR, and later as Acting Commanding Officer (A/CO) of …
The Myth Of The Learning Curve: Tactics And Training In The 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 1916-1918, Mark Osborne Humphries
The Myth Of The Learning Curve: Tactics And Training In The 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 1916-1918, Mark Osborne Humphries
Canadian Military History
Canadian military historians generally accept that during the First World War the Canadian military improved over time. This idea of a “learning curve” suggests that Canadians began the war as inexperienced colonial volunteers and, as the Corps gained experience on the battlefield, commanders and ordinary soldiers alike learned from their mistakes and successes and improved combat tactics from battle to battle and from year to year.1 Several different approaches to this argument are evident in the literature. Tim Cook and Bill Rawling both published works in the mid-1990s that argue technology was the impetus behind this process of learning. …
Hollow Of Death: Rogers’ Rangers Desperate Fight For Survival, Bernd Horn
Hollow Of Death: Rogers’ Rangers Desperate Fight For Survival, Bernd Horn
Canadian Military History
No abstract provided.
Cfb Goose Bay And Operation “Desert Shield”, James R. Mckay
Cfb Goose Bay And Operation “Desert Shield”, James R. Mckay
Canadian Military History
Canada committed forces to the American-led Coalition in the 1990–1991 campaign to liberate Kuwait (Operation DESERT SHIELD and Operation DESERT STORM). The Navy played an important role in the naval portion in this campaign known as Operation DESERT STORM. Canadian CF-18s provided defensive combat air patrols over the Persian Gulf region (less Kuwait and Iraq). Canadian soldiers helped guard prisoners of war, defend airfields and provide security for the 1st Canadian Field Hospital that provided additional health service support. While all of these were important contributions, Canada also provided assistance for Operation DESERT SHIELD. A number of states deployed forces …
“There Is No Alternative”: The Diary Of Harry H. Coombs, 9th Battalion, Cef, August 1914–January 1915, Barbara M. Wilson
“There Is No Alternative”: The Diary Of Harry H. Coombs, 9th Battalion, Cef, August 1914–January 1915, Barbara M. Wilson
Canadian Military History
No abstract provided.
Shooting The War: The Canadian Army Film Unit In The Second World War, Sarah Klotz
Shooting The War: The Canadian Army Film Unit In The Second World War, Sarah Klotz
Canadian Military History
Very little has been written about the Canadian Army Film Unit (CAFU) since the end of the Second World War, despite Jon Farrell’s postulation. There have been a few short newspaper articles related to teh Film Unit and the D-Day footage that made it famous, but there has been no scholarly study by either military or film historians. The purpose of the CAFU was to create an official audio-visual record of Canada’s Army, just as the official historians, war artists, and photographers were documenting other aspects of the war. The Film Unit started as only a few men, but expanded …
Memories And Reflections On The Dieppe Raid Of 19 August 1942, John S. Edmondson, R. Douglas Edmondson
Memories And Reflections On The Dieppe Raid Of 19 August 1942, John S. Edmondson, R. Douglas Edmondson
Canadian Military History
Editor’s Note: John S. Edmondson was born in Estevan, Saskatchewan in 1919. He joined the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in 1938, and then served with the South Saskatchewan Regiment during the Second World War in the Defence of England, on the Dieppe Raid and in the Normandy Campaign until wounded during the capture of Falaise. After the war, he was transferred to the Black Watch (RHR) Regiment of Canada. He served in Canada in many roles, and as an exchange officer with the British 4th Division in West Germany as part of NATO. In addition, he served with the …
Holland Summer: Awaiting Repatriation, May–August 1945, Harold Macdonald, M.A. Macdonald
Holland Summer: Awaiting Repatriation, May–August 1945, Harold Macdonald, M.A. Macdonald
Canadian Military History
No abstract provided.
“For Extraordinary Heroism And Outstanding Performance”: Kay’Yong, 2 Ppcli And The Controversy Surrounding The Us Presidential Unit Citation, Michelle Fowler
“For Extraordinary Heroism And Outstanding Performance”: Kay’Yong, 2 Ppcli And The Controversy Surrounding The Us Presidential Unit Citation, Michelle Fowler
Canadian Military History
Despite a growing historiography, the Canadian experience in Korea is still a very much forgotten part of our history. Kap’yong, the marathon battle of 22–25 April 1951 where the Second Battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (22PLCI) along with their fellow members of the 27th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade, the Third Battalion Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) defended the access points of the Kap’yong River valley is the one incident receives significant attention. Without fail, the description of the battle always ends with that passing reference, “for their efforts 2PPCLI were awarded the United States Presidential Unit Citation.” This brief …
The Partnership Between Canada And Britain In Winning The Battle Of The Atlantic, Correlli Barnett
The Partnership Between Canada And Britain In Winning The Battle Of The Atlantic, Correlli Barnett
Canadian Military History
No abstract provided.
