Local historian publishes definitive book on Canadian First World War cap badges

Earlier this month, Fredericton based historian and former president of the York-Sunbury Historical Society, Harold “Hal” Skaarup began distributing his newest book, Canadian Expeditionary Force and Military Cap Badges: York Sunbury Historical Society Fredericton Region Museum Collection.

This new release is over one-thousand pages and catalogues every cap (hat) badge worn by the Canadian military during the First World War, the majority of which were photographed from the Fredericton Region Museum’s collection.

Skaarup hopes that this book will serve as a resource for museums, archives, and enthusiasts to better understand and connect with the past. He also invited interested community members to visit the Fredericton Region Museum to take a look at its reference copy and potentially see the real badges in the Museum’s collection.

Hal Skaarup talked to CHSR News about the significance of cap badges and why he thought it important to create this book.