The Story
Project’44 was founded in 2019 by Nathan Kehler and Drew Hannen. Both believe that digital historical content is essential to commemoration in the 21st century. Since the launch of the Normandy Campaign on the 75th Anniversary of D-day, the initiative has attracted the additional team members, contributors to the project .
What we bring to the table
We've had an amazing journey over the past few years which has helped us develop the experience necessary to deliver top-quality historical services, but we have something else too – we have a passion for what we do. Our trained historians are genuinely interested in helping you connect with the past and discover history’s impact on the present and future.
What we do
Historical Geographic Information Systems
Public History Projects
Museum services
Documentary Film-making
Cultural Resource Management
Nathan Kehler - Co Founder and Executive Director
As a Co-Founder of Project ’44, Nathan has helped change how the public views the history of the Second World War. Building innovative story and web maps, he combines history and geography into a meaningful user experience.
A veteran of the Canadian Army, Nathan has served on the front-lines of Afghanistan and knows the importance of Canada’s military history. He now honours the memory of thousands of Canadians who served their country by sharing their story through Project ’44.
Drew Hannen - Co Founder and Vice President
Drew co-founded this project because he had questions about where both of his grandfathers who served in the Second World War fought. Drew envisioned a resource where others who had similar questions could trace the footsteps of there veterans. Through the creation of Project’44 Drew has been able to create a digital commemoration experience where others could explore the lives of those that came before.
Federico Peyrani - ACADEMIC ASSISTANT
Federico is a first hour collaborator from Italy. He graduated in History in Milan, Italy, at the Università Statale [di Milano]. He had since a long time a vision about GIS and Military History. An associate of the Libreria Militare of Milan, his field of Study is the German Army, with focus on the German armoured units, equipment, personnel and tactics.
Claudio Bicocchi - Contributor
As a professional geologist, Claudio worked as an aerial photo analyst specializing on mapping landscape, geomorphology, land-use and other land features, within environmental assessment procedures regards big and small infrastructures. Claudio’s interest in Project44.ca is connected to his interest in historic events representation with GIS applications.
Billy LEBLOND - Collaborator / Contributor
Billy is President of "La percée du Bocage" British Breakout Museum in Normandy. In 2020, he was convinced that Project44.ca was a great digital initiative and the participatory nature of it, had the potential to meet the needs of families, historians or battlefield tour guides and that it was too great not to get involved. Being able to retrace the history of veterans and at the same time to be able to read archival documents, connects many of Billy’s interests.