1 March 1633 

Samuel de Champlain becomes the first governor of New France.

2 March 1951

The Department of National Defence publishes its first Korean War casualty list. The names of 516 Canadians are inscribed in the Korean War Book of Remembrance.

4 March 1943 

HMCS Shediac and HMCS St. Croix sink U-87 in the North Atlantic.

6 March 1945 

Operation Spring Awakening, the last major German offensive of the Second World War, begins.

7 March 1866 

In anticipation of a St. Patrick’s Day attack by the Fenian Brotherhood, John A. Macdonald puts 10,000 volunteer militia on alert.

8 March 1975 

Canada observes its first International Women’s Day.

9 March 1915 

Redford (Red) Mulock is the first Canadian to qualify as a pilot in the British air services.

10 March 1944 

HMC ships St. Laurent, Swansea and Owen Sound and HMS Forester sink U-845 in the North Atlantic.

12 March 1930 

First World War ace Billy Barker dies in a plane crash.

14 March 1916 

Women are granted the right to hold office and vote in Saskatchewan provincial elections.

20 March 1944 

Lt.-Gen. Harry Crerar takes over as commander of First Canadian Army.

22 March 1916  

The Newfoundland Regiment arrives in France from Egypt and the Dardanelles and prepares for the Battle of the Somme.

24 March 1917 

The Canadian Cavalry Brigade begins a four-day advance on a 20-kilometre front east of Péronne, France.

25 March 1944 

Seventy-six Allied airmen exit a German PoW camp, aided by tunnel king Royal Canadian Air Force Lieut. Wally Floody in what becomes known as The Great Escape.

28 March 1979

Radioactive steam begins leaking from a nuclear plant at Three Mile Island, Pa.

29 March 1973 

The last American troops leave South Vietnam.

31 March 1949 

Newfoundland joins Confederation and becomes Canada’s 10th province.