At Home and Beyond— Honouring Canada’s War Dead

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Thirty years ago, author and photographer Len Wagg found himself in a Commonwealth War Graves cemetery in Europe, a lush oasis of manicured lawns with row upon row of immaculate headstones inscribed with the names of Canadian dead. It left a powerful impression.

Since then, he’s visited more war cemeteries and noticed that sites are meticulously maintained and guest books are consistently filled with the names of far-flung relatives. Nearby road signs feature Canadian place names. In a Dutch cemetery, children place candles on every Canadian headstone every Christmas Eve. 

On home soil, Canadians are also working hard to keep alive the memories of their war dead—and the memories of how the families coped at home. The Canadian War Museum, the federal government’s Casualty Identification Program, and individual Canadians continue to research and document these important histories.

What is behind these expressions of generational gratitude? Through personal research, illuminating essays, and more than one hundred powerful photos, At Home and Beyond: Honouring Canada’s War Dead reminds us that our war dead may be gone but their sacrifices are far from forgotten.

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