This short essay focuses on education within schools and universities during the Second World War in order to explore the relationship between war and learning. In elementary schools, high schools,…
Learning
Introductory Essay
Canada’s participation in the First World War has often been described as a coming-of-age – a trial by fire that transformed an immature colonial polity into an independent adult nation. Yet despite…
Fighting ships of the world
Like other sets in the Fighting Forces series (and the World in Arms series on which it was based), this one featured naval vessels from Allied as well as enemy fleets: US battleship "Mississippi"; French battleship "Dunkerque"; British torpedo boat "Hornet"; Japanese destroyer "Fubuki"; Italian cruiser "Zara"; German submarine; US heavy cruiser "Indianapolis"; Spanish cruiser "Canarias"; motor torpedo boat; Japanese aircraft carrier "Akagi"; British battleship "Rodney"; Italian M.A.S. boat.
Allied aircraft in action
Probably distributed as a product premium during the Second World War, these photographs show military aircraft that were in Canadian and British service: Bell Airacobra; Blackburn Skua; Boulton & Paul Defiant; Consolidated Liberator; Curtiss Kittyhawk; Douglas B19; Douglas DB7 Havoc; Hudson Bomber; Lockheed YP38; Spitfire; and Vultee Vanguard.
The "iron cavalry"
The manufacturers of the Fighting Forces gum card series, and the American World in Arms series on which it was based, applied the quaint term "iron cavalry" to the new mobile warfare.
Miscellaneous weapons
A separate section of the Fighting Forces gum card series (and the American World in Arms series on which it was based) was reserved for a hodge-podge of different weapons: Flame Throwers; British Death-dealing Balloon Barrage; Landing Russian "Air Infantry"; The New Garand Automatic Rifle; British Portable Steel Air Raid Shelter; Gas Raid Rescue Squad; Stream of Torpedoes; Devastating Martin-Barlow Aerial Bomb.
Allied ships of the line
Distributed by the Canada Starch Company as a product premium during the Second World War, this set depicted Allied naval vessels: aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, a Tribal-class destroyer, battleship HMS King George V, battle cruiser HMS Repulse, a Shark-class submarine, battleship HMS Warspite, a motor torpedo boat, and battle cruiser HMS Hood.
Allied aircraft gum cards
These gum cards probably went into production very early in the Second World War - many of the airplanes featured had been removed service as obsolete by 1940, while others would eventually go through many variants: Republic Guardsman; Vickers Wellesley; Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley; Northrop 8A; Vought V-143; Supermarine Seagull V; Bell VFM-1; Curtiss Hawk III; Short Singapore III; Caudron C-670; Supermarine Stranraer; Lockheed Electra 10E; Sikorsky S-43; Boeing Stratoliner; Curtiss Y1A-18; Hanrive 510; Fairey FC; Grumann Midwing; Douglas TBD-1; North American Harvard; Northrop N-3; Saunder
The fortifications of war
Issued in 1939 using artwork from the American World in Arms series, the bilingual Fighting Forces series offered young card collectors a wide range of subjects, including military fortifications.
Artillery pieces in action
Issued in 1939 using artwork from the American World in Arms series, the Fighting Forces gum card series was printed in Canada with a bilingual element added.
A patriotic card game
This postcard took the traditional card game Nap (or Napoleon), a simplified version of whist, and gave it patriotic overtones.
Women in uniform
During the First World War, it was quite common for women to pose for photographs while wearing a uniform that belonged to a loved one.