Bombs and Barbed Wire

Ronald Cormier  Maple Leaf

Bombs and Barbed Wire

Stories of Acadian Airmen and Prisoners of War, 1939-1945

Little has been written about the Acadians who served in Canada’s armed forces during the Second World War. In fact, the prevailing notion suggested that Acadians refused to support the war effort. Bombs and Barbed Wire provides an alternative point of view, revealing the commitment and bravery displayed by the approximately 24,000 Acadians who voluntarily joined the war effort. Battling both language barriers and a culture of exclusion, they overcame frustrations and prejudice to fight for the freedom of the country they loved.

Based on extensive, in-depth interviews Cormier conducted in 1990 with eleven surviving Acadian veterans, Bombs & Barbed Wire brings to life the experience of Acadian soldiers for English-language readers for the first time.

Bombs and Barbed Wire is volume 29 of the New Brunswick Military Heritage Series.

Published by Goose Lane Editions with the Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society
Non-Fiction  /  NB Military Heritage Series
Published:  October 25, 2022
222 pages

Available format(s)

Format Paperback  9781773102788  $19.95

“A unique and exceptional contribution to the growing library of World War II histories.” — Midwest Book Review

“The memories Cormier has gathered provide a deeper understanding of how these Acadians endured the trials of war. We are the better for his efforts.” — Literary Review of Canada

“These stories highlight bravery and perseverance in the face of discrimination as Acadians endured language barriers and a culture of exclusion.” — Ottawa Life

Ronald Cormier is a passionate Second World War historian. He has written several French-language books on the war and has served as the historian of the Dieppe Veterans’ Association since 2003. He previously worked for Radio-Canada and History Television, where he wrote and directed documentaries on the Second World War. He lives in Dieppe, New Brunswick.