To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice I’ve created a three and a half minute video as a tribute to those who persevered through more than four long years of war. The photographs are of individuals, families and military units from Greater Victoria but similar scenes played out in backyards, streets, train stations and harbours across Canada and throughout Britain and the Empire.

Photographs are powerful tools for connecting us to our past, especially those that capture the emotion of a single moment in time. Pride is certainly evident in some of these images but the prospect of adventure is often tempered with a sense of trepidation. Others reveal the affection and sorrow felt for and by those about to leave their homes, friends and family. However I can’t help but sense that the underlying emotion is one of concern for their uncertain future.

Some of those remembered here, like hundreds of others, never set eyes on their families or Vancouver Island again. Many of those who did return bore physical and mental scars that haunted them for the rest of their lives. I’ve chosen not to identify those who lost their life as this is an opportunity to remember them all.

Normally I don’t ask readers to share my posts but based on the results of a recent survey by Ancestry.ca I’d like as many people as possible to have the chance to remember them. If you are able to share this video with friends and family I thank you in advance.

Note: all images are scans of original photographs and postcards from my personal collection. The music is Wistful Harp by Andrew Huang from the YouTube Audio Library.