Canadians In Battle Canadian History 11

Ypres April 1915 Canadians joined the war in Ypres an ancient Belgian city. First battle that gas was used. April 22nd, chlorine gas attack crumbled the Allied front line leaving a huge gap. Canadians stood their ground and closed the gap preventing a German breakthrough. Only allied force that stood ground. Beginning of Canada`s reputation.

Ypres Continued Ypres was a nightmare for Canadians. “They were battered by shrapnel and machine-gun fire, hampered by rifles which often jammed solid, and violently ill from gas and gasping for air through mud-soaked handkerchiefs…” British Military Historian Sir Basil Liddell Hart called Canadians, “matchless attacking troops”. The cost at Ypres was high, with more than 6,000 Canadian casualties http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-71-2425-14164/conflict_war/firstworldwar/clip2

Somme July 1, British forces launched an offensive in broad daylight. 100,000 soldiers crossed No Man’s Land. Of them was the 1st Newfoundland Regiment which had 700 casualties on the first day. Most of which were fatal. July 1st is still a day of mourning in Nfld. Canadian forces join campaign in August.

Somme Fought in the summer and fall of 1916. “…we cannot close our eyes to the horrors of the mass butchery.” (One of the bloodiest battles in human history) After 5 months of battle the front line had moved only 10 kilometers. (Consider the distance from Bridgewater to Mahone Bay) The Allies suffered over 620,000 casualties, 24,000 of which were Canadian. The Somme Campaign was called Das Blutbad – The Bloodbath.

VC at the Somme Four Canadians won the Victoria Cross on the Somme. One of them, Piper Jimmy Richardson of the 16th Battalion, earned the VC for piping his comrades "over the top." Richardson's company was having difficulty overcoming a barbed-wire obstacle. Heavy casualties temporarily demoralized them. Under intense fire, the 18-year-old strode back and forth beside the obstacle, coolly playing his bagpipes. Inspired by his example, his comrades rushed the wire and captured their objective. Having left his pipes behind, Richardson went back to find them and was not seen again. http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-71-2425-14166/conflict_war/firstworldwar/clip4

Vimy Ridge Looking for a massive offensive; Vimy Ridge was the key to the German defence system. Ridge protected an area of occupied lands rich with mines and factories. A hill 61 meters above the Douai Plain. With it’s natural defenses the Germans had strengthened it with fortifications since it’s capture in 1914. Slopes favoured the defenders. It meant Canadians would have to attack in plain sight, making them prime targets for artillery, machine guns and rifles.

Vimy’s Defences They would face three main defensive lines, consisting of a maze of trenches, concrete machine-gun strong points that had hedges of barbed wire woven around them, and deep dug-outs, all linked by communication trenches and connecting tunnels. As well, there were vast underground chambers, some capable of sheltering entire German battalions (b/t 500-1000 men) from Allied shells.

Vimy After through all of this Canadian forces would then attack “The Pimple” which was a heavily fortified stronghold on the Northern tip of the Ridge. So well fortified that all previous attempts failed. May 20, 1917 Allied artillery start artillery offensive to soften up defensive positions. 5:30 A.M., April 9th (Easter Monday), the infantry offensive begins.

Vimy Hill 145, the high point in Vimy Ridge and thus the most important was captured on April 10th, 1917. Two days later Canadians successfully stormed “The Pimple”. Germans pulled back and the battle was over. Though the victory at Vimy came swiftly, it did not come without cost. There were 3,598 dead out of 10,602 Canadian casualties . http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-71-2425-14167/conflict_war/firstworldwar/clip5

Significance of Vimy At Vimy, the Canadian Corps had captured more ground, more prisoners and more guns than any previous British offensive in two-and-a-half years of war. It was one of the most complete and decisive engagements of the Great War and the greatest Allied victory up to that time. The Canadian success at Vimy marked a profound turning-point for the Allies. A year-and-a-half later, the Great War was over. The Canadian record, crowned by the achievements at Vimy, won for Canada a separate signature on the Versailles Peace Treaty ending the war. Back home the victory helped unite many Canadians in pride at the courage of their citizen-soldiers, and established a feeling of real nationhood.

Memorial

Passchendaele Began in July 1917. Early in October 1917, Canadian troops were order to prepare for the town Passchendaele. The battlefield of Passchendaele was reclaimed swampland that was used for farming. Prolonged shelling destroyed the drainage, and the heaviest rains in 30 years turned the battlefield into a muddy mess. Trenches could not be dug, and planes were often grounded due to weather. The mud clogged rifles, contaminated food and weighed down clothing. The only solace was that shellfire and bombs were absorbed into the soft ground, reducing the damage they inflicted.

Passchendaele On Nov. 6, 1917, Canadian troops captured Belgium's Passchendaele ridge, ending the gruelling offensive. The Battle of Passchendaele is remembered for its atrocious conditions, heavy casualties and Canadian valour. Canadians, instrumental in securing victory, earned a total of nine Victoria Crosses for their courage. 15,654 Canadians were killed or wounded. http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-71-2425-14168/conflict_war/firstworldwar/clip6

Question Write a paragraph explain why many consider the First World War Canada’s ‘coming out party’. We were acknowledged on the global stage but we were also drawn together at home.