Lesson 4: WW2: An Exhibit of Battle
Description:
Students will examine the Lincoln and Welland Regiment’s participation in major World War 2 battles.
They will trace the progress of the Regiment across Europe in 1944/45 as it fought against the forces of
Nazi Germany. The students will create a timeline map depicting this progress. They will then select one
Battle from the list that has been created on the map and develop a museum exhibit for the battle that
they have selected. The exhibits will then be displayed in
Recommended Grade Range:
All provinces and territories except Quebec: Grades 10 to 12
Quebec: Secondary 1 to 5
Ontario Specific Expectations:
CGV.02D - demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which outside forces and events have shaped
Canada’s policies
CGV.04D - demonstrate an understanding of Canada’s participation in war, peace, and security;
MHV.01D - ask questions, identify problems and use historical research methods;
MHV.02D - issues, accurately record relevant information, and then organize this information in a
meaningful way;
MHV.03D - analyse and evaluate information when researching historical topics or issues;
MHV.04D - communicate effectively the results of research in presentations, and demonstrate an ability
to apply insights to other situations.
CG4.01D - explain how Canada became involved in World War I and World War II, after researching the
causes of the two world wars;
CG4.02D - demonstrate a knowledge of Canada’s military contributions in World War I and World War
II;
CG4.03D - evaluate Canada’s role in the Allied victories of World War I and World War II;
MH4.03D - express ideas and arguments in a coherent manner during discussions and debates, or in
graphic displays
Themes and Skills:
Critical Inquiry, primary source research, mapping.
© The Lincoln and Welland Regiment Museum
Prerequisites:
This lesson should follow lessons introducing causes of World War 2 and the role that Canada played in
the conflict. As with World War 1 students should have an understanding of Canada’s situation (political,
economic and military) in relation to Britain and the other Allied nations. Students should also be given
background information on the Lincoln and Welland Regiment and it’s preparations for war between
1939 and 1942.
Objectives:
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Individually students will create a timeline map showing the battles that the Lincoln and
Welland Regiment participated in during the Second World War.
In small groups the students will design and create a museum exhibit depicting one of the
battles that the Lincoln and Welland Regiment fought in
In small groups, the students will create an artefact from the battle they have selected in order
to enhance their museum exhibit and act as primary source evidence from the battle.
Students will participate in a ‘museum visit’ period where they will be able to take detailed
notes on each of the battles depicted and complete exhibit summary sheets.
Students will have the opportunity to individually evaluate the efforts of their peers based on
established criteria.
Estimated Time:
4-5 classroom periods
Materials required:
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Tri-fold display boards
Outline map of Europe
An assortment of coloured craft paper
An assortment of crafting supplies ( clay, glue, popsicle sticks etc…) for artefact creation
Copies of the Battle information organizer
Copies of the museum exhibit evaluation sheet
Teacher should book the computer lab for 1 day for the mapping portion of the lesson and 2
days for the exhibit research portion of the lesson.
© The Lincoln and Welland Regiment Museum
Electronic Resources:
http://wwii.ca/battles/world-war-ii/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lincoln_and_Welland_Regiment
http://army.ca/inf/linc.php
http://www.lwmuseum.ca/
http://regimentalrogue.com/battlehonours/bathnrinf/13-lincwell.htm
Print Resources:
Rogers, R L. The History of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. St. Catharines: 1954. Print.
Hayes, Geoffery. The Lincs: A History of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment at War, 2nd Edition.
Waterloo: Laurier Centre For Military, Strategic And Disarmament Studies, 2007. Print.
Kipp, Charles. Because We Are Canadians: A Battlefield Memoir. Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre, 2003.
Print.
Audio/Visual Resources:
The History of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. dir. Mario Madau. Mario Madau Productions, 2001.
Canada: A People’s History : Episode 14 The Crucible. narr. Maggie Hurculak. DVD. Canadian Brodcasting
Corporation, 2000.
For King and Country. dir. Peter Williamson and Harvey Crossland. narr. Norm Christie. DVD.
Breakthrough Entertainment, 2005.
