An army may march on its stomach but it’s the feet that take the heat—and if soldiers don’t take care of them, they aren’t going far.
For years, Canadian soldiers have complained about their army-issued footwear. It was so bad that many claimed to have bought their own. Since 2018, military members have been reimbursed up to $340 a year, depending on their branch of service.
After the Second World War, Germany was quickly occupied by the Allies, who divided it into four zones of occupation to be administered separately by the Soviets, Americans, British and French.
Berlin, the capital, was technically in the Soviet zone, but was also split; the Soviets administered what would become East Berlin and East Germany.
Thousands of Indigenous people have served in all branches of the Canadian military, in both world wars and in other conflicts in distant lands. Some became decorated war heroes, receiving medals for valour and joining elite military units. Many paid the ultimate price. Those lucky enough to return home came back to a nation that still denied them equal rights.
Their service and sacrificehave gone largely unrecognized: from the deadliest sniper of the First World War to a reconnaissance sergeant in the infamous Devil’s Brigade, the exploits of these soldiers deserve to be heard. These are some of their stories.
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Royal Canadian Legion, US Branch #25 