Before the First World War, Canada had only a small standing army and navy and was ill-prepared for war. When Britain called in August of 1914, over 600,000 Canadian men and women enlisted in the First World War to support Britain. Although Canada joined as just one part of the vast British Commonwealth, the country emerged from the trauma of war with a new sense of pride and nationhood.

With the stories of veterans and proud families keeping this part of our military history alive, the World War I section of the Digital Archive explores the experiences of Canadians on the homefront and abroad, in the trenches and in the air, victorious in battle and rebuilding shattered lives after the loss of a loved one.

Select from the themes of Enlistment, Battle, Home Front, Camaraderie, and Victory to explore our World War I digital collections.