It was a long time ago, but Irene Sobering still vividly remembers the flashing lights across the English Channel.

Sitting on the cliffs of Brighton, England, in 1944 — during some downtime from duties with the medical section of the Royal Canadian Air Force — she could see the fire from munitions as the Allied forces advanced in Normandy, eventually defeating the Nazis.

Now, more than 70 years later — in her early 90s — she is at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum looking at her uniform in a glass display case. The uniform — that once doubled as a wedding dress — is part of a new exhibit at the museum called From Vimy to Juno at the museum until May 29.

She believes the exhibit is an important step in helping Canadians understand the significance of the country's involvement in the Second World War as well as First World War.

Interestingly, she says "with my sons' generation, they really didn't care much about it.

"But my grandson's generation — people in their 20s — suddenly they are very interested and want to know about things."

David Benoit, the program co-ordinator of the travelling exhibit, says the goal is to raise awareness of the Battle of Vimy, which will have its 100th anniversary next year, and the D-Day landing at Juno Beach which will have its 75th anniversary in 2019.

"These are seminal moments for Canadians to know about and experience, but unfortunately not everyone is able to go to the sites in France. The travelling exhibit is a way to bring the sites to Canadians as we travel across the country."

Vimy, in the First World War, was such an incredible victory for Canada that it is seen as a defining moment of nationhood. But the battle had a horrific cost — 3,598 Canadians were killed and another 7,000 wounded. The giant Canadian National Vimy Memorial commemorates the battle in Northern France.

Juno Beach, less than 400 kilometres away, is where Canadian forces landed on June 6, 1944, during the Normandy invasion. D-Day veteran Garth Webb (1918- 2012), who lived in Burlington, was the founder of the Juno Beach Centre. The museum in Normandy pays homage to the 45,000 Canadians who lost their lives during the war, of which 5,500 were killed during the Battle of Normandy and 359 on D-Day.

Hamilton in both wars

•The city was important centre of manufacturing, training, recruitment and fundraising.

•Hamilton regiments — the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) and the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (known as XIII Royal Regiment at the time) — took part in both wars. Members of both units fought at Vimy and in Juno Beach.

First World War (1914-1918)

By October 1915 more than 10,000 men, nearly 10 per cent of the population, enlisted.

By the end of 1915, more than $1.2 million was raised for the war effort, the equivalent of almost $25 million today.

Two training centres were opened in Hamilton; an armament school and a facility for aerial fighting and artillery co-operation.

Second World War (1939-1945)

Industry in the city was refitted for wartime production that, among other things, made parts for Lancaster and Mosquito bombers.

In June 1941, the Canadian Army Trades School opened, a unique facility that offered mechanical and electrical training, among other things.

Nearly 200 soldiers from the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry died in the tragic raid of Dieppe in August 1942.

A whopping $500 million was raised in the city for the war effort, an amount that would be equal to $7 billion today.

In 1940, a flying and air navigation school opened at an airport facility that eventually evolved to become the Hamilton International Airport.

— Adapted from information at the From Vimy to Juno website

From Vimy to Juno

When: Until May 29

Where: The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, 9280 Airport Rd.

For more information: vimytojuno.ca and warplane.com

