Lest We Forget
Have you ever looked for hard-to-find historical information on wars of the last century or the people lost to them?

BY LINE ABRAHAMIAN

Have you ever looked for hard-to-find historical information at a library on wars of the last century or the people lost to them—and been frustrated by the time it took to pin something down? Well, help is at hand with the many Internet sites that tell stories from the battlefront to the home front, with tales of wartime heroes—and villains—and those waiting for them back home.

Here's a short list:

Visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (http://www.ushmm.org/) or the Simon Wiesenthal Centre (http://www.wiesenthal.com/) for documentation that preserves the memory of the Holocaust and the millions who lost their lives during it. Click on the Imperial War Museum site (http://www.iwm.org.uk/) for unique coverage of 20th-century wars, or on the British Public Records Office site (http://www.pro.gov.uk/) for a view of millions of files and thousands of photos related to conflicts from the 11th century to the present day. Follow the journeys of Canadian troops at For King and Empire (http://www.kingandempire.com/), where researchers have recreated World War I experiences in order to give you a glimpse into what life in the trenches must have been like. You can relive the experiences of men and women who participated in World War II by visiting the Second World War Experience Centre (http://www.war-experience.org/), which not only tells the tales of prominent soldiers but also reports on the daily lives of citizens in war-torn countries. At the Canadian Letters and Images Project (http://www.mala.bc.ca/history/letters/), Canadians tell their own stories--through letters, photos and other personal materials. You can also visit the Canadian War Museum (http://www.civilization.ca/cwm/cwme.asp), which features stories about our country's military past, including the effects of war on the nation and its citizens. If you are looking for information on a soldier who was lost during a 20th-century war, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (http://www.cwgc.org/) locates grave sites, cemeteries or memorials of those who served in the Commonwealth armed forces. The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association (http://www.prisonerofwar.freeservers.com/) can help you find information on a former prisoner of war or prison camp. The Canadian Virtual War Memorial (http://www.virtualmemorial.gc.ca/) contains information about the graves and memorials of more than 116,000 Canadians who lost their lives in major conflicts since 1884. And at the Great War Graves site (http://www.greatwargraves.com/) you can track down memorial sites for those lost in World War I.