© The Lincoln and Welland Regiment Museum
Lesson Introduction:
When war was declared by Canada in September 1939 the Canadian military was in much the same
state as it had been before WW1. There was a small corps of active full time soldiers supplemented by a
large part time militia force. Almost immediately, the Canadian government set about transferring
entire units from the reserve list to the newly formed Canadian Active Service Force. By 1940 the Lincoln
and Welland Regiment had been activated and men from all over Niagara prepared themselves for an
unknown period of active duty. Foe the next three years the Regiment would receive intensive training
in all aspects of military duty in various camps around the country (Camp Niagara, Gander and St. Johns
NFLD, Nanaimo BC, Aldershot NS). By the fall of 1943 the regiment had moved from Canada to England
and had become part of the 10th Infantry Brigade of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division. It would fight
as part of this unit throughout the rest of the Second World War.
Shortly before the invasion of France the Regiment was told that the 4th Armoured Division would
follow the 3rd infantry Division (the units selected as the initial invasion force) into France shortly after
D Day. Once the 6th of June Came and went, the men of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment received
orders to embark for France and then stand won numerous times. It was apparent that the Allied had
not been making great progress inland in France and these simply was not enough room on the
continent for all the men and equipment that needed to be transferred. Finally, on the 25th of July, 1944,
the men of the Regiment landed in Normandy, ready to take their place on the line of battle.
Between July 1944 and May 1945, the Lincoln and Welland Regiment would participate in some of the
most intense warfare to be encountered in Europe. The following is a partial Listing of some of the
battles that the Regiment Was involved in.
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Battle of Bourgebus Fr., July 1944
Tilly La Campagne Fr, Aug 1944
Road to Falaise Fr, Aug 1944
Closing the Falaise Gap Fr, Aug 1944
Hill 88 and the Seine River, Aug 1944
Moerbrugge Be, Sept 1944
Liberation of Eeklo, Be, Sept 1944
Lineration of Bergen op Zoom Nl, October
1944
Battle of the Scheldt Nl, Oct/Nov 1944
Kapelsche Veer Nl, Jan 1945
Hochwald Gap Nl, Feb 1945
Veen Nl, March 1945
Liberation of Delden Nl, Apr 1945
Friesoythe De, Apr 1945
Kusten Canal Ge, Apr 1945
Bad Zwischenahn Ge, Apr 1945
© The Lincoln and Welland Regiment Museum
Operation Goodwood
Operation Totalize
Operation Tractable
Operation Suitcase
Operation Suitcase
Operation Elephant
Operation Blockbuster
Operation Basher
Teaching/ Learning Strategies:
1. Teacher conducts a class discussion reviewing the causes of World War 2 and Canada’s entry
2. Teacher introduces the Lincoln and Welland Regiment as an example of the typical Canadian
infantry unit that fought in World War 2
3. Students will be given a list of battles in which the Lincoln and Welland Regiment participated in.
4. Using computers, the students will find the location and dates of the specific battles in the list
5. Students will plot the battle locations and draw a line linking the battles by date to depict the
regiment’s advance
6. Students will form groups of 3-4
7. Using the map that they have created, groups will select one battle to research.
8. Groups will research the details of the battle and create a museum exhibit on the battle which
will include a map of the battle and visuals depicting the battle in addition to the narrative
9. Groups will also create an ‘artefact’ that would have been found or used in the battle itself.
10. The entire class will set up their completed exhibits in the form of a museum.
11. Each group will circulate the class and gather information on each battle using their Museum
Exhibit Summary Sheets.
12. The exhibits and artefacts will be submitted for evaluation
Assessment/Evaluation
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Diagnostic assessment of prior knowledge through teacher led classroom discussion
Formative assessment of student timeline maps
Formative assessment of student created exhibit summary sheets
Summative evaluation of student created museum exhibits
Summative evaluation of student created artefacts
© The Lincoln and Welland Regiment Museum
Lincoln and Welland Regiment Battle Summary
Complete the following organizer for one of the battles that the Lincoln and Welland Regiment fought in
while participating in the Allied war effort to liberate Nazi occupied Europe.
Aspect of Battle
Name of Battle
Location of the Battle
Date(s) of Battle
Who were the opposing sides?
Casualties of each side
How did the battle begin?
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Information Gathered
Include 3-4 interesting facts from the battle
Who won the battle?
What were the lasting effects of this battle?
© The Lincoln and Welland Regiment Museum