British Columbia’s history is shaped by the people, events, and communities that came before us. Through original letters, diaries, photographs, newspapers, and archival documents, this page explores World War One..
Whether you’re researching family history, studying British Columbia’s past, or simply enjoy local history, you’ll find stories from communities across the province that bring this topic to life.
As new archival collections are transcribed and published, this page will continue to grow with additional articles, photographs, and historical resources.
William McRae Series
A WWI pilot, William leaves his home in Agassiz, British Columbia to join the Royal Flying Corps overseas in Europe. Throughout his training and active service he writes home to his mother Ambie. This series will be featured in the fall exhibit of “Soldiers From the Valley” at the Agassiz-Harrison Museum.
- William McRae’s Letters: A WWI Pilot and Soldier (1916)
- William McRae’s WWI Letters: A Canadian Soldier’s Journey(1916)
- William McRae Letters: Canadian Pilot Training, War Isolation & Conscription Crisis (1917)
- Training for War in Oxford: William McRae’s WWI Letters from England (1917)
- Baseball and Flight Training in Wartime Oxford (1917)
- Crashes and Castles: William McRae’s WWI Letters (1917)
- From British Columbia Aviation School to the Royal Flying Corps: William McRae’s 1917 Letters
- Royal Flying Corps Squadron Training (1917)
- Reported Missing: The Letters of William McRae (1917)
- Missing in Action: A Family’s Search For Answers (1917)
- William Gordon McRae (1897-1917): The Final Letters
153 Mile House Series
The 153 Mile house is one of the last surviving roadhouses built along British Columbia’s historic Cariboo Waggon Road. During the Cariboo Gold Rush, thousands of travellers and miners stopped here for meals, supplies, and rest before continuing on to the goldfields.