Second World War 3-pack includes:

• Canada and the liberation of the Netherlands special issue
• 1945: Canada and the end of the Second World War special issue
• Canadians in the Battle of Britain special issue

Canadians in the Battle of Britain

July 10, 2020 marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, which took place from July to October 1940. The next issue of Canada’s Ultimate Story explores the furious air defence of the British Isles that pitted Spitfires against Messerschmitts, and the role of Canadians who flew and fought. Germany’s air force attacked military and civilian targets from the first day of the war. On July 10, 1940, the Luftwaffe struck hard at Great Britain, attempting to soften the country for a land invasion. The Battle of Britain started with Luftwaffe raids on shipping in the English Channel, then on airfields and radar bases. In early September, the attacks shifted again, to London, Coventry and other major cities. More than 100 Canadians and one Newfoundlander served among the 2,900 pilots of the British air force who repulsed the attacks in dramatic air clashes. Meanwhile, the RAF had begun a strategic bombing campaign against German cities on May 11, 1940. From 1942 on, Allied air attacks became increasingly devastating, as new technology and more and better aircraft became available. Some 1,820 Canadians and 740 Newfoundlanders were assigned to Britain’s Royal Air Force at the outset of the Second World War.

Written by Stephen J. Thorne

 

1945: Canada and the end of the Second World War

The year 1945 started with a bang—a massive German bomber attack on Allied airfields. But it was a short-lived offensive. The Allies soon pushed back and were poised to enter Germany. Canadian troops led the advance across Belgium and into the Netherlands where, as liberators, they were greeted by thousands of grateful Dutch citizens. In the east, the Soviet Red Army was tightening its stranglehold on Berlin. The endgame was at hand.

Written by J.L. Granatstein

 

Canada and the liberation of the Netherlands

Following the Allied invasion of Normandy in the summer of 1944, the long-sought breakout finally started. Canada captured French ports along the English Channel, then focused on the Netherlands. Occupied by the Nazis since 1940, the Dutch were in dire straits. Food and supplies, stolen and hoarded by the Germans, were running out. German defences at the great port of Antwerp throttled critical Allied supply lines. Canada’s job was to open the waterway, then liberate the Dutch, town by town, village by village. The result was a deep and lasting friendship between nations.

Written by Tim Cook