3dhistory1918

09/02/2026

That’s a wrap on filming in Saskatchewan for Season One of 300 Years of War.

Eight episodes and stories that deserve to be told.

300 Years of War is an 8-part docuseries celebrating the service, sacrifice, and

contributions of Canada’s Indigenous peoples in wartime. Being part of bringing these stories to the screen has been an extraordinary experience - and a reminder of just how many stories remain to be discovered, understood, and shared.

The final two days in Saskatchewan were a historian’s dream.

Thanks to the producers I stayed at the Hotel Saskatchewan, the iconic Regina landmark built in 1927- a place that has been part of the city’s history for almost a century.

Then to Moose Jaw and the Grant Hall Hotel, another celebrated piece of Saskatchewan history just a year short of its 100th birthday.

And finally, we filmed our last day beneath the streets of Moose Jaw in the tunnels of Bunker 24 - a location that had been on my bucket list for years. There is something pretty special about standing in a place you've read about and imagined, and then suddenly finding yourself there with a camera crew.

Add a fantastic cast, an exceptional crew, fascinating locations, and the opportunity to explore Canadian military history, and you have what I would describe as the dream gig for a historian.

History isn't just dates, battles and names. It is places. It is people. It is memory. And, most importantly, it is the stories we choose to tell.

I’m proud to have been part of this one. Now comes the next chapter: on to Calgary and bringing these stories to audiences.

09/01/2026

Back on the set today - proud to be working on "300 Years of War" a docuseries on Indigenous people who fought for Canada. Great project with an incredible crew.

08/28/2026

Another day at the office - leading the WW1 troops on set at 300 Years of War.
of war

07/07/2026

07/03/2026

The Birth of the 15th Alberta Light Horse: The Beginning of a Regimental Legacy

Every regiment has a beginning.

For the South Alberta Light Horse, that story reaches back to July 3, 1905, when the 15th Alberta Light Horse was authorized as one of the first cavalry regiments created in the new Province of Alberta.
Canada was still a young nation.

Alberta had not yet officially entered Confederation as a province, and mounted troops were essential to protecting the vast western frontier.

Over the decades, the regiment evolved from horse-mounted cavalry to mechanized reconnaissance, serving in both World Wars before becoming today's South Alberta Light Horse.

The equipment changed. The battlefield changed.
The values did not.

Initiative. Adaptability. Professionalism. Service.

Those qualities carried the regiment through Normandy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany during the Second World War and continue to define the regiment today.

As Regimental Historian, I believe anniversaries like this matter because they remind us that military traditions are built over generations—not in a single campaign.

Every soldier who wears the South Alberta Light Horse cap badge today inherits more than a century of service.

That legacy began on July 3, 1905.



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06/19/2026

Canada’s Forgotten Battlefield Genius: General Guy Simonds

When Canadians discuss the great commanders of the Second World War, names like Eisenhower, Montgomery, and Patton often dominate the conversation. Yet one of the most innovative Allied commanders of the war was Canadian General Guy Simonds.

Born in 1903 and educated at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Simonds rose rapidly through the Canadian Army and became one of Canada’s youngest senior commanders during the war. By 1944, he was commanding II Canadian Corps during the Normandy Campaign and the liberation of Northwest Europe.

Simonds earned a reputation for intellectual discipline, operational innovation, and relentless determination. During the brutal fighting after D-Day, he developed new battlefield tactics involving massed artillery, armoured personnel carriers known as “Kangaroos,” and coordinated night attacks that helped Allied forces break through heavily defended German positions.

Military historians continue to regard him as one of Canada’s finest combat commanders.

Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery reportedly described Simonds as “the best product of the Allied side,” while historians have noted that no Canadian commander rose higher or performed better in action during the war.

What makes Simonds particularly fascinating is that he was not charismatic in the traditional sense. He was demanding, analytical, and intensely focused on results. His leadership reminds us that great commanders are not always the loudest personalities - sometimes they are the ones who combine intellect, discipline, and innovation under impossible pressure.

Canada has produced remarkable military leaders throughout its history. Guy Simonds deserves to be remembered among the very best.

06/03/2026

The Courage to Commit: Leadership Lessons from D-Day

On June 6, 1944, General Dwight D. Eisenhower made the most consequential leadership decision of the twentieth century. Despite uncertain weather, incomplete intelligence, and the knowledge that failure would cost tens of thousands of lives, he gave the order: "OK, let's go.

