Canadian troops stormed Vimy Ridge at 5:30 a.m. on April 9, 1917. They were attacking over an open graveyard since previous French attacks had failed to take the ridge from the Germans resulting in over 100,000 casualties. The heavily fortified ridge provided the Germans with a commanding view over the Allied forces.
The Canadian and British artillery had been pounding the enemy positions on the ridge the week leading up to the battle. Deep tunnels had been dug to bring soldiers from the rear of the battlefield to the front. An artillery barrage was focused in front of the Canadian soldiers providing a moving wall of explosives and shrapnel to force the Germans to stay in their deep dugouts and away from their machine guns. As is the case with most things, timing was absolutely critical for success. Canadian Corps commander Sir Julian Byng forewarned the soldiers, “Chaps, you shall go over exactly like a railroad train, on time, or you shall be annihilated.”
This would be the first time that the four Canadian divisions had attacked together. Men from all regions of Canada fought side by side when they stormed Vimy Ridge. More than 15,000 Canadian infantry charged at the Germans. They were under heavy fire. Canadian soldiers advanced, even when their officers were shot down, showing their incredible bravery and discipline. There were countless acts of sacrifice. Canadians would single-handedly charge machine gun nests and force surrender of Germans in their protective dugouts.
The highest and most important part of the ridge was captured in a front bayonet charge against machine gun positions. Three more days of catastrophic battle delivered final victory. It was victory at a terrible cost, 3,598 Canadians were killed and 7,000 wounded. The capture of Vimy Ridge was more than a battlefield victory in the First World War. Brigadier-General A.E. Ross stated after the war, “In those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation.”
Please join the Royal Canadian Legion Okotoks Branch #291 on Saturday, April 9 to mark “Birth of a Nation Day”. The ceremonies begin at 5:30 p.m. with a parade from the Elks Hall to the Cenotaph.
