History Browser

During the summers in southern Italy, the Canadians wore tropical uniforms like the rest of the British 8th Army. This reconstruction by Ron Volstad shows a corporal of the Royal 22e Régiment, the only Francophone regular infantry regiment in the Canadian army during the war. The unit saw its first action of the war during the landings in Sicily in 1943. Note the famous red patch of the 1st Canadian Division on the upper shoulder. This formation badge dates from the First World War. (Canadian Department of National Defence)

The Spitfire Mk. IX was the third-generation of Supermarine's famous fighter, and the final one equipped with a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. The L.F. Mk. IX was an aircraft optimised for combat at lower altitudes - note the clipped wings shown in this photograph of a surviving example in the collection of the Canadian Aviation Museum. The aircraft bears the 'AU' code letters of 421 'Red Indian' Squadron, Royal Canadian Airforce. 421 Squadron was one of several Canadian fighter squadrons stationed in Europe. (Canadian Department of National Defence, PCN-5234)

This officer with his dufflecoat and binoculars is dressed as he would have been on watch at sea. With all badges of rank covered, there is nothing to show his rank, or if he is a member of the Royal Canadian Navy or the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve. Reconstruction by Ron Volstad. (Canadian Department of National Defence)

Canadian military personnel evacuating a wounded United Nations soldier in Bosnia, 1994. (DND, 94-501A-4)

Weblink provides a picture of the cemetary and a list of soldiers who are buried within the cemetery from the South African War.

This reconstruction by Ron Volstad shows a Canadian 'Blue Beret' serving with the United Nations peacekeeping forces in Cyprus, circa 1975. (Canadian Department of National Defence)

Except for a few details, the full dress uniform of officer cadets at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, remained essentially the same since the college was founded in 1874. As shown in this 1954 photo, only the shakos and pith helmets worn on parade by first-class officer-cadets disappeared, replaced by pill-box caps. (Canadian Department of National Defence, ZK-2049)

Reji Martin has used the tools of today to remember the battles of the past. In this collection of 'Virtual' oil pastels, the terrible beauty of people and places involved in war has been caught using a computer program.

In 1894, the Canadian volunteer militia artillery included 17 field batteries. Field batteries were mostly armed with British 9-pounder Rifled Muzzle Loading guns, which were obsolete by the 1890s and were replaced with British 18-pounder Quick-Firing guns beginning in 1906. The uniform of the Royal Canadian Artillery was very similar to that of the British Royal Artillery except that Canadians normally wore white 'universal' pattern helmets on all occasions rather than the blue-black 'home service' helmet worn by the British gunners.

An electronic reproduction of the watercolour on paper artwork, "Leading WREN," created by Margaret Kathleen MacLeod.