Andrew Burtch
@postwarhist.bsky.social
Historian, Post-1945 at the Canadian War Museum. Love history, games, books, also books. And books.
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
No. No. Unacceptable.
January 30, 2026 at 6:12 PM
No. No. Unacceptable.
For some reason, this morning I gave some thought to Project Habakkuk, the iceberg aircraft carrier idea from the Second World War. If they ended up making it, would there have been a crew library? A Habakkuk Book Nook, perhaps? I'll see myself out.
January 30, 2026 at 2:31 PM
For some reason, this morning I gave some thought to Project Habakkuk, the iceberg aircraft carrier idea from the Second World War. If they ended up making it, would there have been a crew library? A Habakkuk Book Nook, perhaps? I'll see myself out.
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
This morning's chuckle: Capt. Stephen S. Tucker, RMR to Lt. Col. William W. Loring, RMR. "I have the honor respectfully to forward the within resignation and strongly urge its acceptance. This officer has on several occasions evinced a total imbecility in the discharge of his duties."
January 28, 2026 at 1:17 PM
This morning's chuckle: Capt. Stephen S. Tucker, RMR to Lt. Col. William W. Loring, RMR. "I have the honor respectfully to forward the within resignation and strongly urge its acceptance. This officer has on several occasions evinced a total imbecility in the discharge of his duties."
Quality post here folks
Ah, an ele-copter.
In anniversary news which I can’t quite verify, it may be 39 years (possibly more) since the Indian Air Force dressed their helicopters up as elephants for Republic Day
January 26, 2026 at 12:32 PM
Quality post here folks
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
On this day in 1919, Igor Gouzenko was born north of Moscow. In 1945, he defected from the Soviet Union to Canada with documents that proved the Soviets were spying on their Second World War allies.
Learn more in my Deep Dive 👇
buff.ly/fPen98J
Learn more in my Deep Dive 👇
buff.ly/fPen98J
January 26, 2026 at 12:15 PM
On this day in 1919, Igor Gouzenko was born north of Moscow. In 1945, he defected from the Soviet Union to Canada with documents that proved the Soviets were spying on their Second World War allies.
Learn more in my Deep Dive 👇
buff.ly/fPen98J
Learn more in my Deep Dive 👇
buff.ly/fPen98J
This is a bit of fun.
On Jan. 17, 1921, two Halifax men announced they were going to walk across Canada.
Within two weeks, four more people joined and the walk became a race.
For the next few months, Canadians were transfixed with the Halifax Herald Coast-to-Coast Race.
This is the story.
🧵 1/12
Within two weeks, four more people joined and the walk became a race.
For the next few months, Canadians were transfixed with the Halifax Herald Coast-to-Coast Race.
This is the story.
🧵 1/12
January 18, 2026 at 12:20 AM
This is a bit of fun.
Very interesting, especially to learn JTF2's initial operation name in Afghanistan.
January 11, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Very interesting, especially to learn JTF2's initial operation name in Afghanistan.
Literary theme park ride idea:
Old Man and the Whee?
Old Man and the Whee?
January 6, 2026 at 12:35 AM
Literary theme park ride idea:
Old Man and the Whee?
Old Man and the Whee?
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
I love how many times "Turkish Bath" is repeated in one ad. Real Gabbo vibes.
But later on the doctors became quite worried calling providers of #TurkishBaths quacks. The 1st ad below was from 1895, but the first ever display ad in a yearbook for the first ever Victorian Turkish bath to open in England was already offering itself as a fortification against influenza. 🗃️ #C19th
![The sixth out of eight advantages claimed for the bath was "It fortifies the body against colds, influenza, constipation, gout, rheumatism, nervousness, tic-douloureux [i.e. a form of neuralgia], tooth ache, all skin diseases, and disorders arising from the liver"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:x5l2x75jny3cocqmgprgdjy7/bafkreihjzzziiac6ocf32pbb7mapxspt65zu3lpm4hucqbls3i62wv23sm@jpeg)
January 2, 2026 at 1:53 PM
I love how many times "Turkish Bath" is repeated in one ad. Real Gabbo vibes.
