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100th Anniversary of the Comming of Age of Canada

jknaus

Administrator
100 years ago today the Canadian Corps was ordered to seize Vimy Ridge in April 1917. Situated in northern France, the heavily-fortified seven-kilometre ridge held a commanding view over the Allied lines. The Canadians would be assaulting over an open graveyard since previous French attacks had failed with over 100,000 casualties. It was the first Canadian military operation using all four Brigades of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and they succeeded where others had failed. It became the action that has been attributed to the Birth of a Nation. The corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded. The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties with approximately 4,000 men becoming prisoners of war. Four members of the Canadian Corps received Victoria Crosses, the highest military decoration awarded to British and Commonwealth forces for valour, for their actions during the battle:
Many thanks to all that came before and to those that have, are, and will serve.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/replay-updates-from-vimy-ridge-ctv-news-at-the-100th-anniversary-ceremony-1.3355841


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Ab4Crf7cU


James
 
A beautiful and fitting memorial. Thank you for sharing this, James.

To Canada!

:salute
 
:salute

Thanks for sharing James. Very sobering thinking of the lives lost during those battles.
 
Both my grandfathers were at Vimy Ridge with 2[sup]nd[/sup] Canadian Mounted Rifles, 8[sup]th[/sup] Brigade, 3[sup]rd[/sup] Division.

My Mom's father arrived in France in early 1915 and served 6 months as an Infanteer before transferring to the Signal Company (they had horses and he was tired of walking). Not that it was any less dangerous. Signalers were often assigned to accompany Artillery Observation Officers as they advanced with the assault troops to run cables back to the Batteries, ran cables from the front lines to HQ and conducted daily patrols of the cable lines. He went thru the war with no major injuries.

My Dad's father was assigned to 2 CMR in early 1916. He was wounded (shrapnel to the right shoulder and back) at The Somme in August 1916 and out of the line for two months. He was wounded on the first day of Vimy receiving a shrapnel wound to the lower right jaw. It was fractured in several places and he lost 8-9 teeth. He spent the rest of the war in Hospitals in England, returning home in 1919.

Rich
 
Most people now a days have no idea or appreciation to what our forefathers did. Nor do they care. :eek:ldguy Thanks for sharing and remembering. I have a Canadian coworker who would really enjoy this. Gary s.
 
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