FlG. 3.4.d
Yimy Ridge, April
ag 17
Canadian Lines
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- a major turning point of Canadian military achievement and a high point if Canadian
military achievemdnt in World War l.
- Vimy Ridge was a long, whale-shaped hump of land that rose 60 metres out of
the Douai Plain.
- the ridge gave the Germans a commanding view of the British army.
- it protected a vital area of occupied France where mines and factories turned out
supplies for Germany..
- Vimy Ridge was strategically important and had been strongty fortified.
- the Germans had dug a maze of deep trenches and dugouts and carved out huge
underground chambers.
- the Germans had also built machine-gun positions that were footed in thick
concrete and wrapped in barbed wire.
- the French and British troops had made several unsuccessful atternpts to capture
the ridge.
- Under the command of British general Julian Byng, canadian Arihur currie was
put in charge of capturing the ridge.
- currie believed that " through proper preparation must lead to success. Negtect
nothing".
- every stage of Currie's plan was rehearsed:
- aerial photographs were used to pinpoint the location of every trench,
machine gun and battery.
- a full-scale mockup of Vimy Ridge was built.
- canadian troops practiced every step they would take on the day of attack.
- Canadian troops surprised the Germans in their attack.
- the new strategy was to keep up a .creeping barrage" during the assault that would
would lay a curtain of gunfire just in front of the advancing troops.
- the attack worked because of the detailed planning and the courage and discipline
of the Canadian soldiers.
- the victory at Vimy cost Canadians more than 3,500 lives but showed the world that
Canadians were capable of devising and carrying out a well-planned and successful
attack.
Firing a Naval Gun Behind Canadian Lines at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Naval Gun Firing at Night at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
VIMY R.TSGtr
Establishing Signalling Headquarters at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Ridge
Troops Move Howitzer Into Position at Vimy Ridge
W
view of village of vimy Looking over the Crest of vimy Ridge
Memorial to Men of the 2nd Canadian Division Killed at Vimy Ridge
Canadian Machine Gunners at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Tending a Wounded German at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Stretcher Cases at the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Happy Canadians Returning to Rest Billets After Battle of Vimy Ridge
People in History
Arthur Currie
Th" entire Canadian Corps was originally comI manded by Julian Byng,a British general, but the
I First Canadian Division was commanded by a
Canadian,Arthur Currie. Currie wanted to keep the
Canadian troops together rather than mixing them
with British units. As a result of his skiil ar planning
and carrying out attacks, especially at Vimy Ridge,
Currie was promoted to replace Byng.When he took
command in June
of l917, it marked the end of British
soldiers commanding Canadian troops. Currie was
considered a hero at home and in Britain. Sir Roberr
Borden described him as the "ablest Corps comman-
der in the British Army."
Currie began his career as a school teacher and
businessman but he spent much of his time as a member of the militia in British Columbia. He was known
"Barrage Currie" because he preferred to weaken
the enemy with shellfire to minimize casualties. Even
so, he was later accused in the newspapers of needlessly wasting lives.
as
Currie's efforts were rewarded with a knighthood in 1917.
WfoIY RIDGE auotes:
"(At zero hour)"the barren earth erupted humanity, From dugouts, shell holes and
trenches men sprang into action, fell into artillery formations, and advanced to
the ridge,
every division of the Corps moved forward together. It was Canada from the Atlantic
to
the Pacific on parade. I thought then, and I think today, that in those few minutes
I
witnessed the birth of a nation." Brigadier General Alex Ross
'oI was wounded, and went back, and there was a great crowd of people lvhen the
shil
came in. All of a sudden somebody says this "the Canadians. They've taken Vimy.
Nobody did it before." And what a cheer went up. They threw chocolate bars. Th.y threw
flowers. In fact, I broke down and cried. We achieved something that nobody had done
before. I think myself that was where Canada was born." A Canadian soldier