Project ’44
Digitizing WWII histories
By: Megan Danielson
Project ’44 maps the Canadian units that fought in Europe from DDay, June 1944, to the end of May 1945. Through this interactive lens, users can follow the journey of individual units as they trek across war-torn Europe, read excerpts from war diaries, and explore the wider impact of Canada’s WWII history through one of the embedded story mapping experiences. Project ’44 is built by the Canadian Research Mapping Association, a non-profit organization specializing in digital preservation, collection management, and mapping history. I connected with the creators, Drew Hannen and Nathan Kehler, to learn more.
What inspired Project ‘44?
We stumbled upon the idea for this project while researching World War II maps at the Library and Archives of Canada. Throughout our research, we were able to find ample written accounts of the era but most maps were of poor quality. We felt like there had to be a better way to visualize this important time in history and so we started exploring web mapping options such as Mapbox. Our hope is that Project ’44 will help preserve historical accounts and make them more accessible to a wider audience.
Why focus on the mapping aspect of these historical experiences?
Geo-spatial intelligence techniques had a significant impact on the success of the Allies during the Second World War and continue to contribute to our understanding of this history. Throughout the war, situation maps like those of the 12th Army Group relayed vital information for army commanders. Daily updates of locations of friendly and enemy positions were critical for making strategic decisions. Today, we hope that recreating this history through a web map helps to enrich our collective understanding of the physical movements of army units as well as to highlight the strategic information and insights generated by soldiers and army units on the ground.
Where did the data for this project come from?
Digitizing this information was no small feat. To collect the position of army units of all the countries involved in the Second World War, our team used a historic series of maps provided by the Library of Congress in the US. We downloaded over 356 maps from General Omar Bradley’s 12th Army Group and meticulously georeferenced each of them. This process yielded around 56,000 points with detailed information describing the country, unit type, size, and most importantly, the date and location of each unit. To map the Canadian units that fought in Europe, we digitized the official war diaries for over 125 units. Each war diary provided a daily log which details what the unit did that day, as well as a six-figure geographical grid reference point, based on a projection system used at the time.
What’s next for Project ‘44?
We are continuing to iterate on our original design and have recently added some new features, including map tools that allow users to calculate distances, areas, and add points of interest. Users are also now able to add historical photos from the war to the map. As we continue to improve the mapping experience, we are also exploring how to build this into a scalable platform tailored for people interested in researching the Second World War and the European theater of operations. Recently the project has garnered interest as an educational tool for universities and high schools and we are exploring ways to disseminate this information in museums as part of interactive exhibits.
How can users support Project ‘44?
We are always looking for volunteers with skills in mapping, web development, and research. The best way to reach us is by email at info@project44.ca or to visit the web map at www.map.project44.ca . We are also active on social media and can be found on Instagram @project1944 on Facebook @Canada1944 on Twitter @project4_4 and Discord @project44
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