We were thrilled to continue to have these conversations with Don. We knew he was seriously ill and we were racing against time to work through the extensive episode list that we had developed with him.

This episode recorded on November 6, 2025 would be the last one that we would record with Don shortly before his passing.

In this episode we look at Canadian militia regiments and how the militia was structured in Upper and Lower Canada leading into the war years.

We also discuss how the structure, role and use of the militia evolved through the war.

Don Graves was a well known Canadian military historian who published his first work on a War of 1812 subject in the late 1970s and since that time has brought out five books on 1812 topics as well as three volumes of memoirs and edited a new edition of a classic history of the war. Don Graves has also produced 11 books or monograph on other topics of Canadian military history ranging from 1690 to 1945.

We were thrilled to continue to have these conversations with Don.

This episode was one of two recorded on November 6th, 2025. It would be our last recording session with Don. We knew he was seriously ill and we were racing against time to work through the extensive episode list we had developed with Don. Unfortunately we ran out of time as he passed away shortly after these recordings.

This episode compliments Episode 5 on the British Army with this one looking at more specifically in Canada during the War of 1812.

Don Graves was a well known Canadian military historian who published his first work on a War of 1812 subject in the late 1970s and since that time has brought out five books on 1812 topics as well as three volumes of memoirs and edited a new edition of a classic history of the war. Don Graves has also produced 11 books or monograph on other topics of Canadian military history ranging from 1690 to 1945.

Our conversations with noted War of 1812 expert Don Graves continue with a look at the British Army.

We decided to split this topic into two episodes.

5) a General view of the British Army and its structure

6) the British Army as it was in Canada during the War of 1812.

Don was one of the foremost Canadian historians. We knew he was seriously ill and when he agreed to record these episodes with us, we were racing against time.

Don passed away around November 11, 2025.

This recording was made on October 29, 2025.