Birth of a Nation

"It was Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific on parade. I thought then that in those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation."
- Brigadier-General Alexander Ross, DSO



Today marks the 89^th anniversary of the initial attack in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. After three weeks of punishing artillery barrages, Canadian troops launched a dawn attack on German defenses at 5:30am on April 9, 1917. By the afternoon of the first day Canadians had taken the crest of the ridge, but it would require three more days of fierce fighting and bloodshed before they could claim total victory.

The War Museum website describes the Canadian exploits like this:

More than 15,000 Canadian infantry overran the Germans all along the front. Incredible bravery and discipline allowed the infantry to continue moving forward under heavy fire, even when their officers were killed. There were countless acts of sacrifice, as Canadians single-handedly charged machine-gun nests or forced the surrender of Germans in protective dugouts. Hill 145, the highest and most important feature of the Ridge, and where the Vimy monument now stands, was captured in a frontal bayonet charge against machine-gun positions.

In total 3,598 Canadians were killed and 10,602 were wounded - a horrific price to pay, but one that made the world sit up and take notice. No longer was Canada a simple British colony - she was now a country to be reckoned with on the world stage.

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Further reading:
1. Vimy Ridge operations maps
2. Letter from Private Percy Winthrop McClare
3. Silent news reel footage