1. Vimy Ridge 1917
Birth of a Nation

2. What was Vimy Ridge?
·  A 7-mile long strongly fortified German position in France.
The Germans occupied the high ground  repel almost any attack.
· Strategically, the ridge controlled a large portion of the western front  gave Germans excellent defensive command over this region.

3. Vimy Ridge 1917:

4. Vimy Ridge Today

8. Map showing advance of the Canadian Corps

10. Canadian Preparations:
French and British troops had tried several times to take the ridge at the cost of over 200,000 casualties.
Many believed it was impossible to take.
Canadian Preparations:
 ·  Canadian soldiers had earned a reputation as being tough and reliable troops

11. Canadian Preparations:

12. Major General Arthur Currie
Major-General Arthur Currie was placed in charge of this operation
Insisted on using only Canadian soldiers  this would be the first mission that was planned and implemented entirely by Canadians.
Currie was a master planner  Old tactics had to change and nothing was left to chance.
·  Gathered information
o       Trench Raids
o       Air Photographs
o       Spies

13. New Tactics:
Information! Enemy positions were carefully studied & information was shared with the troops
Scale model of entire ridge was constructed showing every enemy position
Every member of the Canadian corps was walked through their objective – every soldier knew exactly what their mission was.
Miles of light railway lines were built to move ammunition to the front quickly
Telephone cables were buried 8 feet underground for effective communication
Miles of tunnels were dug to move troops forward safely

14. Soldiers review a scale model of the Ridge – knowledge was the new weapon!

15. Tunnels (subways) at Vimy

16. The Attack!
Intense Preparatory bombardment would last 2 weeks  destroy barbwire and artillery positions
Canadian and British guns pounded the German positions with over 1,000,000 shells!
·  5:30 on Easter Monday 938 Canadian artillery pieces exploded into action.
·  A “creeping barrage” was set up  curtain of fire would advance 100 yards every 3 minutes
·  40,000 troops followed close behind

17. ·        When barrage ended the Canadians were on top of the German positions leaving them no chance to defend  element of surprise worked!
·        Within hours the Canadians had captured the ridge!  They took more ground and capture more prisoners than any British offensive to that point!

18. Significance of Battle:
·        First time the entire Canadian corps had fought together as a Division
·        First significant allied victory of the war  boosted morale in France and Britain.
·        Canadian troops felt like “Canadians” for the first time  marked the beginning of a Canadian identity.

19. · “I never felt Canadian until Vimy
·        “I never felt Canadian until Vimy. After that, I was Canadian all the way!” –H.F. Wood
·        Canadian Division was never broken up after this victory  used as shock troops for difficult battles.
·        Huge celebration in Canada  even today this victory is celebrated.

25. Large Crater

26. Victory!

28. Fallen Canadian Soldiers at Vimy

35. German Cemetary: Neuville-Saint-Vaast