Canadian & British Photos & Postcards

Gunners of the Canadian Field Artillery from Vancouver, B.C. on a troopship to Britain, life preservers ready in case of U-Boat attack. All four returned safely, although 'Nurse' Irwin crushed a finger harnessing his horse team. #Canada #WWI #Vancouver

HMS Glorious was launched as a battlecruiser in 1916, but was converted to an aircraft carrier in 1929-30. In June 1940, she was lost to German battleship Scharnhorst off the coast of Norway with heavy loss of life. #RoyalNavy #England #WWII

#ThrowbackThursday #tbt

A rare pre-WWI trade badge for a Canadian soldier, the driver of a staff car, complete with provenance! You can *just* see the badge in the photo on the Canadian Army Service Corps soldier's arm. #Canada #WWI @CanWarMuseum

Raised in Montreal, Québec, the 199th Battalion of the CEF was known as the "Duchess of Connaught's Own Irish Rangers." #StPatricksDay #Ireland #Canada #Irish #WWI #Montreal

The Ramillies flag, captured in 1706 by Irish "Wild Geese" in French service during the War of the Spanish Succession. Given to Irish nuns at Ypres Abbey, it was saved from destruction in WWI and now hangs in Kylemore Abbey. #Ireland #SaintPatricksDay

The Northamptonshire Regiment cobblers at Long Buckby repair shoes with hobnails, glue, new soles--and chocolate biscuits to hand. Looks like the boy mascot has been added later by the photographer! #WWI #Northants #England #NationalShoeTheWorldDay

Officers of the Royal Canadian Artillery take target practice with their issue sidearm, the Smith & Wesson .38 revolver. Likely at Camp Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. #Canada #WW2 #Nanaimo

Poignant letter from "Toni," a Japanese soldier in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Turned away from recruitment due to strong anti-Asian prejudice on the west coast, many Japanese went to Calgary or Ontario to enlist. #Canada #WWI #ISSEI #Japanese

It's International Bagpipe Day, so here's a piper of the Royal Scots, and a soldier (possibly his brother or cousin) in the same regiment (nicknamed 'Pontius Pilate's Bodyguard' due to their long history). #WWI #bagpipes #Scotland @Band_SCOTS @The_SCOTS

A Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun on the streets of peaceful Courtenay, British Columbia. Likely a Victory Bond drive or recruiting parade. The gunners wear the formation sign of 6th Canadian Division, assigned to home defence. #Canada #WW2 #artillery

Over 55,000 women served in the Canadian military during the Second World War. Remembering them on #InternationalWomensDay2026 #Canada #WW2

A card with HMS Sandfly, a 1911 Acheron class destroyer, celebrating the "Sailor King." The writer's arch message says "perhaps you will be able to make out little Neil standing at the blunt end (known technically as 'aft')." #RoyalNavy #WWI @HMWarships

@scifi_fan_kat It’s very difficult. We need to find someone able to read what I understand is an obsolete style of German handwriting, knows the period context, and can parse 100+ year old, often scribbled writing!

@CanMilPostcards I am beginning to collect WWI field postcards myself and was curious if you knew of anyone who could help translate them? I can recognize some words as I am learning German but the beautiful cursive handwriting makes it more difficult.

The Other Guys: an August 1916 photo postcard of a group of German infantry. Likely in a reserve or training trench, as the stahlhelm was in general issue by this time. One man wears the ribbon of the Iron Cross. #Germany #trench #WWI

The sender of this card notes "I sent three old silver thimbles to this  and they sent me this card."

The Silver Thimble Fund collected damaged or unwanted sterling silver thimbles, melted them down, and sold the silver to fund ambulances, motor launches and dental surgery cars. By 1919, over 60,000 thimbles had been donated. #WWI #Women #charity

November 1948: RCAF Lincoln bomber SX924 loses power due to fuel line problems and crash lands in remote Watson Lake, Yukon. One crew member, LAC Ernest Williams, is killed. A prop from the wreck forms a memorial at the local airport. #Canada #RCAF #Yukon