“The Flying Seven”

Ontario, Canada

Canada's first all-female flying club, The Flying Seven, was established.

1st CID at Pecquencourt

Ontario, Canada

Troops from the 1st Canadian Division entered the village of Pecquencourt, France, and were greeted by 2,000 starving citizens.

Battle of Cook’s Mills

Ontario, Canada

The Americans defeated the British in the Battle of Cook's Mills, the penultimate engagement fought on Canadian soli during the War of 1812. The victory was short-lived, however, as the […]

German Weather Station in Labrador

Ontario, Canada

U-537 arrived at martin Bay in northern Labrador and its crew set up an automatic weather station on the shore. Codenamed "Kurt"., it was only discovered in 1977.

Bergen-op-Zoom, Netherlands

Ontario, Canada

1944 The 4th Canadian Armoured Division liberated Bergen-op-Zoom, Netherlands on October 24th, 1944. It was a costly event. The Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery contains 1,087 casualties, most of whom are […]

1918 – Barker’s Victoria Cross

Ontario, Canada

Lieutenant-Colonel William Barker shot down an enemy two-seater over France. He was seriously wounded but managed to shoot down another three enemy aircraft before crash landing near Allied lines. He […]

Empress of Britain

Ontario, Canada

Troopship Empress of Britain, already damaged by enemy fire, was torpedoed by U-32, while being towed by HMS Marauder and HMS Thames. She was the largest ship sunk by German U-boats during the Second […]

Great Depression

Ontario, Canada

The collapse of the U.S. stock market in the Wall Street Crash signaled the start of the Great Depression.

Berlin-Rome Axis (Rome Pact)

Ontario, Canada

Hitler and Mussolini signed the Berlin-Rome Axis an agreement formulated by Italy's foreign minister Galeazzo Ciano which formally linked the two fascist countries.

Royal Mint in Ottawa

Ontario, Canada

A proclamation announces the creation of the Ottawa branch of the Royal Mint.

Hamilton Football

Ontario, Canada

The Hamilton Foot Ball Club was formed.

1st Tunnel to a Foreign Country

Ontario, Canada

The 1st vehicular tunnel to a foreign country was opened between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan.

Victoria Cross at Passchendaele

Ontario, Canada

Sergeant Colin Barron and Private James Robertson earn the Victorai Cross for actions in the Battle of Passchendaele.

HMCS Rainbow

Ontario, Canada

RCN cruiser HMCS Rainbow arrives at Esquimalt, B.C. after becoming the first Canadian ship to sail around South America by the Strait of Magellan.

German Spy in Quebec

Ontario, Canada

German spy Werner von Janowski is dropped off by U-518 at Chaleur Bay, Quebec, and is later captured.

Armed Coup Attempted in Munich

Ontario, Canada

As chairman of the infant National Socialist Workers' (Nazi) Party, Hitler launched an unsuccessful armed coup in Munich.

U.S. Atomic Weapon Detonated Over Quebec

Ontario, Canada

A U.S. Air Force B-50 bomber accidentally detonated an unarmed Mark IV atomic weapon over Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska, Quebec.

The Armistice

Ontario, Canada

The Armistice brings an end to the First World War. Nearly 620,000 Canadians served, more than 66,000 gave their lives and some 172,000 were wounded.

The Battle of Ancre

Ontario, Canada

The Battle of Ancre, November 13 - 18, 1916, the final large British attack of the Battle of the Somme, results in a British victory.

United Nations Emergency Force

Ontario, Canada

Devised by Canadian External Affairs minister, Lester B. Pearson, the United Nations Emergency Force arrives in Egypt to help end the Suez Crisis.

Large-Scale Trench Raid

Ontario, Canada

A large-scale trench raid at night (November 16-17) by Canadian troops serves as a blueprint for how future raids should be conduced.

Devil’s Brigade in Italy

Ontario, Canada

Members of the elite American-Canadian First Special Service Force (The Devil's Brigade) arrive in Naples, Italy.

Treaty of Versailles & U.S. Senate

Ontario, Canada

The U.S. Senate refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles which officially ended World War I.

Canadian Pirate Hanged

Ontario, Canada

Convicted in Canada's first piracy trial, Edward Jordan was hanged in Halifax.

Ceasefire in Korea

Ontario, Canada

Negotiations were revived for a ceasefire in Korea.

Fort Cataraqui Leads the 1st Convoy

Ontario, Canada

Canadian merchant ship Fort Cataraqui led the first convoy following the Battle of the Scheldst into Antwerp, Belgium.

