History Browser

Many of those whose lives were claimed by the Battle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence have no known grave. Their lives, and their sacrifices, are commemorated on Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials on both sides of the Atlantic. This website gives account of these memorials and awards.

In 1939, Prime Minister Mackenzie King had a dream which he believed was a sign of "the power of the airplane in determining ultimate victory" for the war effort. That dream became a reality in the form of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP).

A list of books and academic papers about the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan of the Second World War.

Canadian airmen took part in various missions far from their main theatres of operation. These missions included reconnaissance, air transport, sea patrol and others, sometimes flying from remote bases.

This unusual memorial commemorates 26 servicemen, 20 of who were Canadian, who were cremated in various places, both in Canada and the United States.

This single marble column stands on the Island of Malta to remember the 2,297 airmen who sacrificed their lives protecting certain of the most vital sea routes linking the allied countries. A brief description of this monument shows what a fitting tribute it is.

Faced with a rising toll on lives and shipping, the Canadian government closed the St. Lawrence to all trans-Atlantic shipping on September 9, 1942, and limited coastal convoys to essential levels. This site gives an account of the battle of the St. Lawrence during the month of September 1942.

In the early months of the war only three RCAF squadrons could be spared for overseas service. This number was steadily increased so that by war's end there were 48 RCAF squadrons serving in several theatres of war. Thousands of Canadians also served in the Royal Air Force.

Wartime living conditions were difficult for the people of England with the constant threat of air attack and invasion. Amid the uncertainty of the times relationships formed between young servicemen and women, some of whom would marry and live in Canada after the war.

Listing of Royal Canadian Naval Forces, Canadian Army Units, and Royal Canadian Air Force Squadrons that participated in the Italian Campaign of World War II.