Over the course of this week, the Battle for Vimy Ridge turned 101 years old. Not so long ago, this was often cited as "the moment Canada became a nation." I was quite disappointed that this anniversary did not appear to get widespread recognition. As for my own celebration, I intend to spend time shooting my Lee-Enfield rifle at a paper target down range.
My rifle is not the same model that went up Vimy Ridge: I own a U.S. Savage No.4 Mark 1* (star) made for the Second World War. But the same action, ammunition, stock design, even sights (see the P-14), did go up that brutal hill in April 1917. The Lee-Enfield's battle hardiness has been proved in two World Wars as well as Korea; in fact, the rifle is still in service today with the Canadian Rangers in the North, making it the longest serving military rifle in history.
This rifle is my connection to the bigger picture, a historical artifact of our heritage as a free society. I'm not allowed to place it outside my door, or carry it in public as a token - but this inanimate object is the tool that brave soldiers wielded to preserve our home and native land.
I'm well aware that there are pressing current events this week. But in the news that ranged from deeply personal tragedy to the existential threats for national unity, I don't have much to add: I own neither a hockey stick nor a sweater, and blockers of pipelines have already been given my attention dozens of times. As to a spirit of solidarity, I can find no better method than recalling the state of things while the battle raged on a forlorn hill far away in France.
Like today, people were feeling the pain of loss personally regardless of location; like today, questions around the unity of our country were dominating the headlines. But we endure as a nation and healthy citizenry because of our forebears' perseverance and hope.
Hopefully God will grant that same spirit to our nation in this time of grief and crisis. I will certainly be asking Him for it this week from my benchrest while trying to get rid of my flinch.