Lucarno Pact

Ontario, Canada

The Lucarno Pact was signed by Germany with Britain, France, Belgium, and Italy and which confirmed Germany's western borders with France and Belgium - as was established by the Treaty […]

R.A.F. Wellington Bomber

Ontario, Canada

An RAF Wellington bomber, crewed mainly by Canadians, is badly shot up but still acquires key data on German airborne rader.

Ravenna

Ontario, Canada

1944 Canadian 1st Division captured Ravenna, Italy.

Canada Declared War

Ontario, Canada

Canada declared war on Finland, Hungary and Romania, the same day as Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.

Battle of Hong Kong

Ontario, Canada

The BAttle of Hong Kong began following the attack on PEarl Harbor.

Battle of Hong Kong

Ontario, Canada

The Battle of Kong Kong began following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Moro River was Crossed

Ontario, Canada

Canadian troops crossed the Moro River and pushed toward Ortona, Italy.

‘High Flight’ Died

Ontario, Canada

RCAF Pilot Officer John Gillespie Jr., composer of the sonnet "High Flight", died when his Spitfire collided with another aircraft during tactical training exercises.

Attacked Ortona, Italy

Ontario, Canada

1943 The Canadian 1st Division led off teh attack to dislodge the Germans from Ortona, Italy

Arson at Knights of Columbus Hostel

Ontario, Canada

An arsonist burned down the Knights of Columbus Hostel in St. John's. 99 died, and 109 were injured. German sabotage was suspected.

HMCS Saguenay

Ontario, Canada

The Canadian destroyer HMCS Saquenay (DDH 206) was commissioned.

Battle of the Bulge

Ontario, Canada

Germany launched the Battle of the Bulge, its final offensive on the Western Front.

Japan on Hong Kong

Ontario, Canada

Japanese forces landed on Hong Kong Island.

Battle of Gallipoli, Turkey

Ontario, Canada

The Newfoundland Regiment was among the last to be evacuated (December 19-20) from Suvla Bay after the disastrous Battle of Gallipoli, Turkey.

Royal Canadian Dragoons

Ontario, Canada

The Royal Canadian Dragoons and the Royal Canadian Regiment were formed.

Flanders

Ontario, Canada

As Christmas approached, soldiers of the Canadian Corps suffered through a cold, wet winter in Flanders.

HMCS Clayoquot

Ontario, Canada

U-806 was torpedoed HMCS Clayoquot off Halifax. Eight hands were lost.

Constitutional Act

Ontario, Canada

Britain's Constitutional Act created Upper and Lower Canada and set the stage for rebellion.

“This is Ortona, a West Canadian Town”

Ontario, Canada

1943, About December 27th: The German 1st Parachute Division quietly left Ortona, Italy to the Canadians. Canadian battle losses for December exceeded 2,300, including 500 dead.

Incendiary Bombs

Ontario, Canada

Germany dropped incendiary bombs on London, England.

U.S.S.R.

Ontario, Canada

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was created.

RCAF Reached Its Peak

Ontario, Canada

The RCAF reached its peak strength with 215,000 personnel, including 15,000 members of the Women's Division.

Troops in the Ruhr

Ontario, Canada

French and Belgian troops began the occupation of the Ruhr following German failure to maintain reparation payments.

Japan Out!

Ontario, Canada

Japan withdrew from the Second London Naval Conference after its request that its fleet be granted parity with the fleets of Britaain and the U.S. was refused.

Convoy SC-118

Ontario, Canada

1943 Convoy SC-118, which sailed from Halifax, was attacked in mid-Atlantic (February 4 - 7) by 20 U-boats. 13 merchantmen were sunk.

Operation Veritable

Ontario, Canada

1945 In 1945 the Allies were driving eastward into the Rhineland, west of the Rhine River, and east of the Maas River, toward Germany's centre. Operation Veritable started on February […]

RAF Raid On Rotterdam

Ontario, Canada

1941 The RAF raided oil-storage facilities in Rotterdam.

Dresden Bombed

Ontario, Canada

1945 Dresden was a site of German wartime production. On February 13, 1945, 796 bombers, including 67 from the RCAF No. 6 Group, bombed Dresden, Germany. Thousands died. It was […]

Nazis = 44% of Vote

Ontario, Canada

The Nazi Party secured 44% of the national vote.

“Plan Sickle”

Ontario, Canada

Hitler adopted "Plan Sickle" for the invasion west, with the main thrust made through Ardennes (Belgium. Luxembourg, France).

