1. Tim Cook, “At the Sharp End: Canadians Fighting the Great War 1914-1916” (Vol. 1) and “Shock Troops: Canadians Fighting the Great War 1917-1918” (Vol. 2)
- These two volumes by Tim Cook are among the most comprehensive and engaging accounts of Canada’s military experience in the First World War. Cook blends detailed military history with the personal stories of soldiers on the front lines.
2. Desmond Morton, “When Your Number’s Up: The Canadian Soldier in the First World War”
- Morton provides a detailed examination of the everyday experiences of Canadian soldiers during the First World War, from training to combat, with a focus on the human dimension of the conflict.
3. Jonathan Vance, “Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning, and the First World War”
- This book explores the cultural and social impact of the First World War on Canada, focusing on how the war was remembered and commemorated, and the impact it had on shaping Canadian national identity.
4. G.W.L. Nicholson, “Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1919: Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War”
- This is the official history of the Canadian Army’s involvement in the First World War, providing a detailed account of the Canadian Expeditionary Force’s operations and battles, written by one of Canada’s foremost military historians.
5. J.L. Granatstein, “The Greatest Victory: Canada’s One Hundred Days, 1918”
- Granatstein focuses on the final months of the war, known as Canada’s “Hundred Days,” during which Canadian forces played a crucial role in the Allied victory, leading some of the most successful operations of the war.
6. Pierre Berton, “Vimy”
- Pierre Berton’s narrative account of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an accessible and well-researched history of this pivotal battle, widely considered a defining moment for Canada during the First World War.
7. Tim Cook, “Vimy: The Battle and the Legend”
- Another work by Tim Cook, this book not only recounts the details of the Battle of Vimy Ridge but also examines its significance in Canadian memory and its lasting impact on national identity.
8. Mark Osborne Humphries and John Maker (eds.), “Germany’s Western Front: Translations from the German Official History of the Great War”
- This book provides translated excerpts from the German official histories of the First World War, offering a unique perspective on the battles in which Canadians fought, including those on the Western Front.
9. Andrew Iarocci, “Shoestring Soldiers: The 1st Canadian Division at War, 1914-1915”
- Iarocci’s book focuses on the early years of the war and the experiences of the 1st Canadian Division, examining how they adapted to the harsh realities of trench warfare and became an effective fighting force.
10. Patrick Brennan, “The Canadian Army and the British Army: Understanding the Differences in Leadership, Training, and Command”
- This work examines the differences in leadership styles and military culture between the Canadian and British armies, and how these differences influenced Canadian operations during the First World War.
11. Robert Rutherdale, “Hometown Horizons: Local Responses to Canada’s Great War”
- Rutherdale explores the impact of the First World War on Canadian society, focusing on how the war affected communities back home, including themes of patriotism, recruitment, and the return of soldiers.
12. Jeffery Williams, “First in the Field: Gault of the Patricias”
- This biography of Andrew Hamilton Gault, the founder of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), offers insights into one of Canada’s most distinguished fighting units and its role in the First World War.
13. David Campbell, “It Can’t Last Forever: The 19th Battalion and the Canadian Corps in the First World War”
- A regimental history that provides a detailed examination of the 19th Battalion, one of the Canadian units that served in key battles on the Western Front, including the Somme, Vimy Ridge, and Passchendaele.
14. Nicholas Lloyd, “Passchendaele: A New History”
- Lloyd’s account of the Battle of Passchendaele offers a fresh perspective on this notorious battle, in which Canadian forces played a significant and tragic role, emphasizing the brutal conditions and the human cost of the campaign.
15. D.J. Goodspeed, “The Road Past Vimy: The Canadian Corps 1914-1918”
- Goodspeed provides a detailed history of the Canadian Corps during the First World War, covering its creation, training, and significant role in some of the most important battles of the war.
These references offer a wide range of perspectives on Canada’s involvement in the First World War, from operational military history to cultural and social impact, making them excellent starting points for further study.