Vimy Ridge - Any special personal meaning?
 

I've been watching (off and on) the special coverage for the 90th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge in WWI. I've always been aware of the significance of this battle, especially since my son did a project on Passchendaele recently.

But after seeing the footage on the monument, and the ceremonies planned for today, I have taken an even greater interest in this important turning point in history. This is of particular for me because I have both a maternal and paternal grandfather who (i've been told) were there and on opposing sides. Some interesting facts about Vimy (I got this from Wikipedia - link below)

- the French and English attempted to take the ridge earlier, the French losing 150,000 men in 1915
- for the first time 4 divisions of the Canadian Corp were brought together and joined with the 5th British Infantry division
- On the monday prior to the battle, the Canadians initiated the largest artillery barrage in history to that point: shelling the German trenches with over a million shells
- 83% of the German artillery was destroyed by this
- German troops called this the week of suffering, the sound was so loud, it could be heard in southern England (100 miles away)
- at dawn April 9, 1917 (Easter Monday) the 27,000 man Canadian Corps attacked
- after less than 2 hours, 3 of the 4 Canadian divisions had taken their objectives, with the 4th udner some heavey machine gun fire and requiring reinforcements were able to capture their's by the end of the day
- upon learning of the victory, a French soldier exclaimed, "C'est impossible!.", and upon learning it was the Canadians who had won it, replied "Ah! les Canadiens! C'est possible!."

- By April 12, the Canadians controlled the entire ridge, at a cost of 3,598 men killed and 7,104 wounded.
- The German Sixth Army, suffered approximately 20,000 casualties. The Canadians also took 4,000 Germans as prisoners of war


Interestingly, The battle is commemorated by the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, set atop Hill 145 near Vimy and Givenchy in the French Pas-de-Calais. It is the largest of Canada's war monuments.

According to the Toronto Star, this memorial was protected in WWII by Hitler, as he thought that of all war memorials, this was the only one that illustrated peace rather than battle. He assigned his SS troops to guard it against damage throughout the second world war.

I think that it is good that we have almost 4,000 students at the ceremony this year, each of them representing a dead Canadian soldier from that day.

Is anybody else moved by this? particularly in the light of the sacrifice made by another 6 Canadians in Afghanistan? I myself have pledged to make a trip to this memorial.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vimy_Ridge

My great grandpa and my grand-uncle were part of the forces that took Vimy Ridge. My great grandpa wasn't supposed to, being previously qualified 4F (after an accident, as a firefighter with a horse drawn fire wagon in 1915). My grandpa's oldest brother at 18 enlisted and his dad wouldn't let him go alone, my grandpa being a toddler at the time. They both survived Vimy and were decorated, and later both perished at Passchendale.