Rhineland

Ontario, Canada

Germany reoccupied the Rhineland.

Germans Into Austria

Ontario, Canada

German troops marched into Austria and Anschluss (political union) was proclaimed.

Hitler Came in 2nd

Ontario, Canada

Hitler came second to Hindenburg in presidential elections, having gained 30% of the vote.

Fascist Fighting Corps

Ontario, Canada

Mussolini was among those who formed the Fascist Fighting Corps.

Rome Pact

Ontario, Canada

Italy, Austria, and Hungary signed the Rome Pact.

Nazi Party

Ontario, Canada

The German Workers' Party, with a program drafted by Hitler, was renamed the Nazi Party.

Treaty of Rapallo

Ontario, Canada

Germany and Russia signed the Treaty of Rapallo which enabled the Germans to establish arms factories in Russia.

London Naval Treaty

Ontario, Canada

U.S., Britain and Japan signed the London Naval Treaty in which they agreed to restrict tonnages of warships.

415 Maritime Patrol Squadron

Ontario, Canada

No. 415 Maritime Patrol Squadron, RCAF, was formed. It was based in Prince Edward Island.

Battle of Cut Knife

Ontario, Canada

In the Battle of Cut Knife, Chief Poundmaker's Cree warriors dealt Canadian troops their last defeat of the Northwest Rebellion.

Fresnoy

Ontario, Canada

Nearly 500 Germans were captured as Canadians attacked at Fresnoy, east of Vimy Ridge.

Royal Canadian Navy

Ontario, Canada

The Royal Canadian Navy was established.

Foulkes in Netherlands

Ontario, Canada

Canadian General Charles Foulkes accepted the German surrender in the Netherlands.

HMCS Valleyfield

Ontario, Canada

A U-boat sank HMCS Valleyfield in the Atlantic Ocean; 125 perished.

Ypres Salient

Ontario, Canada

The Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry helped prevent a German break-through in the Ypres Salient.

Procter vs. Tecumseh

Ontario, Canada

Maj.-Gen. Henry Procter and Tecumseh were forced to end a 10-day siege at Fort Meigs in Ohio.

Enigma Cipher Captured

Ontario, Canada

1941 The British captured an Enigma cipher machine and codebooks after it boarded U-110 south of Iceland.

Antwerp Port Facilities

Ontario, Canada

1945 The Allies were denied access to the port facilities at Antwerp, Belgium, and thus the ability to move equipment, supplies and men into northwestern Europe so as to push […]

Liri Valley, Italy

Ontario, Canada

Canadian tanks supported the attack on German lines in Italy's Liri Valley.

Battle of the St. Lawrence

Ontario, Canada

The Battle of the St. Lawrence began with a U-boat sinking two streamers off the Gaspé coast.

Neutral in U.S. Civil War

Ontario, Canada

Queen Victoria asked her subjects to remain neutral in the U.S. Civil War.

Trainee Navigator

Ontario, Canada

Trainee navigator Kenneth Spooner took over for an unconscious pilot, saving three lives, but crashed. He is posthumously awarded the George Cross.

Rotterdam Bombed

Ontario, Canada

1940 A German bombing raid caused massive damage in Rotterdam.

Pilot Training

Ontario, Canada

Canadian air force pilot training, in hiatus since 1918, resumed at Camp Borden, near Barrie, Ontario.

Kennedy in Ottawa

Ontario, Canada

U.S. President John F. Kennedy visited Ottawa.

HMCS Bras d’Or

Ontario, Canada

Work began on the first Canadian military hydrofoil, HMCS Bras d'Or.

Festubert, France

Ontario, Canada

Canadians launched initial attacks at Festubert, France.

Battle of Monte Cassino

Ontario, Canada

1944 May 18th: After 4 major assaults on the Monte Cassino abbey, the Germans were pushed out and forced back to the Hitler Line, by the Poles and 1st Canadian […]

Pact of Steel

Ontario, Canada

Germany and Italy signed the Pact of Steel which created a military alliance.

S.S. Komagata Maru

Ontario, Canada

S.S. Komagata Maru arrived in Vancouver, but 352 Sikh, Muslim and Hindu refugees from India were turned away.

FLQ Separatists

Ontario, Canada

FLQ separatists bombed the U.S. consulate in Quebec City.

Corvettes in Newfoundland

Ontario, Canada

The first seven corvettes for the Newfoundland Escort Force arrived in St. John's.