1939
August 26th 1939 Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King sends peace appeals to Hitler and Mussoline
September 1st 1939 Germany invades Poland
September 3rd 1939 Britain and France declare war with Germany
September 3rd 1939 10 year old Margaret Hayworth of Hamilton Ontario dies when German U-boat sinks British liner. Canada’s first casualty of war
September 9th 1939 Canada declares war
December 10th 1939 The first Canadian Division sails for Britain 7400 strong
1940
June 8th, 1940 Canadian troops land in Brest France
June 16th 1940 Canadian troops evacuated from St. Malo France
June 17th 1940 Corporal R.J. Creighton is captured by the Germans, becoming Canadas longest serving prisoner of war
June 16th 1940 Canadian troops land in Iceland
June 25th 1940 HMCS Fraser sunk in collision with British ship – 47 men lost
1941
August 1941 Canadians take part in the raid on Spitzbergen
November 16th 1941 Canadian troops land in Hong Kong 1,973 strong
December 8th 1941 Japanese troops attack mainland Hong Kong
December 11th 1941 Canadian troops engage the Japanese
December 25th 1941 Canadian troops in Hong Kong surrender. Aproximately 300 killed 500 wounded
1942
April 1942 The people of Canada vote yes in a Conscription Plebiscite held by Canadian Government
August 19th 1942 The raid on Dieppe. Aproximately 900 killed 1200 wounded 1900 captured
1943
August 15-16 1943 Canadian and American troops land on the island of Kiska in the Aleutians
July 9-10th 1943 Canadian troops take part in the invasion of Sicily
July 22nd 1943 Canadian troops capture the town of Assoro in Sicily
July 28th 1943 Canadian troops capture the town of Agira in Sicily
September 3rd 1943 Canadian troops take part in the invasion of Italy
September 20th 1943 HMCS St. Croix sunk by German torpedo
December 21-28th 1943 Canadian troops attack and capture the town of Ortona in Italy
December 1943 McNaughton resigns his command of the First Canadian Army
1944
Jan 1944 Henry Crerar takes command of the First Canadian Army
April 1944 HMCS Athabaskan sunk in English Channel by German torpedo 128 crew lost
May 23rd 1944 Canadian troops attack and brech the Hitler Line in Italy
June 6th 1944 Canadians take part in the D-Day landings (the invasion of Europe)
October 1st 1944 Canadian troops begin the task of clearing the Scheldt
October 22nd 1944 HMCS Margaree sunk in collision with merchant ship – 142 crew lost
1945
Febuary 8th 1945 Canadian troops begin their push into the Rhineland
April 16th 1945 HMCS Esquimalt sunk by German U-boat – 39 men lost
May 5th 1945 German forces in the Netherlands surrender to the Canadian Corps
May 7th 1945 Germany surrenders
Choose from Overview, Army, Navy, Air Force, Biographies, Home Front, Weapons, Victoria Cross Winners, Letters, Deaths, Find Ancestors, Photos