Canadian Battle Of Normandy Foundation 2003 Study Tour: Sicily And Italy, Canadian Battle Of Normandy Foundation
Canadian Battle Of Normandy Foundation 2003 Study Tour: Sicily And Italy, Canadian Battle Of Normandy Foundation
Canadian Military History
No abstract provided.
Air Operations At Dieppe: An After-Action Report, Trafford Leigh-Mallory
Air Operations At Dieppe: An After-Action Report, Trafford Leigh-Mallory
Canadian Military History
Editor’s Introduction: The ill-fated action at Dieppe in August 1942 is most often remembered for the heavy casualties suffered by the Canadian land forces deployed in the assault and the political controversy that followed this ’military debacle.’ Lingering doubts over the rationale for the raid, and persistent statements that lives were lost in vain, continue to this day. But the Dieppe Raid was much more than casualties and questionable military decision making. It had immediate and valuable implications on the planning and conduct of future Allied amphibious operations, particularly the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944.
1st Canadian Infantry Brigade In The Second Battle Of Ypres: The Case Of 1st And 4th Canadian Infantry Battalions, 23 April 1915, Andrew Iarocci
1st Canadian Infantry Brigade In The Second Battle Of Ypres: The Case Of 1st And 4th Canadian Infantry Battalions, 23 April 1915, Andrew Iarocci
Canadian Military History
No abstract provided.
Recollections Concerning Canadian War Crimes Investigations And Prosecutions, Wady Lehmann
Recollections Concerning Canadian War Crimes Investigations And Prosecutions, Wady Lehmann
Canadian Military History
No abstract provided.
Pursuit: The Letters Of Captain Harold Macdonald, North Shore Regiment, From Normandy To The Scheldt, Harold Macdonald, M.A. Macdonald
Pursuit: The Letters Of Captain Harold Macdonald, North Shore Regiment, From Normandy To The Scheldt, Harold Macdonald, M.A. Macdonald
Canadian Military History
No abstract provided.
“It Made Them Forget About The War For A Minute”: Canadian Army, Navy And Air Force Entertainment Units During The Second World War, Laurel Halladay
“It Made Them Forget About The War For A Minute”: Canadian Army, Navy And Air Force Entertainment Units During The Second World War, Laurel Halladay
Canadian Military History
On 3 February 1944, wounded Canadian service personnel recuperating in a British hospital were delighted to hear that a concert party, part of the Canadian Army Show, was in the area and would be performing for patients that evening. The variety was extremely well-received; singing, dancing and comedy routines seemed to be exactly was the injured needed to raise their spirits. After the show was over, a man in a wheelchair approached performer James Cameron and exclaimed “it was so good to see that—please come back again.” The Captain in charge of this satisfied patient wrung Cameron’s hand and enthusiastically …
“Always Ready For Any Sticky Job”: The Canadian Corps Of (Civilian) Firefighters In The Second World War, Keith Hart
“Always Ready For Any Sticky Job”: The Canadian Corps Of (Civilian) Firefighters In The Second World War, Keith Hart
Canadian Military History
The Canadian Corps of (Civilian) Firefighters was created. In 1942 to assist the British National Fire Service (NFS) in fighting fires caused by German bombings. Some 400 specially-recruited Corps members served in Britain from 1942 to 1944 under often very hazardous conditions. Its story remains one of the forgotten and more unique Canadian contributions to the war effort.
