The Great War Tour

Military historian Norm Christie examines the First World War from a Canadian perspective He begins his journey through the historic battlefields of France and Belgium, and focuses on the career of General Sir Arthur Currie, a soldier who rose through the ranks from humble gunner in 1897 to lead the Canadian Corps to several victories during the conflict that began in 1914.

The military historian turns his attention to the many soldiers who never returned home. He talks about how the bodies of thousands of Canadians killed during the Second World War have never been recovered, and tries to uncover the fate of 44 men lost during the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

The military historian continues his journey across France and Belgium, and visits many of the battlefields on the Western Front. He pays his respects to the fallen in the various cemeteries throughout the region.

The military historian concludes his examination of the First World War, as he recalls one of the largest peacetime armada in Canadian history when, in 1936, more than 50,000 veterans travelled to Normandy for the unveiling of the war memorial at Vimy, created in tribute to the lives lost in the conflict.