Four snapshots from Canada’s Great War: the lost Levi Cottage Cemetery now buried within Tyne Cot; Sir Arthur Currie’s fraught rise to knighthood; the deadly work of CEF runners threading messages through chaos; and the 107th Battalion, the Timberwolves, carving identity in the mud of the Western Front. A brief episode with the weight of a century behind it.

Beaumont‑Hamel marked one of the darkest moments in Newfoundland’s history.

On the morning of July 1, 1916, the Newfoundland Regiment advanced across open ground during the first day of the Battle of the Somme, straight into unbroken German fire. Within minutes, the unit was devastated, suffering catastrophic losses that echoed across every community back home.

Beaumont‑Hamel became a symbol of extraordinary courage, profound sacrifice, and a tragedy that shaped Newfoundland’s identity for generations.

From Frezenberg to Kapyong, the Second World War, and the Medak Pocket to Afghanistan; this episode explores the courage, identity, and legacy of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. Featuring the incredible story of Major Mike Levy.Once a Patricia, Always a Patricia is a tribute to more than a century of service, sacrifice, and identity, and to the enduring spirit that binds Patricias long after the fighting ends.

In December 1914, British and German soldiers stepped out of their trenches to share songs, handshakes, and a brief moment of humanity in the frozen silence of No Man’s Land. This episode explores the Christmas Truce through the voices of the men who lived it; a fragile flicker of peace that stayed with them for the rest of their lives.

In this episode, we step inside the trenches of the Western Front, where soldiers lived every day with mud at their boots, fear in their lungs, and the constant thunder of artillery overhead. Through their routines, their hardships, and the rare moments of fragile humanity, we explore what life was truly like for the men who endured one of the harshest environments of the First World War.

From stand‑to at dawn to long nights of labour, from lice and rats to letters from home, this episode brings you into the world in which they survived, one day at a time.

In this episode of Memory and Valour, we confront one of the darkest legacies of the First World War: soldiers executed by firing squad. Beyond Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele lies another roll call—twenty‑five Canadians condemned for “cowardice,” “desertion,” or “disobedience.”

Through voices like Private Walter Underwood and Medical Officer Maberly Esler, we uncover the machinery of discipline, from Field Punishment Number One to the ultimate sanction of execution. Were these acts of necessity, or miscarriages of justice?

Step into the trenches, hear the men who lived under the shadow of discipline, and remember those who were shot at dawn.

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In this episode, we shine a light on the extraordinary story of Private Hughie John McDonald of the 49th Battalion, Edmonton Regiment. He was a courageous runner who survived the First World War, and was awarded the Military Medal for his bravery in the Battle of Passchendaele. His legacy lives on not only through history but also through the book I've written about his remarkable journey.

To bring his story closer to the present, I sit down with his grandson and namesake, John McDonald, who shares personal reflections, family memories, and what it means to carry forward such a powerful legacy. Together, we explore the resilience, sacrifice, and humanity behind one soldier’s experience in the Great War.

This episode blends historical insight with heartfelt family connection; an intimate look at how one man’s bravery continues to inspire generations.

Step into the haunting silence of No Man’s Land—the deadly stretch between opposing trenches in World War I. In this episode, we explore the hauntings, human stories, and lasting symbolism of this desolate battlefield. From the soldiers’ daily struggles to the eerie myths that grew out of the mud and wire, discover how No Man’s Land became both a physical space of terror and a powerful metaphor for conflict, survival, and the human spirit.