The Rats in the Walls: The Role of Rodents on the Western Front
Mud-filled warrens littered with dung, detritus, and the dead may sound like a less than hospitable environment, but to the myriad millions that scurried along the trenches of the Western Front, these very conditions provided the fuel for explosive individual and population growth. Of course, I’m not talking about the soldiers that suffered in the […]
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 […]
Great War Veterans and the Winnipeg General Strike
Veterans hoping to find prosperity and opportunity in peacetime were to be sorely disappointed, returning to a Canada whose social and economic landscapes had been dramatically altered by the exigencies of the war and which posed great challenges for reintegration. While Great War veterans across the whole of Canada faced these difficulties, those who found […]
The First World War and the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919
On May 15th, 1919, the Winnipeg General Strike began. Though numbers vary, an estimated 30,000 strikers from all walks of life shut down the city until the strike collapsed under government pressure in late June [1]. A strike of this magnitude did not emerge from a vacuum; it was, in many ways, a byproduct of […]
After the War: Black Soldiers Return to Canada
As many of you are probably aware, February was Black History Month. In the past, we’ve taken this opportunity to write about the No. 2 Construction Battalion- Canada’s first and only all-black non combatant battalion during the First World War. This year, however, in keeping theme with our “After the War” travelling exhibition, I wanted […]
The Paris Peace Conference, 1919
One hundred years ago, delegates of the victorious Allied nations arrived in France at the Paris Peace Conference. In the following six months, they would take part in some of the most critical negotiations and decisions to reestablish peace and a new international order. With nearly 61 000 war dead, Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden […]
Travelling Exhibition: After the War
The First World War not only devastated Europe, but also the dominions, colonies, and countries abroad who took part in the conflict. With more than 60 000 Canadians killed, billions of dollars spent, and life-long physical and mental scarring, the war’s ramifications extended well beyond the battlefields. Our new travelling exhibition After the War: Coming […]
“Christmas in Canada as Usual”: Celebrating on the Home Front
Earlier this week, we shared an episode from the Imperial War Museum’s Voices of the First World War series that looked at the various ways Christmas was experienced during conflict. While we are often reminded of how Christmas was celebrated on the Western Front, perhaps most famously through the Christmas truce of 1914, we are […]
Beyond November
I did a double take when I first saw the poppy dish. It is small, fragile and looks like an object that demands my attention and care, just like a poppy. When I finally had the opportunity to talk to the artist who created it, I realized it was called a pin dish. It was […]
The Canadians and the Fall of Cambrai
Following their success at the Canal du Nord, the Canadian Corps could now turn their attention to Cambrai. Situated in the Nord-Pas de Calais region, Cambrai was a key logistical centre that was surrounded by an elaborate network of canals. The area was heavily occupied by a retreating German army who showed no signs of […]
