Brown - Vimy Ridge: Remembering our fallen soldiers

WaWaNews: Brown - Vimy Ridge: Remembering our fallen soldiers
The battle of Vimy Ridge is one of the greatest battles in Canadian history. For the first time in the Great War, all four Canadian divisions fought together on the same battlefield. Canadian valour and bravery brought about an incredible victory, not only for Canadians, but for the entire allied force.

Although the war would continue another 18 months, Vimy marked the first major step back by the German Army since 1914. Both British and French forces had tried unsuccessfully to take the ridge earlier during the war. However, it was the Canadian Corps who would successfully accomplish this task. In the spring of 1917, the turning point commenced in WWI. On April 9th, after careful training and rehearsal, the Canadians attacked. The battle lasted five days. The corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded, but by nightfall on April 12th, the Canadians were in firm control of the ridge. Their success at Vimy earned the Canadians a reputation as an unswerving fighting force. The sense of achievement and national pride created by this victory gave Canadians a great feeling of self-confidence and helped create a new sense of identity.

The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is Canada’s largest and principal overseas war memorial. Located on the highest point of the Vimy Ridge, the memorial is dedicated to the commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the First World War. It serves as the place to commemorate Canadian soldiers who lost their lives in France during the First World War with no known grave.

It has often been said that Canada’s sons left their homes as young colonists but returned as Canadians. Vimy is indeed the birthplace of “Canadian Nationhood”. May they rest in peace- Never to be forgotten.