If you’ve been studying a subject for as long as I have, you may think there isn’t anything left to discover. I’ve been studying World War I and how it changed the lives of ordinary people since I was a teenager. When I embarked on writing A Tale of Two Nations: Canada. U.S. and WW1, […]
The Tale of HMHS Llandovery Castle
Noncombatant servicemen and women are not free from danger. Such was the case of the medical corps during World War I. Medical units were located close enough to the front to see and hear bombardments. Sometimes camps were bombed — either accidentally or on purpose — ambulances hit land mines, and hospital ships sunk. (This post […]
The End of World War One is Near: the Hundred Days Offensive
In the summer of 1918, the end of World War I was at hand. Military commanders previously were planning for the conflict to extend into 1919, or even 1920, but it was becoming increasingly clear to the Allies that victory was in sight. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel […]
The Capture of Mons: Town Liberated on the Final Day of the War
The capture of Mons, Belgium, took place November 11, 1918. It was part of the Hundred Days Offensive, Allied attacks forcing the German Army into defeat. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and Adjustment Year, available wherever eBooks are sold.) The nations involved were Canada […]
Canal du Nord: Prevent the Germans from Regrouping
The Canal du Nord was fought September 27-October 1, 1918, in the Calais region, France. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and Adjustment Year, available wherever eBooks are sold.) The attack was part of an Allied offensive to prevent the Germans from regrouping and […]
Battle of Amiens: Black Day of the German Army
The Battle of Amiens was fought August 8-11, 1918, near Picardy, France. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and Adjustment Year, available wherever eBooks are sold.) It was part of an Allied counteroffensive after several German offensives failed in the spring. The battle also is […]
Boer War Veterans Fought in World War One
Many of the soldiers who fought for the British Empire in World War I, including those in Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry, were veterans of the Boer War, also known as the South African War or the Anglo-Boer War. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and […]
Battle of Oppy Wood: Casualties were Less than 2,000
The Battle of Oppy was fought May 3 and June 28, 1917, in Arras, France. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and Adjustment Year, available wherever eBooks are sold.) The skirmishes were part of the large Battle of Arras. Capturing the highlands was of […]
Titanic: The Halifax Connection
Everyone knows the story of RMS Titanic: The largest ship ever built, on its maiden voyage, hits an iceberg and sinks. There weren’t enough lifeboats on board, resulting in more than 1,500 passengers and crew dying. But how many people know the story of what happened after the Carpathia rescued the survivors? (This post is […]
Battle of Passchendaele: Controversial in 1917 and Today
The Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres, was fought July 31-November 10, 1917, in Flanders, Belgium. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and Adjustment Year, available wherever eBooks are sold.) The goal of the attack was to gain Allied control […]
Kinmel Park Riots: Treat Us More Humanely and Send Us Home
The Canadian Corps served admirably in World War I. One thing, however, marred its reputation: the Kinmel Park riots. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and Adjustment Year, available wherever eBooks are sold.) After Armistice, there was no official policy to send the troops […]
Khaki University: Steering Soldiers Away From Vice
Canada, near the end of World War I, devised an idea to keep its soldiers occupied during their down time, steering them away from vice, and preparing them for postwar life. This idea was Khaki University. (This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy, Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and Adjustment Year, […]