Case Studies

For Valour



Honour. Valour. The Victoria Cross was awarded to those who courageously faced grave danger in wartime, often paying with their lives. The For Valour site tells the story of the seven Canadians that received the Victoria Cross. It is set to launch in December 2010.

Background
After attending one of his daughter’s Remembrance Day school day assemblies, Manlab producer John Jameson wondered whether the message had gotten through to the students in attendance. He had the idea to create a website that was both engaging and educational, focusing on Canadian airmen that received the Victoria Cross – the highest honour presented to recipients showing acts of bravery and/or valour.

What We Did
John spearheaded the creation of the project, identifying key partners that could assist with educational resources and financing. Working closely with the Office of Air Force Heritage and History and with assistance from the Virtual Museum of Canada, Manlab collected information on the seven Canadian airmen that won the Victoria Cross in World Wars I and II from archives, veterans, publications and more.

Each of the seven airmen received their own “dossier” – information about their home life, tools of war, post-war life and more – and had their stories told in graphic novel-style interactive pieces on the site. Developers worked with local and national artists to illustrate, colour, animate and create the video components of the site. Site design and content were created in-house.

Results
Educators shown a preview of the For Valour site were blown away by the content and presentation of the site, noting that it will be an invaluable curriculum resource upon full release in December 2010. Stories will also be featured on the Canadian military’s electronic information bulletins.