Vimy Ridge Day

The Battle of Vimy Ridge by Richard Jack

Today is Vimy Ridge Day, the 108th anniversary of the beginning of a three-day battle in 1917, during the Great War. The Germans had held the ridge for two and a half years, since the early days of the war. The French and the British had tried to capture the ridge, unsuccessfully, since it had fallen to the enemy.

The task was given to the Canadian Corps, under the command of Lieutenant-General The Honourable Sir Julian Byng, GCMG, KCB, MVO, later Field Marshal Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy, GCB, GCMG, MVO, and Governor General of Canada. In three days, the Canadians did what the French and British had been unable to do in two and a half years, took the ridge.

Byng had sent Canadian Commander Arthur Currie to study the French success at Verdun a few months before. Based on this they drew a few very important lessons: artillery supremacy, rehearsal and training of the plan (which had clear and simple objectives) and harassing fire which could be achieved by setting up batteries of Vickers machine guns for indirect fire and flexibility down to the platoon level.

It is said that whilst Canada became a country on 1 July 1867, it became a nation at Vimy Ridge. One of the men said afterwards, 'We went up the hill English, Scots, Irish, or French. We came down Canadians'.

The Order of Battle, listing the individual units of the Corps can be read here.

3,598 Canadian soldiers died for their King and Country during the battle. Let us remember their legacy now and for future generations.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Lest we forget!!

Here is the article published in the National Post eight years ago, commemorating the centennial of the battle, Vimy Ridge centennial will be 'something special': A defining moment in Canadian history.

Front Page, Vancouver Daily Sun, 10 April 1917