At Remembrance we all tend to go to remember those who went before in conflict and in military service, who were killed and those who came home shattered in mind, body and spirit. How we remember these losses is a phenomenon that originated in the Boer War, as communities had settled, news was more accessible,ContinueContinue reading “A Need to Remember”
Tag Archives: Military History
1915 – A Global War – From Mud and Blood to Sand and Cliffs
On the Western Front, the winter of 1914 had turned the fields of France and Flanders into a scarred landscape of shell holes and basic trenches. In Ypres, Marne and Aisne, the German advance had been stemmed. In 1915, on the Western Front, the bloodshed continued, with some towns becoming linked with British losses. TheContinueContinue reading “1915 – A Global War – From Mud and Blood to Sand and Cliffs”
The First World War, an Empire at War – Canadian First Nations at War
Canadian First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples played a significant role in the First World War, despite facing barriers to enlistment due to restrictive laws and policies. Over 4,000 Status Indian men joined the Canadian Army, with many more whose service was not correctly recorded. First Nations soldiers served in every major battle involving Canadian troops. Notable individuals include Lance Corporal John Shiwak, an Inuit marksman killed in action, and Sergeant Leo Bouchard, decorated for bravery. Some, like Captain Alexander Smith and Oliver Milton Martin, earned officer commissions and significant recognition. Their contributions and sacrifices, though sometimes overlooked, were vital and had lasting impacts on their communities.
Victory at a Cost
As we approach the 80th Anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day, days that were celebration for the public at the end of the European and Asian phases of the war. It will be hard not to be swept up in the parades and the pageantry of the events in London and around the globe,ContinueContinue reading “Victory at a Cost”
The D-Day Dodgers – The War In Italy
In 1943, the Allies began the invasion of Italy. This was a strategic gamble that only paid off due to deception operations. This invasion began tying up German troops, that could otherwise have been deployed elsewhere, including defending the Atlantic coast. The defence of Italy was a series of heavily defended lines, all based onContinueContinue reading “The D-Day Dodgers – The War In Italy”
Faith Under Fire – The Royal Army Chaplains Department
When you think of the Royal Army Chaplains Department, the faith leaders within the British military, it is easy to think that they only worked on Sundays and had little involvement in the World Wars and other conflicts, or that they were safe behind the frontlines. But this would be wrong. Royal Army Chaplains DepartmentContinueContinue reading “Faith Under Fire – The Royal Army Chaplains Department”
Home Defence of the North East – Part 2 – Land Defence
During The Second world war, the threat of invasion was a risk. Due to this, preparations were made for ground attacks on the United Kingdom, whether small scale or a full-scale invasion. These preparations were from the local to the national. For most people their minds are immediately drawn to the BBC sit com Dad’sContinueContinue reading “Home Defence of the North East – Part 2 – Land Defence”
Home Defence of the North East – Part 1 – Air Defence
London is the often focus of air defence of the United Kingdom, but this was only one part of the air defence of the United Kingdom in the Second World War. Raids by naval ships and zeppelins and eventually aircraft highlighted the danger that raids could pose to the United Kingdom. The pre-war thinking ofContinueContinue reading “Home Defence of the North East – Part 1 – Air Defence”
The War hits Home – The Bombardment of Hartlepool, Scarborough and Whitby.
The general presumption in the years leading up to the First World War, was that those that soldiers left behind in the United Kingdom to go to war, would be far from the conflict and danger. But with the changes in how wars were fought in the First World War and technological innovations before theContinueContinue reading “The War hits Home – The Bombardment of Hartlepool, Scarborough and Whitby.”
Major History 