This compelling lecture will explore the profound themes of death, grief and mourning in the aftermath of the First World War. Military and cultural historians will examine the story of Canada’s Unknown Soldier, the national effort to reclaim the fallen through scientific analysis, and the ways in which service members and their families coped with loss. Through expert insights and personal narratives, this lecture will offer a deeper understanding of how Canada commemorates those who made the ultimate sacrifice, helping to shape national identity and memory.

Dr. Michael Petrou, Historian of the Veterans’ Experience at the Canadian War Museum, will be our emcee. Dr. Petrou is currently the lead historian for In Their Own Voices, a War Museum oral history project that explores the experiences of Canadian veterans and their families, from the Second World War to the present day.

Dr. Brittany Dunn, a cultural-military historian of Canada and the First World War, will explore why nearly one third of Canadian First World War dead have no known grave. She will examine how men died and how their bodies could be lost on the Western Front. Dr. Dunn’s research focuses on stories of death, grief and mourning in the Canadian Expeditionary Forces.

Dr. Janet Young, Curator of Biological Anthropology at the Canadian Museum of History, will explore the science behind identification of the fallen through the work of archaeologists, forensic anthropologists, geneticists, genealogists and more. Dr. Young specializes in the study of biomechanical and pathological changes in the human skeleton, as they relate to the activity patterns and general health of past and present populations.

Dr. Stacey Barker, Historian of Arts and Military History at the Canadian War Museum, will speak about the history and legacies of Canada’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Dr. Barker’s areas of research include war memorials and commemoration. Her current focus is art and war, women and war, and food in wartime.

Read more about the Canadian War Museum’s historians.

Read more about the Canadian Museum of History’s research team.