August 4th, 1914

Canada went to war on the fourth of August 1914. When Great Britain declared war on Germany on that day, Canada was automatically included as a Dominion of the British Empire. Immediately, Canada offered to send military support; the Canadian Expeditionary Force was formed.

  

Canada ― then a nation of under eight million people ― sent 620,000 enlistments over the duration. Our country lost 60,000 during the war, not including those who died later of wounds.

To quote historian Tim Cook in Macleans ("Could we do it again?" 11 August 2014), "If you put that death toll into the equivalent of today's population, it comes out to something like 250,000 dead in four years."

Our Second World War losses were a comparative fraction. More Canadian soldiers died in the First World War trenches than in all other wars we participated in.

Let us not forget the sacrifices!