Scholastic Canada: I Am Canada

A Note from Jonathan Webb
author of I Am Canada: Sniper Fire

My father fought in the Second World War — he was in the Navy. Most of my friends’ parents also fought in the war. One friend’s dad was in the Army. He fought in Italy and northern Europe. I remember one time my friend showed me some of his dad’s souvenirs. They included a hand grenade that had been disarmed. We handled it with awe (and very carefully).

I studied history at university. I was fortunate to take a graduate course from a great Canadian military historian, Colonel C.P. Stacey. At the time, I was chiefly interested in international relations, but later I returned to Stacey’s books and looked more deeply into Canada’s war record. I wrote a book called Canada’s Wars. And then I remembered my friend’s father. His regiment played a central role in one of the fiercest battles fought by the Canadians in Italy: Ortona.

Because of our parents, my friends and I knew quite a lot about Canada’s military history. This may be less true of people today. But I think it’s important to remember and honour what Canadians have fought for and achieved. I tried, in Sniper Fire, to give an account of the battle that is both exciting in its made-up parts and true in its description of what really happened. It’s a tricky balance. You will judge if I got it right.

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