STEVE DOUGLAS COLLECTION/STEPHEN J. THORNE/LM

War graves, battlefield tours and Canadian Steve Douglas’s little shop of horrors

STORY BY STEPHEN J. THORNE

Two decades ago, a passion for the history of conflict brought Steve Douglas from London, Ont., to Ieper, Belgium, a mecca of First World War history where he has made a career running battlefield tours and a shop brimming with books and artifacts.

But at the heart of Douglas’ fervour is an epic endeavour he started long before he owned Salient Tours or the British Grenadier Bookshop in the medieval town once known as Ypres. It’s called the Maple Leaf Legacy Project, a 27-year-old effort to procure and post photographs of each and every Canadian war grave.

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How Canadian volunteer sailors helped win the Battle of the Atlantic

STORY BY PAIGE JASMINE GILMAR

The Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) was comprised of seafaring novices who not only helped to win the Battle of the Atlantic during the Second World War, but became a foundation for Canada’s present-day navy. Marking the 101th anniversary since its creation, the largely little-known history of the RCNVR is one of endurance and strength, which ultimately helped ensure western Europe’s survival during the war.

Rear-Admiral Walter Hose created the RCNVR on Jan. 31, 1923, a time when the Navy was dealing with drastic budget cuts. Hose, however, believed volunteers could be the force’s lifeblood, and established Naval Reserve Divisions in cities throughout Canada. The RCNVR’s utility was put to the test come September 1939.

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