It is with profound sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Dr. Tim Cook, aged 54, Chief Historian and Director of Research at the Canadian War Museum (CWM). His death was formally announced on 26 October 2025.
A Brief Biography
Born in Kingston, Ontario and raised in Ottawa, Tim Cook embarked on a career that would profoundly shape our understanding of Canada’s military past. He earned degrees from Trent University, the Royal Military College of Canada, and the University of New South Wales.
He joined the Canadian War Museum in the early 2000s and over the ensuing decades became one of Canada’s foremost historians of the two World Wars.
Contributions & Legacy
- He authored more than a dozen influential books, including At the Sharp End: Canadians Fighting the Great War 1914-1916, Shock Troops: Canadians Fighting the Great War 1917-1918, Vimy: The Battle and the Legend, and The Secret History of Soldiers: How Canadians Survived the Great War.
- His work brought to life not only the battles and tactics but the human dimension of Canadian military experience—soldiers in the trenches, medical staffs, the surviving legacies.
- At the Canadian War Museum he was instrumental in redesigning exhibitions, advancing the museum’s research profile, and making Canadian war history more accessible to the public. In a statement the Museum noted he was a “passionate ambassador … who has forever left his own mark on history”.
- He received prestigious awards: among them the Charles Taylor Prize (2009) and the Pierre Berton Award (2013) for his work in bringing history to the public.
The Gap He Leaves
Tim Cook’s passing leaves a significant void in Canadian historiography. He bridged rigorous scholarship and public engagement, showing how Canada’s wartime experience has shaped the nation. His ability to speak truthfully—in all its complexity—to the sacrifices and consequences of war made him a guiding voice for many.
The Canadian War Museum will face the challenge of carrying forward his vision: deep research combined with public storytelling, making the war experience relevant and moving for new generations.
A Personal Note
I had the privilege of interviewing Tim several times about his books and his deep passion for Canadian history. He was a generous and brilliant man, with a rare gift for making those around him feel immediately at ease. Whether he was speaking about the grim realities of the battlefield or the quiet heroism of ordinary Canadians, he did so with warmth, clarity, and insight. I will miss his conversation, his energy, and his ability to see meaning and humanity in every corner of our shared past.
For those of us who teach, write, or listen to Canadian military history, Tim Cook was a standard-bearer — someone whose clarity of prose and depth of insight reminded us that behind every statistic is a human story. It is fitting to recall one of his sharper observations about memory and war:
“Canada’s war stories are as much about what we forget as what we remember.”
His passing at 54 is untimely; there were many more stories to tell, many more questions to ask. But his existing body of work remains a legacy for scholars, students, and the public alike.
On His Passing
Details surrounding the cause of his death have not been publicly disclosed. The Museum’s announcement noted his longtime service and the deep sorrow at his loss.
We extend our condolences to his family, colleagues at the Canadian War Museum, his many readers, and the broader community of Canadian historians. His voice will be missed—but his work will endure.
In the words of the Museum: “He has forever left his own mark on history.”
Greg Scott – CHS