Disability and Rehabilitation

Ethelbert ‘Curley’ Christian was a black Canadian, and the only quadruple amputee of the First World War. He was buried under rubble from German artillery fire for two days during the battle of Vimy Ridge. After being found alive, the stretch-bearers carrying him to safety were killed by enemy fire, despite this, he was brought to safety.

This memorandum belonged to disabled veteran Thomas Fleming of the 8th Scottish Rifles, and was used to claim disability on his pension.

This wounded Canadian soldier posed with a young boy during a celebration at the Alhambra Presbyterian Church in Toronto, Ontario.

In Hamilton, Ontario, No. 2 Convalescent Hospital cared for injured servicemen from the Royal Canadian Air Force. This Christmas postcard featured both Dalley Division and Young Division areas of the hospital in a carefully crafted card. 

The second of a series, this booklet is the continuation of the efforts by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide guidance in how to successfully integrate people with physical disabilities into the workplace, In particular, this booklet focuses on a technique developed to aid employers become more thoroughly familiarized with the physical requirements of the jobs that will be done by disabled Canadians, particularly veterans. The text explains degrees of capacity and measures that can be implemented to "open a vast new range of jobs to the disabled."

The first of a series, this booklet produced by the Department of Veterans Affairs with assistance from the Ministry of Labour, aimed to "foster an understanding of the question of physical disablement" as Canadian service personnel returned from overseas. Many disabled veterans faced adverse conditions when they attempted to return to civilian work.

Blinded soldiers returning home from service required specialized training and rehabilitation processes to accommodate their new circumstances. The Canadian National Institute for the Blind sought to provide these services through the establishment of training centres such as Baker Hall in Toronto. Courses in Braille and typewriting were offered as initial steps towards further education and employment.