Canadian History for Kids: Lord Beaverbrook
Sir William Maxwell “Max” Aitken was born in Maple, Ontario in 1879. Raised in Newcastle, New Brunswick, he was the sixth in a family of ten children. A political figure and newspaper tycoon, Aitken got his first taste of the publishing industry at age 14 when he published his own newspaper, The Leader. Upon moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia as a young man, Aitken met his future mentor and friend, John F. Stairs, who hired him and trained him in finance.
Read MoreCanadian History for Kids: Roy Brown
Roy Brown was born on 23 December 1893 in Carleton Place, Ontario. Following his high school education he studied at business school in order to take his place running the family businesses, a flour mill and power company. Brown enlisted in 1915 as an Officer Cadet at the Army Officers’ Training Corps. Even at this early stage Brown was fascinated by the aerial war; it was a more attractive draw than trench warfare.
Read MoreCanadian History for Kids: Tom Longboat
In February 1916, Tom Longboat put aside his racing career to serve during the First World War. And what a racing career! Tom Longboat was born at Ohsweken, on the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, Ontario, on July 4, 1887. His Onondaga Indian name was Cogwagee. When he began to race competitively, he developed the ability to save enough energy to sprint just before the finish line. This became the amazing feature of his racing style.
Read MoreCanadian History for Kids: Frances Peghmagabow
There were almost 4,000 aboriginals fighting in World War I. One of those men was Frances “Peggy” Peghmagabow, born near Parry Sound, Ontario. He was the mostly highly decorated Canadian aboriginal and highest-scoring sniper with 378 confirmed kills. In August 1914, he enlisted with the 23rd Regiment, the Northern Pioneers, and became a member of the 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion, part of the 1st Canadian Division. He was nicknamed Peggy by the other members of his battalion.
Read MoreCanadian History for Kids: Crucified Canadian Soldier
The Crucified Canadian Soldier, a true story of the atrocities of the First World War or just war propaganda? It began in July, 1915, with a note written by a British nurse, Ursula Violet Chaloner, detailing the comments made to her by Lance Corporal C.M. Brown about a Canadian solder, a Sergeant Harry Band, who was crucified on the door of a barn with bayonets at the battle of Ypres.
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