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.
Amid the thunder of artillery and the chaos of August 1917, Canadian soldiers fought fiercely to seize Hill 70. The Battle of Hill 70 & The Milburn Sacrifice is not just a story of strategy and victory, it is a story of family.
This episode honours the courage and loss of my great‑grandfather and his nephew, who gave their lives in the struggle. We get into the heart of the battle, where sacrifice echoes across generations, and the legacy of Hill 70 still resounds today.
In this episode of Memory and Valour, we journey into the heart of the First World War to uncover the extraordinary courage and innovation of the Canadian Army Medical Corps. Amid the chaos of battle, stretcher bearers braved gunfire to rescue the wounded, nurses offered compassion and skill in field hospitals, and doctors pushed the limits of medicine to save lives under unimaginable conditions. Their dedication not only brought hope to soldiers in the trenches but also transformed military medicine for generations to come.
This episode is dedicated to the memory of historian Tim Cook, whose work illuminated the human stories behind the war. Listeners will also hear the voices of two men who lived through the conflict, their recordings offering a rare and powerful connection to the past.
This is a story of resilience, sacrifice, and humanity in the darkest of times; an exploration of how healing itself became an act of valour.
In this debut episode of Memory and Valour, we reflect on Remembrance Day through two deeply human stories from the Canadian Expeditionary Force. We remember Private George Price, the last Canadian soldier to die in the First World War, whose death came just minutes before the Armistice. We also honour the Adkins brothers of Edmonton’s 49th Battalion, three siblings who served together and whose experiences reveal the bonds of family and the heavy toll of war. These stories remind us that remembrance is not only about sacrifice, but about lives lived, families changed, and the enduring legacy of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Lest We Forget.