Vimy Ridge

Since it’s capture in 1914 by the Germans, Vimy Ridge was a key to the German defence system. Towering 61 metres above the Douai Plain it gave the Germans a unique birds eye view of their enemy’s every move. For the allies to attack they would have to scurry across open plains where they would be sitting ducks for German soldiers. To add to the natural fortifications, which already existed on the ridge, the Germans built a maze

The battle of Vimy Ridge did not display Canada as a nation separate from Britain by fluke. There were months of preparation before the battle itself actually occurred. Nearly a year before the battle in May of 1916 General Haig of the British forces made the decisive move to veto General Wilson’s motion to launch on all out offensive on the Germans. General Wilson had just suffered major losses days before and was looking for thoughtless revenge. Haig, thinking with a cooler head, decided to halt this attack because of a potential threat to Arras if another defeat of Vimy was to occur. This situation was presented to the British Commander-in-chief who ordered preliminary plans for the capture of Vimy Ridge to be made. These plans would include the full force of the Canadian army to fight their way to victory and sovereignty!

On April 2, a little more than a week before the attack on Vimy Ridge, Canadian soldiers launched an assault of massive artillery barrage on the Germans. This assault included more than 300 heavy guns and howitzers and more than 800 pieces of field artillery. The British joined in the assault with 132 more heavy guns and 102 field pieces. The Germans called this barrage of shells “the week of suffering”. One Canadian soldier described the shells flying over his head “like water from a hose”(www.vac-acc.gc.ca). During this period, 80 percent of the German guns had been pinpointed via aerial reconnaissance, many of which were destroyed. This “week of suffering” would prove to be a devastating blow to the German army, which would be taken full advantage of the following week by hungry Canadian soldiers.

The capture of Vimy Ridge was a very proud day for Canadian soldiers who had taken all of Vimy Ridge virtually by themselves, where in the past the blood of 200,00 French and German soldiers had been spilt in previous attempts. Brigadier General Alexander Ross recalls of The Canadian victory, “It was Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific on parade. I thought then…that in those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation”(www.vac-acc.gc.ca). Brigadier-General Ross was right, in just a few short days Canada had not only proved its fighting ability, but also shown itself as separate from Britain. The second Canadian Division even had the British 13th Brigade under it’s command which was highly unusual as Canadian soldiers were used to taking commands from the British, not giving them orders to the British. After the battle of Vimy Ridge the world would look at Canada in a new light. The U.S. would negotiate directly with Canada on issues instead of

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