Samuel Sharpe was born in Zephyr, Ontario, the son of Irish immigrants, George and Mary Ann Sharpe, on March 13, 1873. As a child, he was known for his enthusiasm, which his friend said was contagious to everyone else. He was always involved in...
It was an event that nearly tore the country into two. It would also have political ramifications that lasted for decades, reshaping the politics of Canada and helping the Liberal Party become the dominant party of the 20th century in Canada. It is...
The story of the Battle of Hill 70, fought in August 1917, is a notable one because it represented the first time that the Canadian Corps fought under a Canadian commander. That commander was the subject of last week’s episode, Sir Arthur Currie...
The majority of Canadians likely can’t name too many generals in Canadian history, at least post-Confederation. There are several famous ones, but few reach the level of fame that Sir Arthur Currie enjoys. In fact, it could be said that his fame and...
When war was declared against Germany, Canadians of all backgrounds signed up to fight. Over the previous century, the Indigenous people of Canada had seen their land taken, rights stripped away, and many were forced to attend residential schools...
This episode is shorter than usual. The battle I am covering is often ignored as it is in the shadow of Vimy Ridge, and really, it was a relatively short battle but it still had many casualties and deserves to be covered. After the Battle of Vimy...
In making this episode, I thought a lot about how I could put it together. So much has been said about Vimy Ridge and its importance to Canada, and the growth of the legend around it, was there anything I could add to it? We all know the story, the...
For the season finale of season 2 of Canada’s Great War, I decided to do a bit of a different episode. I am going to cover letters home, that were printed in newspapers, from 1915 to 1916, so we can get an idea of what the soldiers were feeling...
Photo by Ernest Brooks When the Battle of Ancre Heights began at the beginning of October, lasting for over a month, it fell to the Canadians to capture Regina Trench. This trench was an incredibly important part of the strategic plan as it was...
When the First World War erupted, the Royal Canadian Navy was only four years old. Formed under the Naval Service Act as the Naval Service of Canada, Canada having a navy was a contentious issue. The establishment of a Canadian navy was heavily...