The Vimy monument, raised in France,
in Artois, commemorates the Canadian sacrifices during the Second
World War, on the actual site of the most ferocious battle that
was delivered by Canadians to the Germans during the Great War,
the 9th and 10th of April, 1917, known as “Vimy Ridge.”
It was built between 1925 and 1936, in honour of the 60,000
Canadians that died in France between 1914 and 1918.
The Vimy monument |
Its reproduction
on the wall of the Hallway symbolises the recognition that France
feels for the Canadian sacrifice on the occasion of the first
world conflict, and it illustrates the everlasting ties that
have linked the two countries throughout many centuries..
The battle of Vimy Ridge took place in the context
of the Allies’ attacks in the spring of 1917, in particular,
the British offensive in the region of Arras, destined to back
up the main action, taken by the French, more to the South,
on the “Chemin des Dames.”
Strategic point, situated midway between Arras and Lens, that
allowed for a full view of the Douai plain, and that blocked
all attacks from Arras to the Northeast, its possession was
imperative for the hope of a quick success by the offensive,
lead by General Haig.
Primordial tactical objective by the Allies, the Ridge was also
the cornerstone of the entire German defensive sector, held
by the 6. Armée. Defended by a strengthened system of
strong density, it included several lines of defence, and fortified
points in abundance, provided by the 79. Reserve Division in
Vimy itself, and the 1. Bayerische Reserve Division and 16.
Bayerische Infantry Division on both sides of the ridge. In
the front, the offensive force destined to seize it was mainly
composed of Canadian Army Corps (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Canadian
Infantry Divisions, reinforced by the 13th British Infantry
Brigade), of 1st British Army, commanded by General Byng, sustained
by an impressive artillery (more than a thousand canons of varied
calibre, a concentration of artillery that comprised of one
tube every seven meters).
The 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions were responsible
for seizing, in their sector, the four German lines of defence,
coded as “Black,” “Red,” “Blue,”
and “Brown,” while the 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions,
that actually faced Vimy Ridge, had to content themselves with
overtaking the Ridge, and the first two lines.
The soldiers of the 29th Battalion |
At the end of a meticulous preparation that lasted
several weeks, General Byng’s units were finally ready
for battle. The 9th of April, 1917, at 5:30 in the morning,
after three weeks of massive bombings toward the German positions,
the four Canadian divisions took on the conquest of Vimy Ridge,
behind a barrier of rolling artillery. In spite of land that
had become difficult because of the mud, the frost, and the
obstacles that the enemy had placed, knocked down even more
by the funnel of shells, of course heavily charged, the Canadian
soldiers progressed rapidly : the 1st German line of defence
(the “Black Line”) was conquered in the 1st, 2nd
and 3rd Canadian Infantry Divisions’ sectors, in little
more than 45 minutes, with few losses, and with barely any resistance,
stunned by the violence of the bombardment. Only the 4th Canadian
Infantry Division, which attacked Hill 145, the highest and
most fortified point of Vimy Ridge, faced persistent Germans
that stood up to them. While this Infantry Division focused
on diminishing the pockets of resistance, the first three Divisions
moved ahead to the second German line of defence, the “Red
Line.” The first two Divisions of the Army corps seized
their section, by 8.00, while the third was slowed down by confrontation
on the slopes of the Ridge, but it seized it without any further
difficulties by 9.00, though it was bothered by the German firings
that came from the neighbouring sector, where the 4th Infantry
Division was. For this Division, the offensive was already a
success, barely four hours after it had begun : its objectives
were met, and it could fortify itself on site, and support its
neighbours.
While the first three Divisions continued their progression
without a hitch, the 4th Infantry Division was forcefully engaged
by the defenders of Hill 145. If, on its right, the 11th Brigade
of the Division headed a successful attack, and seized all the
trench elements that faced them, the Germans, under the shelter
of their trench network, less touched by the bombardments in
that sector had broken the left side’s attack of the brigade,
and inflict upon the battalion assaults of great losses, forcing
them to retreat. Throughout the entire morning, the battle continued
for the possession of these few trenches, and fortified points
that blocked the Canadian advance. It wasn’t until 13.00
that the 11th Infantry Brigade managed to reduce the German
resistance, and start the penetration of the second German line,
which defended the summit of Hill 145 and prohibited access
from the eastern slopes of the hill. The 12th Brigade of the
Division, for its part, after an encouraging start that permitted,
quite rapidly, to seize the first line of German defence, suffered
hellish attacks from the left side, and was stopped in the place
it conquered. Therefore, in this sector, the deadlines were
not met, and the objectives were not accomplished in result
of the German soldiers’ pugnacity, and the quality of
their fortifications, which very much resisted to the allies’
hurricane of fire.
Canadian soldiers observe the Vimy village, in ruins. |
While the 4th Infantry Division faced these difficulties,
the 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions resumed their offensive after
an hour and a half break, destined to rest the men, re-form
the units that were disorganised because of the attack. Returning
to their progression at 9.30, they only faced one sporadic enemy
reaction, and outside of certain localised points, they progressed
without any problems to their third objective, the “Blue
Line.” It was seized little after 11.00. Towards 12.30,
it threw itself upon the fourth and last line of German defence,
the “Brown Line,” which was captured, after some
intense combat, around 14.45. The 1st and 2nd Canadian Infantry
Divisions reached their goals within the time limit: in barely
over nine hours, they managed to seize the four German lines
of defence, with relatively modest losses (considering the standards
of the time). Though weakened by the combats, they could still
reinforce their position with a view to, eventually, pursue
the offensive.
All that was left for the Canadians was to seize Hill 145 on
their right wing, in which the slopes were still in German hands.
At 18.00, the decision was made to reinforce the 11th and 12th
Brigades of the 4th Infantry Division with the 10th Brigade
because they were weakened by the hard combat that they had
engaged. This one was only ready on April 10th at 15.15. After
preparing the artillery, the men rushed the slopes from the
summit of Hill 145, in Canadian hands since that morning. The
German resistance, still very rough, crumbled in the face of
the fresh units injected into the battle by the Canadian command.
They were finally forced to retreat : Hill 145 was finally targeted,
while the “red line” was seized in stride.
The Canadian Army Corps attack was a frank success. It progressed,
on a large front of 6 500 metres of depth. It seized Vimy Ridge,
taking from the enemy a key point in the device of defence,
and discovering the Plain of Douai for another allied offensive.
The losses, however, were heavy, since 2 967 Canadians paid
for this victory with their lives, on top of 4 740 injured or
missing soldiers (more than 380 killed, injured or missing in
the British 13th Infantry Brigade). In the front, the three
Divisions that composed the heart of the German defence had
suffered incredible losses, and the Canadians counted over 3
400 prisoners.
This victory was important on many levels : it is the fact of
the only Canadian troops operating under Canadian commandment;
it occurred in a place where even the French elite troops had
failed in previous years, anchoring the quality of the Canadian
combatant in the spirit of the allied commandment; it opened
perspectives to the British command, who was unable to plan
its offensive toward Lens and Douai without being worried about
its flank, previously exposed to the enemy’s view, and
to its counter-attacks from the Ridge.
© Embassy of France in
Canada