Remembrance dog tags

Put a face on remembrance.

More than 118,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders have died while serving in the military. Each of them was a special person with their own unique story. Help youth connect with remembrance by exploring the lives of those we honour on Remembrance Day and all year long.

Step 1

Select a dog tag collection below. Use card stock for added strength if you are printing them. To make printed dog tags look like the real thing, make holes in the space provided. Tie a piece of string through it so the dog tags can be worn.

Step 2

Assign each student a dog tag to research. Ask students to fill in the age and service number on their tag. This information can be found on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial. They will find additional information and photos on this site.

If you have more time, explore the lesson plan and resources provided with each collection. Students can research the person they were assigned and make a presentation to the class.

Create your own community dog tags

Challenge students to recognize Veterans or remember fallen soldiers from your community or region. For fallen soldiers, check our Canadian military memorials database for information on your local cenotaph or stop by and take your own photo. Then, use the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Library and Archives Canada collections, local historical resources and other research tools to find more information. To honour local Veterans, contact Veteran organizations in your community. Students can use our blank dog tag template or create their own.

Dog tag collections

Use our dog tags from across Canada’s military history for a general sample or choose from the special collections below.