HMCS Saguenay (D79)

Canadian Navy Heritage, Public Domain

1 DECEMBER 1940
HMCS Saguenay is torpedoed on escort duty; 21 die, but the ship can be repaired.

At a cost of $100 million, the link contained 11,000 miles of telephone cable, which provided 80 two-way speech channels or 1,760 teleprinter circuits.

Bondi Stories

2 DECEMBER 1963
The 24,000-km undersea Commonwealth Pacific Cable System links Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Britain.

FDN & ARDE Frente Sur Commandas, Nueva Guinea zone of southeast Nicaragua, 1987

Tiomono, Wikimedia

3 DECEMBER 1989
Nine peacekeepers leave for Honduras for a UN mission monitoring ceasefires between Contras and Sandanistas.

The fight for Italy: Corporal E.H. Pruner of The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, who carries both a PIAT anti-tank weapon and a Thompson sub-machine gun, Motta, Italy, 2 October 1943.

LAC

4 DECEMBER 1944
Canadians capture Ravenna, Italy.

5 DECEMBER 1812
HMS Plumper sinks in the Bay of Fundy; 42 die and gold and silver to pay troops is lost.

6 DECEMBER 2008
Joint Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing is established in Kandahar.

Photograph taken from a Japanese plane during the torpedo attack on ships moored on both sides of Ford Island.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

7 DECEMBER 1941
The Japanese attack the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor; Canada declares war on Japan.

Book and cigar in hand, John McCrae relaxes at the holiday home of friends at Kennebunkport, Maine, where he spent a vacation in September 1903.

GUELPH CIVIC MUSEUM/M1968X.436.3

8 DECEMBER 1915
Punch Magazine publishes “In Flanders Fields.”

9 DECEMBER 1950
The 3^rd battalions of the Royal Canadian Regiment and the Royal 22^nd Regiment are authorized.

Lester B. Pearson displays his Nobel Peace Prize, December 1956.

PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Lester B. Pearson displays his Nobel Peace Prize, December 1956.

PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Company Sergeant-Major John Robert Osborn, VC was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in the fighting for Hong Kong on 19 December 1941.

LAC PA-37483

12 DECEMBER 1942
An arsonist (perhaps German agent) burns a St. John’s, N.L., hostel; 99 die and 100 are injured, mostly military personnel and their dates

13 DECEMBER 1918
A Canadian occupational force crosses into Germany.

14 DECEMBER 1943
Capt. Paul Triquet holds a key crossroads near Ortona, Italy, against counterattack, earning the Victoria Cross.

15 DECEMBER 1813

The Kent Militia forces the surrender of 40 U.S. troops following the Battle of the Thames in Ontario.

16 DECEMBER 1884

A petition of grievances is drawn up by Metis of St. Laurent, Sask., with Louis Riel’s help.

17 DECEMBER 1962

The Republican Party of Quebec is founded. Aim: separation.

18 DECEMBER 1941

Japanese forces land on Hong Kong Island.

19 DECEMBER 2012

Astronaut Chris Hadfield blasts off, will become first Canadian commander of the International Space Station.

20 DECEMBER 1916
Canadians destroy 26 enemy dugouts and machine-gun posts, taking 60 prisoners near Artois.

21 DECEMBER 1914

The Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry crosses to France.

22 DECEMBER 1919
The Privy Council considers organization of a Canadian Air Force.

23 DECEMBER 1943
Suffering no casualties, the 48^th Highlanders take cemetery ridge, overlooking Ortona.

24 DECEMBER 1814
The War of 1812 officially ends with signing of the Treaty of Ghent.

25 DECEMBER 1941
Hong Kong surrenders. Survivors face nearly four years in brutal Japanese prisoner of war camps.

26 DECEMBER 1943
Commander of First Canadian Army, Gen. Andy McNaughton retires, shortly to become minister of defence.

27 DECEMBER 1942
HMC Ships St. Laurent, Chilliwack, Battleford and Napanee sink a sub in the North Atlantic.

28 DECEMBER 1961
In North Bay, Ont., 466 Squadron is established, and equipped with Bomarc missiles.

29 DECEMBER 1956
Canadian troops sail for Port Said, Egypt to monitor the ceasefire between French, British and Egyptian forces.

30 DECEMBER 2009
Four soldiers and a journalist are killed in an IED blast in Afghanistan

31 DECEMBER 1990
HMCS Preserver crew flies to the Persian Gulf to relieve HMCS Protecteur.