On Vimy Ridge Day, Read the Story of Canada’s last Great War Veteran

As historians have noted, Vimy was the first time Canadians had fought as a distinct national army, and in many ways it was a coming of age for the nation. To commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the Dominion Institute is honoured to unveil the newest addition to its online collection of stories of Canadian veterans: John Foster Babcock, Canada's last living veteran of the First World War.

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Mr. Babcock's story is now featured on the Dominion Institute's Memory Project Digital Archive, which showcases the stories and artifacts of more than 1,000 Canadian veterans from the First World War to today. Read Mr. Babcock's story, in which he outlines joining the Canadian Army at the age of 15, training at Valcartier, Quebec and with the Young Soldiers' Battalion in England prior to Armistice Day. Listen to the unforgettable stories of other First World War veterans, like Mr. Babcock. The Memory Project is the Dominion Institute's flagship program which connects veterans and students online and in classrooms across the country. The Memory Project Speakers' Bureau includes more than 1,500 veteran volunteers who have reached nearly one million young people since 2001. The Dominion Institute was founded in 1997 and has focused its efforts on conducting original research into Canadians' knowledge of the country's past and building innovative programs that broaden appreciation of the richness and complexity of the Canadian story. Visit www.dominion.ca for more information. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE MEMORY PROJECT "The reason we live in a free, democratic and peaceful country today is because of the courage and sacrifices of all those who have served in the Canadian Forces. The Memory Project helps ensure that Canada's proud history is passed along from those who have lived it to the next generation of Canadians who will defend it." -Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Saint John (NB), December 15, 2008 "The Memory Project has most successfully brought together veterans and young Canadians throughout the country. In the process, it has safeguarded not only many remarkable stories of the veterans, but also a unique chapter of the country's history." - Queen Elizabeth II at the Saskatchewan Legislature, May 18, 2005 SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE MEMORY PROJECT Teachers: Invite a Memory Project veteran to share their story of service and sacrifice with your classroom. Visit the Memory Project Digital Archive to read and listen to other veteran stories.

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