Canada, 1914-1918 Trivia Quiz

Answer: He didn't

While Canada had become an independent country in 1867, it was still a dominion of the British Empire. Thus, Canada was automatically at war when Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August, 1914. Other countries that were drawn immediately into the war were Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, as well as British India, other British colonies, and all French and German colonies.

Answer: French-Canadians

Many French-Canadians were very unenthusiastic about being drawn into a war by Great Britain. Generally speaking, French-Canadians were farther removed from their European roots than English-Canadians were. Thus they did not feel the same need to help defend France that English-Canadians (many of whom were first or second generation immigrants) felt to defend Britain. Canada was not ready for war in the summer of 1914, though; by the time the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry arrived in France, it was already mid-December 1914. None of them would be home for Christmas that year.

Answer: Ypres

The Canadians had a rough go of it during Second Ypres (April-May 1915). The Patricias and the 1st Canadian Division were subjected to the first widescale use of chlorine gas and suffered a great number of casualties, but they held the line and prevented a German breakthrough. In their first major engagement at the front, the Canadians proved themselves to be a tough bunch who could hold their own very well.

McCrae was a doctor, and he treated thousands of wounded men in the Ypres salient (in Flanders). After a friend of his was killed, McCrae penned the famous poem:
"In Flanders fields, the poppies blow
between the crosses, row on row
that mark our place; and in the sky
the larks, still bravely singing, fly
scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead - short days ago
we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
loved and were loved, and now we lie
in Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
to you from failing hands we throw
the torch - be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die,
we shall not sleep, though poppies grow
in Flanders fields."

Answer: the Parliament buildings caught fire

Seven people died in the fire that broke out in late evening of the very cold February night. The Centre Block was destroyed, except for the parliamentary library with its irreplaceable books, which survived thanks to the heavy fire-proof doors. Rumours immediately started, blaming the Germans for the fire; even some members of Parliament were quick to assume that it was an act of war.

It was later concluded that the fire was an accident, probably caused by an unattended cigar that had been left burning.

Answer: Newfoundland

July 1, 1916 was the first day of the Somme offensive. It was undertaken to draw German attention away from the Battle of Verdun, where French troops were being massacred. Newfoundland was, at the time, an independent colony of the British Empire and did not become a province of Canada until 1949. Along with a small unit of soldiers from Bermuda, the 1st Newfoundland Regiment was among the only non-domestic British forces at the Somme.

The first day was an absolute disaster; 730 Newfoundlanders went over the top, and only 69 were alive and unharmed the next day. Nearly 20,000 British and colonial troops were killed that day.

While July 1st is usually a celebratory day in the rest of Canada (Dominion Day, later called Canada Day), it is a much less happy anniversary for many Newfoundlanders.

Answer: Canada's top WWI flying ace

William Avery Bishop, of Owen Sound, Ontario, was officially credited with 72 air victories, not far behind the famous Red Baron of Germany, who had 80 credited victories. This makes Billy Bishop Canada's undisputed top flying ace, and possibly the top ace of the British Empire. Bishop was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1917, for "most conspicuous bravery, determination and skill" (according to the citation in the "London Gazette"), but he had just one VC, like most other recipients.

During the Second World War, Billy Bishop was in charge of recruitment for the Royal Canadian Air Force. His son, Arthur, was a Spitfire pilot who fought in the Battle of Britain.

Answer: Battle of Arras

Most other nations do not really consider the capture of Vimy Ridge as a distinct, separate battle. Rather, it is generally considered to be a small part of the British Arras Offensive, which in turn was the first step of the larger Nivelle Offensive.

The Canadian Corps was sent to Vimy to capture the ridge, so that the Arras Offensive would be able to advance without being attacked by Germans at the ridge. The Battle of Vimy Ridge is highly regarded in Canadian history because it marked the first time that the Canadian divisions all fought together, on their own, without the BEF there supporting them. Canada's largest war monument stands at Vimy Ridge, in commemoration of the effort of the Canadians and in memorial of the greater than 10,000 casualties suffered there.

Answer: He allowed some women to vote

French-Canadians were still largely not supportive of the war, as were other groups of Canadians, such as farmers (who felt that they should not be forced to go to war, because then there would be no one to tend to their farms). Borden, having promised the British more Canadian troops by the end of the year, needed to start conscripting men. To gain support for conscription, he decided it would be in his best interest to allow some women to vote: women who had lost husbands, sons, or brothers in the war.

He also extended voting rights to men serving overseas, and if they were unable to vote, their wives or mothers were allowed to do so in their place. These were people who were likely to favour conscription, because they wanted support for their loved ones who were fighting or who had died in battle.

Answer: Roy Brown

For a long time, it was generally believed that Capt. Roy Brown, serving in the RAF, was the one who had shot down Manfred von Richtofen, the famous Red Baron, in 1918. Brown had been flying behind Richtofen at the time of his death, and was shooting at him.

However, it was later concluded from the nature and positions of the wounds that killed Richtofen, that the fatal shots could not have come from Brown's guns. The most accepted theory now is that the Red Baron was shot down by Australian troops on the ground, probably by Sgt. Cedric Popkin, an anti-aircraft gunner of the Australian 24th Machine Gun Company.

Answer: Yes

Prime Minister Robert Borden insisted that Canada should represent itself at the Conference. Some tensions arose when Borden sided with American President Woodrow Wilson rather than British PM David Lloyd George on some of the terms for peace that were being discussed. Canada signed the Treaty of Versailles independently of Great Britain.

In the book "Right Honourable Men", author Michael Bliss suggests that Borden was the first to recognize that Canada was developing into a nation totally independent of the British Empire, and that the Empire would soon become a Commonwealth of nations. Bliss also credits Borden as being the first Canadian Prime Minister to recognize that Canada's ties to the US were as great as, or perhaps greater than, its ties to Britain.