Canada, World War II, Faces of the Second World War, 1941-1945

General Collection Information

This collection contains almost 2,500 photographs of members of the Canadian Forces taken during World War II. All branches of the Canadian Forces are represented, including the Army, Air Force, and Navy. Photographs in the collection range from combat photos to routine assignments, offering a glimpse of what military life was like during World War II. The collection contains both images and indexes. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.

Using this Collection

The collection includes the following:

While some image titles may contain the names of the subjects photographed, others may not.

Collection in Context

At the onset of World War II, Commissioner Frank Badgley of the Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau recommended the Army form a special film and photographic unit. The material collected would be distributed worldwide to boost morale and further the war effort. As a result, the Army created a public relations unit in 1940 that would become the basis for photographic units formed by all three military branches. Photographs in this collection were circulated by a variety of local and international newspapers and newsreels.

Bibliography

Evans, Gililian. “Framing the Past Through the Lens of the Present.” Canadian Film and Photo Unit. Last Modified May 16, 2011. https://canadianfilmandphotounit.ca/2011/05/16/framing-the-past-through-the-lens-of-the-present/

Library and Archives Canada. “ Faces of the Second World War.” Last Modified September 16, 2020. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/second-world-war/faces-second-war/Pages/faces-second-world-war.aspx