Memorials to the Battle of Vimy Ridge
The soaring Canadian National Vimy Memorial in northern France sits on top of Hill 145, fiercely fought by Canadian soldiers and the British Expeditionary Force at the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9, 1917. It is at the northern end of the 240 acres. Canadian Memorial Park.
Battle background
In 1914, Canada as part of the British Empire was at war with Germany. Thousands of Canadians enlisted and came to France to fight alongside their British and Commonwealth counterparts. In the first two years, the Western Front was a trench warfare stalemate along the front line that stretched for nearly 1,000 kilometers from the Belgian coast to the Swiss border. In 1917 a new offensive was planned, which involved the Battle of Arras and, as part of this, Canadian soldiers were instrumental in the new offensive.
His task was to seize Vimy Ridge, a vital part of the German defenses and in the heart of an important coal-producing region.
In the fall of 1916, Canadians moved to the front lines. Vimy Ridge had been taken by the Germans early in the war and subsequent Allied attacks had failed. There was already a huge underground system of tunnels and enemy trenches a few meters from where the Canadians were positioned.
They spent the winter strengthening the lines, training for the next conflict and, in particular, digging tunnels along the Canadian lines. On the morning of April 9, 1917, at 5:30 a.m., it was snowing, cold, and dark. Along with the British 5th Division, the Canadians came out of the trenches into the land of no-man’s-shell craters and barbed wire in the first wave of soldiers. His bravery was amazing; their losses were dire: some 3,600 soldiers were killed at Vimy Ridge and another 7,400 wounded out of a total Canadian fighting force of 30,000.
But the Battle of Vimy Ridge was a victory and the forces captured another vital plateau called Pimple on April 12. The Canadians gained a reputation for offensive warfare that the Germans feared for the remainder of the war, and four Victoria Crosses were awarded to Canadian soldiers who captured enemy machine gun positions.
The Canadian Memorial Park
Today’s park, one of the few places on the Western Front where you can stroll through the trenches, is a strange mix. It is beautiful with its rolling landscape and wooded slopes through which the trenches twist and turn. But it’s also creepy; the enemy trenches are so close and the 11,285 Canadian trees and shrubs commemorate the number of “missing” soldiers. There are 14 craters scattered throughout the park, filled with allied mines detonated on April 9. There are war tunnels, trenches, craters, and unexploded weaponry on the site, so much of it is closed.
The Visitor Center has full screens of the battle. It is run by Canadian students who also take free guided tours, explaining how the trenches were built and taking you through the area.
Practical information
Visitors Center
Tel.: 00 33 (0) 3 21 50 68 68
Open at the end of January and February every day from 9 am to 5 pm; March to end of October from 10 am to 6 pm, end of October to mid December from 9 am to 5 pm
Closed on holidays
Veterans site
Canadian National Vimy Memorial
Standing atop Hill 145, captured on April 10 by Canadian troops, the grand monument is an overwhelmingly impressive monument. The towering two-column monument, seen from miles away, commemorates the Battle of Vimy Ridge, fought on April 9, 1917 by four Canadian divisions alongside British soldiers. The Canadians were serving under their commander, Lieutenant General Sir Julian Byng, who later became Governor General of Canada.
The memorial is at the northern end of the 240-acre Canadian Memorial Park that is located at the site of the battle. The land was given by a grateful France to Canada in 1922, on the understanding that Canada would build a memorial to the Canadian soldiers killed in the war and keep the land and the memorial in perpetuity. The memorial not only commemorates those identified soldiers who died on Vimy Ridge; It also recognizes the 66,000 Canadians killed in the entire First World War, and the 11,285 unknown deaths.
The monument stands on a base of 11,000 tons of concrete. It was designed by Toronto-based sculptor and architect Walter Seymour Allward in 1925, but took another 11 years to build. Finally, it was introduced on July 26 by Edward VIII, a few months before his abdication. They watched the French president and more than 50,000 Canadian and French veterans with their families.
Over the years, the sculpture suffered water damage and, with a massive grant from the Canadian government, it was closed in 2002 for extensive renovation. It was rededicated on April 9, 2007 by Queen Elizabeth II, commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.
The two columns are 45 meters high, one symbolizes Canada and has a maple leaf, the second adorned with a fleur-de-lis to symbolize France. Each figure around the base and on the monument has a specific meaning. Justice and peace, truth and knowledge, peace and justice , laurel-covered barrel barrels and an olive branch, and the grieving, hooded and hooded woman representing Canada Bereft , the country of mourning, are just a few of the many references to war and peace. .
It is a particularly important monument to Canadians, as it also represents national unity; The battle was the first time that the four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force fought as a cohesive unit.
Practical information
The Memorial is open all year round and admission is free.
Directions Vimy is south of Lens, off the N17. If traveling on the E15 / A26, take exit 7 signposted for Lens. All nearby roads are well signposted to Vimy and other nearby sites.
Vimy Ridge Conmemoration 2017
There will be commemorative events around the world to commemorate 100 years. But none will be more poignant than on Vimy. But if you haven’t registered, you won’t be able to enter the site. See the information on the Veteran Affairs Canada website here.
More about the region and the First World War
Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras. If you want to get a feel for that particular battle, you must visit Wellington’s extraordinary quarries.
The quarries are located in Arras, one of the most beautiful cities in northern France.
More on World War I
Take a tour of the western front
More WWI memorials in northern France
American WWI Memorials in France
Where to stay
Read guest reviews, check prices and book a hotel near Arras with TripAdvisor
