
The remains of a German observation post, April 1915. [PHOTO: LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA—P004705]
First Canadian Division is ordered to join defence of the Ypres Salient.

Members of the first graduating class of the Royal Flying Corps Canada at Camp Borden, Ontario, in May 1917. [PHOTO:LAC/DND, RE-19011]
The Royal Flying Corps starts training at Camp Borden, Ont.
3 APRIL 1945
The First Canadian Army captures the German town of Zevenaar.

St. Eloi Crater where the 29th Battalion was engaged in heavy fighting in April 1916. [CWM]
Canadians relieve exhausted British forces at St. Éloi.

Newfoundland’s Colonial Building in St. John’s before the protest broke down into violence in the late afternoon and early evening of April 5, 1932. [Newfoundland Heritage Foundation]
Newfoundland’s parliament building is wrecked by thousands of rioters demanding—and receiving—resignation of the prime minister over corruption allegations.

First Canadian Army generals in Hilversum, the Netherlands, on May 20, 1945 Seated from left: Stanisław Maczek (Polish Army), Guy Simonds II Canadian Corps, Harry Crerar 1st Canadian Army, Charles Foulkes I Canadian Corps, Bert Hoffmeister 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division; Standing from left: Ralph Keefler 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Bruce Matthews 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, Harry Foster 1st Canadian Infantry Division, Robert Moncel (for Chris Vokes 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division, S.B. Rawlins, 49th British Division. [DND/PA-137473]
The First Canadian Army is established in Britain.

Romeo Dallaire [Wikimedia]
Lt.-Gen Roméo Dallaire reports on Hutu massacre of Tutsis in Rwanda.
8 APRIL 1951
2PPCLI attacks enemy positions across the 38th parallel in Korea.
9-12 APRIL 1917
Canadian troops seize Vimy Ridge, at a cost of 3,598 dead and about 7,000 wounded.

A pair of 73 OTU Spitfire V Trops roars across the Western Egyptian desert. [Photo from Fritz Johl Collection via Tinus le Roux and Vitange Wings of Canada.]
13 APRIL 1942
An RCAF Spitfire squadron is transferred to Egypt to support Allied operations in the Middle East.

The mairie d’Arleux-en-Gohelle [Wikimedia]
The Canadian Corps advances from Vimy Ridge east to the villages of Arleux-en-Gohelle and Oppy.

The Royal Canadian Navy C-class destroyer HMCS Crusader (DD 228), circa in 1946 after the transfer to the RCN. Crusader had been commissioned in 1945 as HMS Crusader (R20). She was later converted to an anti-submarine frigate (DDE 228) and scrapped in 1964. [FL 10052 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums, Public Domain]
HMCS Crusader establishes a record, destroys three trains on the Korean coast.

Canadian soldiers in Groningen during the Battle of Groningen in April 1945. [LAC/PA-131015 (MIKAN 3396413)]
The Canadian Army takes Groningen, Netherlands, after a four-day battle.

CF-18 Hornet. [Combat Camera]
Canada sends six CF-18s and military personnel to assist NATO in Eastern Europe.
18 APRIL 1957
Canada is to continue training NATO pilots from Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Dutch UNIFIL base in Lebanon, 1981. [Wikimedia]
Canadian peacekeepers start their UN mission in Lebanon.

Major-General William Nickerson, VC [ILLUSTRATION: SHARIF TARABAY]
William Nickerson of Dorchester, N.B., attends to a wounded man under heavy fire during an assault in the Boer War. He is awarded the Victoria Cross.
21 APRIL 1926
Queen Elizabeth II is born in London, England.

The grave of Francis Jeffrey Dickens, son of author Charles Dickens, in Riverside Cemetery in Moline, Illinois. [Farragutful, Wikimedia]
NWMP Inspector Francis Dickens reaches Battleford during the Northwest Rebellion.
23 APRIL 1923
Per Ardua ad Astra (through adversity to the stars) becomes the motto of the CAF.

A series of ridge lines and steep hills in the distance, with light to medium vegetation. In the foreground is an open valley. [Phillip Oliver Hobson, AWM]
24 APRIL 1951
2PPCLI holds its ground despite casualties during a powerful Chinese attack on Hill 677 in Korea’s Kapyong River valley.

Ottawa House of Commons 1966. [Riverwash books]
The Canadian Forces Reorganization Bill passes, unifying the army, navy and air force into one service with common uniforms and ranks.
26 APRIL 1860
The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada regiment is founded.
27 APRIL 1915
The First Canadian Division is withdrawn to reorganize, having suffered 6,000 casualties in the Second Battle of Ypres.
28 APRIL 1917
A successful assault on the Arleux Loop east of Vimy Ridge results in more than 1,000 Canadian casualties.
29 APRIL 1945
Hundreds of Lancaster bombers drop food for the staving people of Holland.
30 APRIL 1943
Rear-Admiral Leonard Murray takes command of air and naval forces involved in convoy protection in the Northwest Atlantic.
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