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
ME: (first day practicing Bug Law) May it please the Court—
BUG JUDGE: (sternly) Bug Court.
BUG JUDGE: (sternly) Bug Court.
December 30, 2025 at 6:29 PM
ME: (first day practicing Bug Law) May it please the Court—
BUG JUDGE: (sternly) Bug Court.
BUG JUDGE: (sternly) Bug Court.
One of the great things about military history is that you can spend years reading about it and still learn that someone landed on "Operation Dracula" as the name for a serious military operation.
Recently digitised - Operation Dracula, May 1945. Landing craft make their way upriver to Rangoon docks, during an amphibious landing at the Burmese capital by 26th Indian Division.
#filmcataloguing #history #ww2
Full film: IWM JIN 54 / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...
#filmcataloguing #history #ww2
Full film: IWM JIN 54 / www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...
December 21, 2025 at 12:16 PM
One of the great things about military history is that you can spend years reading about it and still learn that someone landed on "Operation Dracula" as the name for a serious military operation.
lol
December 18, 2025 at 8:09 PM
lol
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
In the midst of the darkest of times, a hero stands up for what is right. The brutal, deliberate attack against Jewish Australians celebrating Hanukkah at #Bondi Beach today is an abomination. For those murdered while celebrating the 1st day of the Festival of Lights, may their memory be a blessing.
This guy disarming the terrorist at Bondi Beach, Australia, can only be described as hero.
December 14, 2025 at 10:15 AM
In the midst of the darkest of times, a hero stands up for what is right. The brutal, deliberate attack against Jewish Australians celebrating Hanukkah at #Bondi Beach today is an abomination. For those murdered while celebrating the 1st day of the Festival of Lights, may their memory be a blessing.
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
An early Christmas present for all you naval nerds - our book on NATO maritime strategy and ops is out next week!
My contribution is on mission modularity and why it isn't a panacea for, like, actual capability.
It was an honour to work with such a great crew!
www.nomos-shop.de/de/p/guardia...
My contribution is on mission modularity and why it isn't a panacea for, like, actual capability.
It was an honour to work with such a great crew!
www.nomos-shop.de/de/p/guardia...
Guardians of the North Atlantic
www.nomos-shop.de
December 12, 2025 at 2:37 PM
An early Christmas present for all you naval nerds - our book on NATO maritime strategy and ops is out next week!
My contribution is on mission modularity and why it isn't a panacea for, like, actual capability.
It was an honour to work with such a great crew!
www.nomos-shop.de/de/p/guardia...
My contribution is on mission modularity and why it isn't a panacea for, like, actual capability.
It was an honour to work with such a great crew!
www.nomos-shop.de/de/p/guardia...
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
It's fitting that the cover on AI mindlessly apes an earlier creation and also displaces workers while elevating Silicon Valley plutocrats.
December 12, 2025 at 3:40 AM
It's fitting that the cover on AI mindlessly apes an earlier creation and also displaces workers while elevating Silicon Valley plutocrats.
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
Reimagine the ethics of conflict studies with a committed and smart group of scholars. Please send them your abstract!
🚨We're getting very close to the end of our call for abstracts to be a part of a co-edited volume that considers the ethical foundations of conflict studies. January 1 is the cut-off date for submissions! drive.google.com/file/d/163rt...
Call for Chapters - Ethical Conflict Studies Volume.pdf
drive.google.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Reimagine the ethics of conflict studies with a committed and smart group of scholars. Please send them your abstract!
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
My Legion Magazine editor, Aaron Kylie, has written a beautiful tribute to our dear departed friend and colleague, Stephen J. Thorne.
Miss you already, Stephen, and thank you for everything.
legionmagazine.com/remembering-...
Miss you already, Stephen, and thank you for everything.
legionmagazine.com/remembering-...
Remembering Stephen J. Thorne - Legion Magazine
“Stephen?” “No, I’m Aaron,” I responded to the question from a Legionnaire at a hotel in Saskatoon in September 2025. But I understood the confusion. After all, Legion Magazine’s senior staff write...
legionmagazine.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:27 PM
My Legion Magazine editor, Aaron Kylie, has written a beautiful tribute to our dear departed friend and colleague, Stephen J. Thorne.
