The Canadian Corps was ordered to seize Vimy Ridge in April 1917. This stunning victory followed years of failed attempts to retake the ridge, and months of planning and preparation for the operation. The Canadians suffered about 11,000 casualties. The Canadians would be assaulting over an open graveyard since previous French attacks had failed with over 100,000 casualties. [Map] Situated in northern France, the heavily-fortified seven-kilometre ridge held a commanding view over the Allied lines. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps against three divisions of the German Sixth Army. The tactic was a learning experience to be employed in other warfare. … This was a pivotal point in Canadian history as Canada earned the respect from the British to command their own units, signifying Canada’s independency from Britain. Preparation for battle. They need not have worried as the war would grind on for more than four years, killing as many as ten million combatants in fighting that would be revolutionized by high-explosive shells, powerful machine guns, poison gas, submarines and war planes. Consequently, the French ceded to Canada the ridge and all the land adjacent to the ridge in 1922. With the sole purpose of seizing the Vimy Ridge from the control of Germans, the more than 15,000 Canadian combatants had a thorough preparation for the battle. This page covers Vimy Ridge itself; the memorial, the tunnels, cemeteries and other sites within the preserved battlefield area. The Importance of The Battle of Vimy Ridge Only 47 years after the confederation of Canada, WWI, also known as The Great War, started. On 9 April, 1917 they attacked again. This meant that once Britain declared war, Canada automatically followed. In this attack, the Canadians would be tasked with capturing Vimy Ridge. The Canadian Corps, together with the British Corps to the south, had captured more ground, prisoners and artillery pieces than any previous British offensive of the war. Canadians would act with courage throughout the battle. The Canadians would be assaulting over an open graveyard since previous French attacks had failed with over 100,000 casualties. The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a World War I battle fought in 1917 near Arras in northern France. Four of our soldiers would earn the Victoria Cross, the highest medal for military valour, for separate actions in which they captured enemy machine gun positions. Two Canadians in particular, along with British General Julian Byng, developed the plan to crack the German fortress at Vimy. It is Canada’s most celebrated military victory — an often mythologized symbol of the birth of Canadian national pride and awareness. Canadian machine gunners digging in during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The four divisions of the Canadian Corps, fighting together for the first time, attacked the ridge from 9 to 12 April, 1917 and captured it from the German army. The some 100,000 Canadians who served there suffered more than 10,600 casualties, nearly 3,600 of which were fatal. Battle Of Vimy Ridge Case Analysis. Students will explore the accurate and present day geography of Vimy Ridge; Students will choose either an artistic empathy project where they build A complete replica of The Canadian National Memorial on Vimy Ridge OR Replicate the 1917 battle field experience digging tunnels, trenches, terrain, craters, paths, obstacles and more for both sides of the battle. Elaborate tunnel systems with train tracks, piped water, lights, and huge underground bunkers to stockpile supplies and arms were also established to aid the Canadians in the battle. Assistance Service. It is a long, high hill that dominates the surrounding landscape. Nicholson, Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1919: The Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War (Ottawa: Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery, 1962), p. 262. Although British-led, it was fought mainly by the Canadian Corps. The Canada Remembers Program of Veterans Affairs Canada encourages all Canadians to learn about the sacrifices and achievements made by those who have served—and continue to serve—during times of war and peace. Despite this training and preparation, the key to victory would be a devastating artillery barrage that would not only isolate enemy trenches, but provide a moving wall of high explosives and shrapnel to force the Germans to stay in their deep dugouts and away from their machine-guns. Congratulations! Taking place in France as part of a larger campaign against German forces, the Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first time in which all four divisions of the Canadian Corps would work together in one assault. Several times the Allies tried to take it from the Germans without success. The Battle of Vimy Ridge CHC2D-04 Mr.Capretta Scott Bouwhuis Nov 6, 2018 Vimy Ridge was a very famous ridge in France where Canadians fought the Germans in 1917. But did it? By completing this course, you will have a better appreciation of the Canadian role in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, be able to explain the significance of the battle in terms of Canadian nationalism and finally, explain what technological, tactical and political factors contributed to the success of the Canadian Corps in securing Vimy Ridge in 1917. The Battle of Vimy Ridge, during the First World War, is Canada's most celebrated military victory — an often mythologized symbol of the birth of Canadian national pride and awareness. Among Canada’s defining events, the Battle of Vimy Ridge in the First World War ranks high. The planning and preparations for the battle were extensive. Battles are not always fought with guns and blood, it can be a fight for different ideas, necessity and equality, which can be seen through Canada’s history. Battle of Vimy Ridge – Battle Honour Regiments. After a brief illness in France, Dusang spent time with the 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish) at the Battle … This is what soldiers had to cross when they went “over the top” and launched an attack. The Canadian Corps was ordered to seize Vimy Ridge in April 1917. The “humped-backed” Ridge rises gently from the Scarpe River valley, almost imperceptibly, and gradually reaches its peak of 145 metres. The First World War was the largest conflict the world had ever seen up until that time. In addition, no sustained Allied breakthrough followed either the assault on the ridge or the wider, British-led Battle of Arras of which Vimy was a part. The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The Allies now commanded the heights overlooking the Douai Plain, which was still occupied by the enemy. From there they could see the Allied trenches for miles in all directions. VAC The Battle of Vimy Ridge 918 Words | 4 Pages. The troops drawn from all parts of the country fought together boosting national unity and cohesion. The allies capture Vimy Ridge from the Germans in World War I. In the week leading up to the battle, Canadian and British artillery pounded the enemy positions on the ridge, killing and tormenting defenders. VAC to receive services. Many historians and writers consider the Canadian victory at Vimy a defining moment for Canada, when the country emerged from under the shadow of Britain and felt capable of greatness. 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