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Courageous Canadians Quiz

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the First World War -- the war to end all wars.

It was with a spirit of optimism and enthusiasm that thousands of young Canadians set out for Europe in the fall of 1914 -- expecting to be home for Christmas. They did not know that four years of death and destruction lay ahead.

The hope for peace and freedom with which they set out is symbolized by the National War Memorial in Ottawa. In the faces of the marching figures there is character and purpose, sincerity and intent. Leading the way are the infantrymen, followed by a pilot, a cavalryman and a sailor Behind them are the men and women of the support services including nursing sisters, a stretcher bearer and a lumberman. Together they represent the thousands of young men and women who responded to their nation's call.

Thirteen memorials in Europe commemorate some of their greatest sacrifices and achievements: the heroic stand against the first gas attacks; the struggle to keep the Ypres Salient; those hard fought battles at the Somme, Passchendaele, Arras and Cambrai; and the gallant efforts of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment fighting with the British forces. The Memorial on Vimy Ridge marks the site where Canadians made their mark as an independent force and earned for Canada a new place among the nations of the world.

Sadly, the memorials, and the cemeteries that surround them, also tell of the horrific cost. The price of peace, freedom and nationhood was high. Of the more than 619,000 men and women who fought in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, more than 66,000 gave their lives. As well, several thousand others -- in the Navy and the Merchant Navy, in the Newfoundland Forces, in the Royal Flying Corps -- increased this tragic toll. In no other war would we lose so many of our sons and daughters.

We hope our "Courageous Canadians" Quiz will help your students learn more about Canada's contribution to the First World War.