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Primary sourcePhotographc. 1918

Visit of Sir Douglas Haig to Vancouver

Stuart Thomson · c. 1918

A photograph of Douglas Haig's wartime visit to Vancouver, around 1918, showing him holding a floral wreath in a street scene.

Documents Haig's wartime visit to Vancouver, part of his public role touring Commonwealth cities during the war.

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Black-and-white photograph of a street scene with a uniformed officer in a peaked cap holding a large floral wreath with a white ribbon, flanked by a man in a suit and several uniformed men standing near a parked automobile, with multi-storey brick buildings behind.
Stuart Thomson, Visit of Sir Douglas Haig to Vancouver, c. 1918.

About this source

What it is

This black-and-white photograph by Stuart Thomson shows a visit by Sir Douglas Haig to Vancouver around 1918. It shows a uniformed officer holding a large floral wreath in a street, surrounded by other men and buildings.

Why it matters

During the First World War, senior commanders like Haig made public visits across the British Empire, including Canada, to maintain morale and recognise the contribution of Canadian troops. This photograph captures one such ceremonial moment, likely connected to the laying of a wreath in remembrance.

Look closer

  • Why might a wreath be part of a visit like this, and what might it commemorate?
  • What does the presence of a crowd and formal dress tell you about how such visits were staged?
  • What is left out of this photograph that would help you understand what was actually said or felt during the visit?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Field Marshal Douglas Haig on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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