Stories of Service and Sacrifice

Canadians have defended freedom in every major conflict since 1900.

As part of the British Empire, Canada was automatically at war when Great Britain declared war on Germany in August of 1914. Throughout World War I, or “The Great War” (1914-1918), more than 650,000 Canadians served in the Canadian armed forces, including over 1700 residents of Peel.

When World War II was declared in 1939, the world was split between the Allies (including the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China) and the Axis powers (including Germany, Italy and Japan). Over 2900 Peel residents volunteered to serve.

There are many more stories of service and sacrifice in Peel:

• Heritage Mississauga
• Sikh Heritage Museum of Canada
• Great War Flying Museum

Photo caption: Soldiers of the 126^th Peel Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1916. Lorne Scots Regimental Museum.