OTTAWA, ON, April 13, 2026 /CNW/ - In Their Own Voices: Stories From Canadian Veterans and Their Loved Ones has recently been enhanced, offering even more avenues to help visitors explore and better understand the lasting impact of military service on veterans and their loved ones. Updates to this popular online oral history exhibition include 31 new videos, 27 additional objects, and eight new thematic histories — providing an even more powerful window into veterans' experiences after they leave their uniforms behind.

EXPANDED: 31 compelling new clips

Drawn from 200 original interviews with veterans and their loved ones, 31 new videos have been added to the 50 videos already available online. These additional clips feature a powerful range of voices, including that of Second World War veteran Edith MacFarlane, who reflects upon the fragility of life; Cold War veteran King Wan, whose four decades of service helped shape who he became; and Lee-Anne Quinn, a veteran of the Cold War and Afghanistan War, who went on to establish a health clinic for unhoused people in Peterborough, Ontario.

NEW: 27 personal objects

Nine of the profiles in the exhibition feature an interview clip paired with three personal objects. These 27 new objects add an additional dimension to the personal experience, while also highlighting a broader connection to Canada's military history. One of the more poignant objects is an Edmonton Oilers t-shirt left behind at a forward operating base in Afghanistan by medic Colin Wilmot, who was killed by an IED in 2008. Phil Hunter, who later served at the same base, brought the t-shirt home and sent it to Wilmot's friend and fellow medic, Matthew Heneghan. Also featured in the online exhibition is Diane Pitre's copy of the Canadian Heraldic Authority's official recognition of the badge of Rainbow Veterans of Canada, which honours the service of 2SLGBTQIA+ veterans.

NEW: 8 historical overviews

Eight contextual overviews frame key topics, time periods, and historical moments. Themes such as Families and the Canadian Military, Canada and the Cold War, 1946–1991, and Operational Stress Injuries and the Canadian Military, provide essential background for the personal stories in the exhibition.

Launched in 2022, In Their Own Voices has become an important hub, giving online visitors insight into the lives of veterans following military service, as well as the lives of their loved ones. From the Second World War to the present day, select video and audio clips cover a variety of conflicts, including the Korean War and the war in Afghanistan. Audiences can search by conflict, or by themes such as nostalgia, remembrance and identity. Curated playlists offer additional ways to explore the exhibition. And for educators, In Their Own Voices offers resources to spark conversations and encourage deeper research in classroom settings and at home. Explore the exhibition at warmuseum.ca/in-their-own-voices.

In Their Own Voices: Stories From Canadian Veterans and Their Loved Ones is generously funded by donors including the A. Britton Smith Family; the Azrieli Foundation; Arthur B.C. Drache, C.M., K.C., and Judy Young Drache; The Royal Canadian Legion; The Legion National Foundation; Friends of the Canadian War Museum; the Crabtree Foundation; Robert Stollery, in honour of his service in the Second World War; Colonel (Ret'd) Stanley A. Milner, O.C., A.O.E., M.S.M., C.D., LL.D.; and individuals from across Canada.

The Canadian War Museum is Canada's national museum of military history. Its mission is to promote public understanding of Canada's military history in its personal, national and international dimensions.

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SOURCE Canadian War Museum