Remembering Vimy

Andrea Roberts
Times Reporter

 

The Battle of Vimy Ridge is a name that should strike pride in a Canadian’s heart as it is considered by many to be the defining moment for Canada and our military. This is moment during World War 1 when Canada showed their military strenght.
Vimy Ridge is a seven-kilometre ridge in France that the German’s held. This gave the German forces a distinct advantage as they had the high ground and were able to see the Allied forces sneaking up to try to take the ridge. The Canadian Corps were ordered to take the ridge, and so along with the English forces they used their artillery to shell the ridge which killed many of the Germans. On April 9, the Canadians attacked. The battle ended as the Canadians took the ridge on April 12. Around 3,598 Canadian soldiers were killed and 7,000 wounded.
The reason why this was considered such an achievement for the Canadian military is because for the first time Canadian soldiers came together to work together and were victorious where the other allies were not. Brigadier-General A.E. Ross said about that battle “in those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation.”