The 1914 Toy Shortage
In August 1914, Europe and its colonies mobilised for war. While the generals of the Great Powers executed their war plans, businessmen anxiously debated amongst themselves. Despite all the meticulousness that had gone into planning the opening salvos of the Great War, a crucial element, in their mind, had gone over-looked. The War was to […]
Soldier of Fortune: Private Daniel Joseph Fortune at Vimy Ridge
We recently added a very special object to our collection; the helmet pictured above might initially look quite plain and unremarkable, but it has a very touching story.
The New Pioneer: How Soldiers Kept Their Buttons Polished
Soldiers were expected to carry a lot of equipment with them while on the Front line. From a gas mask to an extra pair of socks, soldiers were prepared for the rapid changes demanded by modern warfare. Lesser-known to many, however, soldiers also carried a brass button polishing guard. Made of a thin sheet of […]
Wholesome entertainments: The YMCA in the First World War
The First World War period in Canada, an across the British Empire, saw an unprecedented amount of activity by charitable organisations towards the war effort. Groups like the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire (IODE), and the Red Cross raised millions of dollars for medical supplies and for the care of prisoners of […]
“Three Hearty Cheers”: The HMCS Saguenay at the Vimy Pilgrimage
Today on the blog we’re doing something a little bit different. The Tri-couleur flag shown above comes from the collections of the Naval Museum of Halifax, and it has a great backstory.
“Fake News’’: A World War I Phenomenon
After the American election last fall, we all came into contact with a seemingly new trend; fake news. It felt like it was everywhere, the internet was full of contradictory headlines and newspapers struggled to keep up. An article presented as fact one hour was debunked the next, and we suddenly had to come to […]
But who are you? A quick course in Canadian patches from the First World War
One of the challenges of mobilising thousands of soldiers is telling them apart. Unlike the eye-catching uniforms of the 19th century, most armies during the First World War employed a uniform that matched more easily into the surrounding landscape. By the end of the war even the highland units were using a form khaki battledress […]
A Propaganda Victory: The Lusitania Medallion
The market for commemorative collectables was a large one during World War One, with many manufacturers and artists producing patriotic items for mass market sale. Among these were commemorative medallions for events during the war. The French produced a wide range of souvenirs marking their victory at Verdun, and post-war, most of the Allies manufactured medallions […]
Dressing the part: The CEF officer in World War I
Like the Victorian armies in Britain in the 19th century, officers of the British and Imperial armies, including the Canadian Expeditionary Force, were expected to be able to fund their own lifestyle. Until the First World War, most officers came from the upper middle class and were already well connected within the army, usually receiving […]
A fine hospital: The Astor family and the Canadian Red Cross
What do Lady Astor, war hospitals and cut-glass containers have in common? They all intersected in England during the First World War.