Miss you already, Stephen, and thank you for everything.
legionmagazine.com/remembering-...
Miss you already, Stephen, and thank you for everything.
legionmagazine.com/remembering-...
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
On this day in 1989, an armed gunman murdered 14 women at École Polytechnique de Montréal. Another ten women and four men were injured.
The anniversary of the massacre is commemorated annually on Dec. 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
The anniversary of the massacre is commemorated annually on Dec. 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
December 6, 2025 at 12:45 PM
On this day in 1989, an armed gunman murdered 14 women at École Polytechnique de Montréal. Another ten women and four men were injured.
The anniversary of the massacre is commemorated annually on Dec. 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
The anniversary of the massacre is commemorated annually on Dec. 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
What I love about this is the idea of somebody helping an injured person unfolding it and saying, wait, wait. Hold on, I nearly got it.
I love this bandage from c.1900 featuring illustrations on how to wrap wounds resulting from accidents involving a soldier, a sailor, a miner, and a woman whose clothes have caught fire. This amazing object is part of the Wellcome Collection in London.
#skystorians #medhist #science #sciart 🧪
#skystorians #medhist #science #sciart 🧪
December 5, 2025 at 12:26 PM
What I love about this is the idea of somebody helping an injured person unfolding it and saying, wait, wait. Hold on, I nearly got it.
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
The fact that four hostile drones tried to hit Zelenskyy’s plane & it’s barely a blip in the news cycle should terrify everyone. We’ve been dragged so deep into the chaos era that an attempted strike on a world leader doesn’t even break through. When this becomes normal, the world is in real danger.
Christ on a cracker — these seemingly hostile drones only missed Zelensky’s plane because he was unexpectedly early www.thejournal.ie/drones-dubli...
Four unidentified military-style drones breached no-fly zone to target Zelenskyy's arrival in Dublin
Gardaí are investigating whether the drones took off from land in Dublin or from an undetected ship.
www.thejournal.ie
December 5, 2025 at 2:04 AM
The fact that four hostile drones tried to hit Zelenskyy’s plane & it’s barely a blip in the news cycle should terrify everyone. We’ve been dragged so deep into the chaos era that an attempted strike on a world leader doesn’t even break through. When this becomes normal, the world is in real danger.
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
It's that time of year again
December 1, 2025 at 1:23 PM
It's that time of year again
Two things about this frieze. One, Dr. Fitzharris's point about the staff, and two, it rules? It does however set impossible body image standards for jacked shirtless doctors.
Sharing again because... 👀
This frieze from Fulton County, Georgia shows "Medicine's battle with Death." Note the rod with two snakes. Many mistake it for the Rod of Asclepius (the traditional symbol of healing). However, this is the Caduceus, symbol of commerce. A common error in the USA.
This frieze from Fulton County, Georgia shows "Medicine's battle with Death." Note the rod with two snakes. Many mistake it for the Rod of Asclepius (the traditional symbol of healing). However, this is the Caduceus, symbol of commerce. A common error in the USA.
December 1, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Two things about this frieze. One, Dr. Fitzharris's point about the staff, and two, it rules? It does however set impossible body image standards for jacked shirtless doctors.
Reposted by Andrew Burtch
I found a flowchart which helps you navigate the IT landscape
October 1, 2025 at 6:22 PM
I found a flowchart which helps you navigate the IT landscape
On Tuesday, 25 November, I'll be joining (virtually) a panel in Toronto hosted by the Canadian International Council and the NATO Association of Canada, talking about Civil Defence in present and historical contexts! www.eventbrite.ca/e/is-it-time...
Is it time for a Canadian Civil Defence Corps?
CIC Toronto and the NATO Association of Canada host a panel discussion on whether the time has come for a civil defence corps in Canada.
www.eventbrite.ca
November 21, 2025 at 4:37 PM
On Tuesday, 25 November, I'll be joining (virtually) a panel in Toronto hosted by the Canadian International Council and the NATO Association of Canada, talking about Civil Defence in present and historical contexts! www.eventbrite.ca/e/is-it-time...