The Road To The Cobourg Court Room: New Material From The Archives Of The Canadian War Museum On The Sir Arthur Currie-Sir Sam Hughes Dispute, 1918-1919, Barbara M. Wilson
The Road To The Cobourg Court Room: New Material From The Archives Of The Canadian War Museum On The Sir Arthur Currie-Sir Sam Hughes Dispute, 1918-1919, Barbara M. Wilson
Canadian Military History
The post-First World War dispute between Sir Sam Hughes, Minister of Militia and Defence from October 1911 to November 1916 and Sir Arthur Currie, General Officer Commanding the Canadian Corps from 9 June 1917 to the end of the war, must be one of the least dignified episodes in Canadian military history. Hughes, although very energetic, was erratic and arbitrary and was fired by Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden for his inefficient administration of the Canadian military forces overseas. Currie, on the other hand, led the Canadian Corps in a stunning series of successes: Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens, the Drocourt-Queant …
The Generation Of Memory: Reflections On The “Memory Boom” In Contemporary Historical Studies, Jay Winter
The Generation Of Memory: Reflections On The “Memory Boom” In Contemporary Historical Studies, Jay Winter
Canadian Military History
Jay Winter delivered the following in the form of a lecture at the Canadian War Museum on 31 October 2000. A distinguished academic, Winter has been writing about the cultural history of the First World War for nearly three decades. He has taught at the University of Cambridge in England and is presently at Yale University. Since 1988, he has been a director of the Historial de la grande guerre in Peronne, an important war museum in northern France. In this capacity, he has become familiar with a great many institutions of war and military history around the world and …
Combat Motivation And The Roots Of Fanaticism: The 12th Ss Panzer Division In Normandy, Michael E. Sullivan
Combat Motivation And The Roots Of Fanaticism: The 12th Ss Panzer Division In Normandy, Michael E. Sullivan
Canadian Military History
The post-First World War dispute between Sir Sam Hughes, Minister of Militia and Defence from October 1911 to November 1916 and Sir Arthur Currie, General Officer Commanding the Canadian Corps from 9 June 1917 to the end of the war, must be one of the least dignified episodes in Canadian military history. Hughes, although very energetic, was also erratic and arbitrary and was fired by Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden for his inefficient administration of the Canadian military forces overseas. Currie, on the other hand, led the Canadian Corps in a stunning series of successes: Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens, the …
French Canadian Participation In The War Of 1812: A Social Study Of The Voltiguers Canadians, Martin F. Auger
French Canadian Participation In The War Of 1812: A Social Study Of The Voltiguers Canadians, Martin F. Auger
Canadian Military History
During the War of 1812, the participation of French Canadians in colonial militia units such as the Voltigeurs Canadiens was of great importance for the defence of Lower Canada. The colony’s lack of regular British toops combined with threats of American invasion rendered crucial to the mobilization of the local populace, most of which was of French descent. Although lacking the discipline and structure of British regular soldiers. Lower-Canadian militiamen were able to neutralize numerous American invasion attempts. Altogether, this impressive participation in the war effort helped redefine the military character of French Canadians. It also dissipated the British authorities’ …
“One More For Luck”: The Destruction Of U971 By Hmcs Haida And Hms Eskimo, 24 June 1944, Barry M. Gough, James A. Woods
“One More For Luck”: The Destruction Of U971 By Hmcs Haida And Hms Eskimo, 24 June 1944, Barry M. Gough, James A. Woods
Canadian Military History
On the evening of 23 June 1944, HMCS Haida and HMS Eskimo set out from Plymouth, operational base of the 10th Destroyer Flotilla (10th DF), to conduct a sweep of the Western Approaches to the English Channel. Their role was to assist in securing these waters for the ongoing delivery of supplies and reinforcements to the Normandy bridgehead. Across the Channel to the southest, American, British and Canadian forces were now in their third week of fighting across the fields and hedgerows of Normandy. Operation OVERLORD had been the largest amphibious invasion in history and, dependent as it was on …
In Remembrance Of Doomed Youth: Private Ralph C. Crew (1893–1917), 87th Battalion, Grenadier Guards, Canadian Expeditionary Force, Thomas E. Crew
In Remembrance Of Doomed Youth: Private Ralph C. Crew (1893–1917), 87th Battalion, Grenadier Guards, Canadian Expeditionary Force, Thomas E. Crew
Canadian Military History
No abstract provided.
“The Simplest Thing Is Difficult”: The United States Army And The War Of 1812, John M. Carland
“The Simplest Thing Is Difficult”: The United States Army And The War Of 1812, John M. Carland
Canadian Military History
The War of 1812 occupies an uneasy place in the American memory. Despite some popular notions of victory in that conflict, serious students of military history have always known that the United States did not win it. The war was at best a draw because the nation lacked experienced officers, disciplined soldiers, a working logistical system, and a clear-cut strategic plan. For most of the war American leadership was bungling and inadequate. The performance of the Regulars was frequently far from perfect, and that of the militia even less so. Yet the nation maintained its territorial integrity, and some younger …