1 November 1918
Sgt. Hugh Cairns earns the Victoria Cross for capturing multiple machine-gun crews near Valenciennes, France. He is mortally wounded in the process.
2 November 1951
One Canadian dies and 13 are wounded in a diversionary raid by the Chinese on Hill 187 in Korea.
4 November 1942
Germany’s Afrika Korps begins its retreat from El Alamein, North Africa.
5 November 1914
Britain and France declare war on the Ottoman Empire.
6 November 1917
Nine Canadians earn the Victoria Cross in the battle to capture the ruined village of Passchendaele, Belgium (also see “The valour nine” on page TK).
7 November 1956
The first United Nations Emergency Task Force is established to end the Suez Crisis. Canada provides 1,000 personnel.
8 November 1940
The American steamship SS City of Rayville hits a German naval mine and sinks in the Bass Strait off Cape Otway, Australia, the first U.S. vessel lost
during World War II.
9 November 1942
German spy Werner von Janowski is dropped off by U-518 at Chaleur Bay, Que., and is later captured.
11 November 1918
The First World War comes to an end; 619,636 Canadian men and women served, 66,655 died and 172,950
were wounded.
13 November 1775
Brig.-Gen. Richard Montgomery’s Patriot army captures Montreal, Que.
14 November 1981
Canadarm performs flawlessly in testing on Space Shuttle Columbia.
15 November 1948
Mackenzie King retires after a total of
21 years as prime minister.
18 November 1916
The four-month Battle of the Somme ends.
25 November 1944
HMCS Shawinigan is torpedoed and sunk with all hands in the Cabot Strait.
27 November 2001
Two long-range patrol aircraft are deployed in support of the Naval Task Group in the Persian Gulf.
30 November 1921
The Canadian Air Force ensign is raised for the first time.
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