History Browser

In June 1813, James FitzGibbon (1780-1863) was a lieutenant of the 49th (the Hertfordshire) Regiment of Foot in command of the British outpost at Beaver Dams. He received warning from Laura Secord (1775-1868) of an impending American surprise attack, and his instructions led to their ambush and surrender. FitzGibbon had a remarkable military career, which reached its high point when he was largely responsible for preventing Mackenzie's rebels from taking Toronto in 1837. This testimonial was reproduced in ‘From Brock to Currie’ (Toronto, 1935).

Laura Secord (1775-1868) walked into a camp of Amerindians towards the end of her famous 30 kilometre trek on 22 June 1813. The group were allies of the British, and they led Secord to a detachment of British troops stationed at the DeCew house, on the Niagara Escarpment near present-day St. Catherines, Ontario. There, she was able to pass on her warning of an impending American attack. This print gives a rather romanticized view of the heroine. At the time of her exploit, Secord was 38, rather older than suggested here. Nevertheless, a contemporary eyewitness account describes her 'slender frame and delicate appearance'.

An account of S.O.E. operations in Malaya and Burma in 1945. Featured are the stories of Canadians who were among the Force 136 agents.

Annotated listing of first person accounts, journals and biographies associated with the War of 1812. This bibliography is part of "From Colony to Country: A Reader's Guide to Canadian Military History."

A look at the careers of two French Canadian secret agents, Lucien Dumais and Raymond LaBrosse, and their adventures in occupied France helping Allied airmen escape.

Dedication to the booklet "Uncommon Courage: Canadian Secret Agents in the Second World War" has a brief introduction followed by a listing of names.

Of an estimated 1,800 Special Operations Executive (S.O.E.) agents sent into occupied France between 1941 and 1945, only 25 men were Canadians. This site takes a look at some of these courageous men and their daring exploits.

In January of 1998, Parks Canada introduced a weekly Web Site named This Week in History, which presents a variety of events that have shaped Canada’s past, present and future. These short texts are summaries, not complete histories, meant to entice the reader to explore Canadian history. Search by keyword or by title.

When Yugoslavia was invaded by the Germans in April 1941, many Canadians who were born in Yugoslavia, or whose parents were born there, volunteered to go in as secret agents to assist in the country's liberation from the Nazis. To find people of Yugoslav background who spoke Serbo-Croatian, S.O.E. actively recruited among Yugoslav emigrants in Canada. This website talks about some of these courageous men.

On February 8, 1944, near Littoria, Italy, Reconnaissance Sergeant Thomas George Prince was spying on the Germans. During what would become a 24-hour solo watch, Prince's communication line was severed by shelling. With courage and cleverness, he rejoined the wires in full view of German soldiers. Tommy Prince was one of 59 Canadians who were awarded the Silver Star during the Second World War.