"Three words. The weight of the world behind them.💡 The leadership lesson from D-Day is not about planning - though the planning was extraordinary. It's about the courage to commit.

Eisenhower had already drafted a statement accepting full responsibility if the invasion failed. He had done everything humanly possible to prepare. And then he made the decision.

In business, in life, in every leadership context, there comes a moment when preparation must give way to action. When the data will never be complete enough, the conditions will never be perfect enough, and the risks will never be small enough. And the leader must decide.

The great leaders I've studied - military and civilian - share this quality. They prepare meticulously, they listen to their advisors, and then they commit fully. Half-measures and hesitation have lost more battles - and more business opportunities - than bold decisive action ever has.

This June, as we remember D-Day, remember the courage it takes not just to plan, but to act.

05/19/2026

May 19 marks a foundational milestone in Canadian military history: the creation of the permanent active militia in 1855 through the Militia Act - an early framework that helped shape what we now recognize as Canada’s modern Army.

It’s easy to think of armies as something that “appears” in wartime. In reality, effective land forces are built over decades—through legislation, training standards, local units, and a national commitment to readiness. The Militia Act was an early step in that long evolution from scattered colonial defence to a professional, deployable land force that would eventually serve from the North-West Rebellion to the world wars, Korea, Afghanistan, and today’s operations at home and abroad.

For me, anniversaries like this are a reminder that history isn’t only about battles - it’s also about the decisions and institutions that made those battles survivable, and service possible.

I am proud to be the Chief Historian at 3D History – Bringing History to Life

05/14/2026

Colonel James Walker: The Man Who Helped Build Calgary

Born: May 14, 1846 Role: NWMP officer, Calgary pioneer, militia organizer

Colonel James Walker is a name that deserves more attention in the story of Calgary's early development.

He is often remembered as a civic-minded figure who contributed to shaping the foundations of community life, governance, and infrastructure in the region.

Stories of early leaders like Walker remind us that city-building is not only about structures, but also about vision, collaboration, and long-term commitment.

In a rapidly evolving urban world, reflecting on such contributions helps us appreciate the layered history behind modern cities and the people who quietly shaped them.

Whether through military service, civic engagement, or community leadership, figures like Walker highlight the importance of building institutions that endure beyond a single generation.

Today, as we think about the future of cities like Calgary, there is value in revisiting the individuals whose efforts laid early groundwork.

Recognizing this history is not about nostalgia, but about understanding the roots of present-day opportunity.

Local histories often reveal how individual leadership intersects with broader patterns of settlement, economy, and cultural growth, offering lessons that remain relevant for planners, historians, and citizens alike in contemporary urban discussions.

Engaging with figures like Colonel James Walker encourages a more nuanced appreciation of how leadership, resilience, and civic responsibility combine to shape the identity of a place, and invites professionals today to consider how their own contributions may influence the cities of tomorrow over time through sustained collective effort and shared vision across communities.

I am proud to be the Chief Historian at 3D History – Bringing History to Life

05/09/2026

May 9 - the National Day of Honour - is a solemn occasion to recognize the service, sacrifice, and legacy of Canadian Armed Forces personnel who served in the Afghanistan mission.

Canadian mission in Afghanistan represents one of the most significant military commitments in Canada’s recent history. From 2001 to 2014, thousands of Canadians deployed in a complex and evolving conflict, serving in combat, training, reconstruction, and humanitarian roles.

The National Day of Honour was first observed in 2014, following the end of Canada’s combat mission, to ensure that the service and sacrifice of those involved would be formally recognized by the nation they served.

This day is not only about remembrance—it is about acknowledgment. It recognizes those who did not return home, those who carry physical and psychological wounds, and the families who supported them through years of uncertainty and absence.

It also reflects the professionalism and adaptability of Canada’s military, which operated in a challenging environment alongside international allies while contributing to security, governance, and development efforts.

For Canadians, May 9 is a reminder that service comes in many forms, and that the cost of peace is often carried quietly by individuals and communities long after missions end.

As we observe the National Day of Honour, we are called to reflect on responsibility—both in how we remember and how we support veterans today.

Honouring this legacy means more than ceremony; it means ensuring that those who served are recognized, supported, and never forgotten in the years ahead as a nation committed to them always.

I am proud to be the Chief Historian at 3D History – Bringing History to Life