100th Anniversary of Passchendaele
The Battle of Passchendaele
The Battle of Passchendaele raged in Belgium in the summer and fall of 1917. The Canadian Corps joined the fighting there in October and would overcome almost unimaginable hardships to triumph on a brutal and muddy battlefield. This victory only came at a high price, however, as over 4,000 Canadian soldiers lost their lives and almost 12,000 more were wounded.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele. The service and sacrifice of the Canadians who fought there will never be forgotten.
Author: Norman Leach
Norman Leach is a historian, freelance writer and professional speaker from Calgary, Alberta. He graduated with a degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Manitoba, and he now gives speeches around the world on Canadian military history.
Norman's writing has won him two Crystal Awards from the University of Lethbridge, and he has been awarded both the Canadian 125 and Alberta Centennial Medals.
He has also been named an honourary peacekeeper by the Canadian Armed Forces. Most recently, he served as historical advisor on the Paul Gross production of the film Passchendaele.
From the author: I have always been fascinated by Canadian history. As a kid travelling with my parents, I forced the entire car to stop at every museum along the road, no matter how big or how small. I am not interested in writing the great tomes about which battalion moved up when.
I tell the true stories of the officers and men soldiers who have been lost to time. My work is their lives, their sacrifices and their success and failures.
I have written about the men in the shell holes of Passchendaele to the soldiers fighting in Afghanistan. Each time, I feel the men and women who have given their lives for our country looking over my shoulder. They seem to be saying "Please get it right, we deserve at least that."
Today I speak around the world on Canadian military history, and am a consultant on historical movies and documentaries. I am a senior volunteer with both the Military Museums and Lougheed House in Calgary, am the Managing Editor of "Honour Magazine" and lecture at many colleges and Universities. For that kid who stopped at every museum it can't get any better.
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