Throughout the years Canada has welcomed people from many nations to its shores. Some have come from war-ravaged lands with a long history of violence.
But Canada has a distinguished history all of its own.
After 95 years, Canada's accomplishment at Vimy Ridge meant not only success in the devastating First World War but is seen as the strong development of the Canadian nation in eyes of the world.
The world was plunged into that war with its destruction and added misery of coldness, rats, mud, lice, illness and thousands of lives lost.
It was going badly for the Allied troops with France and Britain suffering heavy casualties.
Both the French and British had failed in their attempts to capture the enemy-held Vimy Ridge, with its commanding view of the surrounding area, and were repulsed time after time in their attempts to capture the strong point of land.
Ultimately Canadians, formerly attached to British Forces, took their place with the fighting forces.
The Canadians lost no time in developing a strategy of their own.
Engineers undertook constructing an underground railway to transport men and machines to the battle area, as well as installation of a sophisticated signal system.
On the morning of April 9, 1917 the Canadians launched their own attack.
Four divisions of the Canadian Corps. charged violently from their trenches through driving wind, snow, sleet and the unbelievable hell of exploding shells. Wave after wave of Canadians attacked the slopes on the east, west and centre.
After superhuman effort they captured the ridge.
And then, they gathered their dead.
They had won the battle but lost 3,598 of their finest men, some of them barely out of their teens.
Canadians were instrumental in the turning point of World War I, but victory was bittersweet with such high losses. 7,004 of their men received wounds, some of them fatal, with others of a lasting nature.
All the Canadians who took part in that action could well have received honorable awards.
Four of them were awarded the highest military honor possible, the Victoria Cross.
Canada's commanding officer, General Arthur Currie, was knighted on the battlefield by King George V.
In Canada, there is further recognition in establishing its own nationhood.
At Ottawa, in a gable on the west side of the Center Block, just south of the Speaker's entrance, a marble plaque is inserted, with the chiseled inscription, Vimy Ridge, April 9, 1917. As well, in the Memorial Chamber, a marble plaque amongst the niches recognizes the Battle of Vimy Ridge, along with an inscription in brass on the
flagstone floor.
In France, on land surrounding Vimy Ridge, a huge Canadian Memorial is located. It was designed and sculpted by Canadian Walter S. Allward as a tribute to his
countrymen.
Land was made available by France in gratitude to Canada for the victory at Vimy Ridge.
Standing apart from the other limestone monuments is the figure of a weeping woman who symbolizes the sorrow of those who lost 3,598 sons on those blood-stained slopes so many years ago.
It is with mixed feelings we note that Canada grew to stand tall among the world's nations and remained undaunted in the face of adversity.
Branch 43, Prince George, will hold a commemorative dinner on April 9 at the Legion.
Josephine Selkirk
Long time Member of
The Royal Canadian Legion
