Why this Ontario man wants to preserve the 'living history' of Canadian veterans

For nearly five years, Zach Dunn has travelled from coast-to-coast-to-coast to capture and share the untold stories of Canadian veterans from the Second World War, Korean War, Vietnam War, Cold War and the Gulf War.

He has interviewed 150 veterans from Canada and 16 other countries, so far, who have shared their experiences on camera in their own words. Dunn has a website collection of those accounts which he then shares with museums and schools for future generations to learn about.

"It's this living history that's not too far away from us," said Dunn, 26, from Toronto.

This weekend, Dunn stopped by London, Ont., where he met nine local veterans who served in Korea, Vietnam and the Second World War.

"It's always great reading about these stories in books and movies, but getting these firsthand accounts is something that we won't ever get the opportunity to do again, so I'm just trying to capture as many stories as I can," he said.

Dunn has met with several seniors who are over the age of 100 and served in various roles during the wars. It was the first opportunity for many veterans to open up about their early years, their time in service and how it shaped the rest of their lives.

Among them, is 100-year-old Londoner George Olley, who joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at age 17 and flew planes over Germany during the Second World War.

"I'm flattered that anybody is interested in hearing my story," said Olley. "It's really important to share their stories because kids need to hear them. War is hell but I would go and serve again."

Other Londoners he interviewed include 104-year-old Betty, Jean Garrity, 103, Frank "Tex" Davis, and 101-year-old Jack Keer.

Dunn's project was inspired by his own grandfather, John Lionel Williams, who was a Second World War paratrooper and was a part of the Battle of Normandy on D-Day in France. Although Williams died when Dunn was a toddler, he was always intrigued by his grandfather's service and that curiosity pushed him to want to learn about other veterans.

The conversations don't just focus on war stories, but also veterans' lives before and after. Dunn often asks them what it was like growing up during the Great Depression, along with their careers and family lives after they returned from service, as well as life advice they have for youngsters.

"I think it's history that's slowly leaving us," he said. "The younger generation doesn't have that connection that maybe myself or other people older than me have. And I want to be able to preserve that for them."

Dunn occasionally also brings high school students along with him to interviews so they can meet the veterans and learn their stories firsthand.

One thing that often surprises Dunn and the students is how young many of these veterans were when they signed up to serve in wars and the challenges they overcame. He believes these stories are important to share because they can inspire strength and resilience.