Casualties
Sadly, many soldiers never returned. Alex Decoteau was one of many Indigenous Canadians involved in the war effort. He was killed by a sniper’s bullet October 30, 1917 at the Battle of Passchendaele.
The Spanish Flu
The lack of food, fuel and other resources had other consequences for Canadians. Years of malnutrition, stress and uncertain conditions was a contributing factor in the virulence of the Spanish Flu epidemic which swept the country in 1918 and 1919. Edmontonians, while eagerly welcoming home their men and women from overseas, also suffered huge losses to the disease.