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Men on a truck

Stories of service and sacrifice

Canadians have defended freedom in every major conflict since 1900.

As part of the British Empire, Canada was automatically involved in World War I when Great Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914. Throughout World War I, or “The Great War” (1914-1918), more than 650,000 Canadians served in the Canadian armed forces, including over 1700 residents of Peel.

When World War II was declared in 1939, the world was split between the Allies (including the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China) and the Axis powers (including Germany, Italy and Japan). Over 2900 Peel residents volunteered to serve in World War II.

Here are more stories of service and sacrifice in Peel:

Lieutenant Wallace Lloyd Algie, VC

Directorate of History and Heritage (National Defence and the Canadian Forces).

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Nursing Sister Ida Harcourt

Nursing Sister Ida Harcourt

Lorne Scots Regimental Museum

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Lieutenant Floyd Everard Graydon

Lieutenant Floyd Everard Graydon

Wm. Perkins Bull fonds, PAMA Archives collection.

Major Jeffrey Harper Bull, DSO

Wm. Perkins Bull fonds, PAMA Archives

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Ivan Melhuish

Ivan Melhuish

PAMA Archives collection

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Dr. William Stubbs

Dr. William Stubbs

Carrying soldiers from the front line, around 1915. PAMA postcard collection

Women’s Institute

Women’s Institute advertisement for funding to make and send socks to soldiers overseas.

Brampton Conservator, February 22, 1917.