1. The Canadian Battles of the First World War

2. First Battle of Ypres: October-November 1914 German army en route to English Channel met French, British and Belgian troops near small Belgian town of Ypres.

3. First Battle of Ypres: October-November 1914 Losses: Losses: Belgian: 18,522 German: 134,315 Belgian: 18,522 German: 134,315 French: 50,000+ 31,265 missing French: 50,000+ 31,265 missing B.E.F.: 58,155or POW B.E.F.: 58,155or POW Result: Stalemate - Front lines drawn through Belgium - Ypres still held by the Entente - “Kindermord von Ypren” - The Massacre of the Innocents

4. Second Battle of Ypres: April 22-May 27, 1915 Where Canadians first see battle in WWI

5. German Plan Break stalemate by punching hole through Allied line Break stalemate by punching hole through Allied line Try out poisonous chlorine gas Try out poisonous chlorine gas Around 6000 cylinders of the gas delivered Around 6000 cylinders of the gas delivered Weigh 90 lbs each Weigh 90 lbs each An 1899 treaty banned the use of gas in war An 1899 treaty banned the use of gas in war

6. The Attack Germans shell Ypres with 2000 pound shells Germans shell Ypres with 2000 pound shells Germans open canisters of gas, by hand, and use wind to blow gas to French-Algerian section of line. Germans open canisters of gas, by hand, and use wind to blow gas to French-Algerian section of line.

7. Algerians panic, flee clutching their throats Algerians panic, flee clutching their throats Leaves 4 mile wide gap in the line Leaves 4 mile wide gap in the line Canadians fill in the gap Canadians fill in the gap Outnumbered 5:1 (50,000 : 10,000) Outnumbered 5:1 (50,000 : 10,000) Use urine soaked cloths to neutralize the effects of the gas Use urine soaked cloths to neutralize the effects of the gas Somehow hold the line Somehow hold the line First use of poisonous gas in the war

8. Results Canada: Canada: First major Battle of the Great War First major Battle of the Great War Reputation of hard hitting “shock troops” Reputation of hard hitting “shock troops” British saw it as “Exceptionally good performance for raw colonial troops” British saw it as “Exceptionally good performance for raw colonial troops” Contrast from first view of soldiers when they arrived Contrast from first view of soldiers when they arrived

9. Cost Canada: 6037 casualties (66 officers, 1784 killed) Canada: 6037 casualties (66 officers, 1784 killed) B.E.F.: 59, 275 B.E.F.: 59, 275 French: 10,000 French: 10,000 Belgian: 1,530 Belgian: 1,530 German: 34,267 German: 34,267

10. John McCrae In Flanders Fields In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

11. The Somme: July-November 1916 British Commander in Chief, Douglas Haig, decides to go on offensive and “smash” through enemy lines. British Commander in Chief, Douglas Haig, decides to go on offensive and “smash” through enemy lines. The offensive becomes known as the Battle of the Somme. The offensive becomes known as the Battle of the Somme.

12. The Plan British and French launch 1.5 million rounds of ammunition. British and French launch 1.5 million rounds of ammunition. Heavy artillery was supposed to break up German barbed wire and wipe out their lines Heavy artillery was supposed to break up German barbed wire and wipe out their lines Germans just retreated to concrete reinforced bunkers, and used crater holes as machine gun nests Germans just retreated to concrete reinforced bunkers, and used crater holes as machine gun nests 100 machine guns ready and waiting 100 machine guns ready and waiting

13. “When we started firing we just had to load an reload. They went down by the hundreds. You didn’t have to aim, we just fired into them.” - German soldier on what he observed during the early attacks at the Somme

14. Beaumont-Hamel: July 1 st, 1916 Newfoundland Regiment Newfoundland Regiment 658 of 758 dead or injured in one day 658 of 758 dead or injured in one day Memorial set up in their honour (right) Memorial set up in their honour (right)

15. Results of The Somme 600,000 allied soldiers killed or wounded in first three months 600,000 allied soldiers killed or wounded in first three months Over one million killed or wounded on both sides Over one million killed or wounded on both sides Allied forces gained 12 kilometers Allied forces gained 12 kilometers Germans referred to it as “das Blutbad” Germans referred to it as “das Blutbad”

16. Canadians at the Somme The Somme had cost Canada 24,029 casualties, but it was here that the Canadians confirmed their reputation as hard-hitting shock troops. The Somme had cost Canada 24,029 casualties, but it was here that the Canadians confirmed their reputation as hard-hitting shock troops. "The Canadians", wrote Lloyd George, "played a part of such distinction that henceforward they were marked out as storm troops; for the remainder of the war they were brought along to head the assault in one great battle after another. Whenever the Germans found the Canadian Corps coming into the line they prepared for the worst." "The Canadians", wrote Lloyd George, "played a part of such distinction that henceforward they were marked out as storm troops; for the remainder of the war they were brought along to head the assault in one great battle after another. Whenever the Germans found the Canadian Corps coming into the line they prepared for the worst."

17. The Somme Debut of the tank Debut of the tank -2 km/h -Easy target for artillery

18. Vimy Ridge, April 9 th 1917 8 km stretch of high ground, occupied since 1914 by Germans 8 km stretch of high ground, occupied since 1914 by Germans British and French tried to take ridge at a cost of 200,000 casualties British and French tried to take ridge at a cost of 200,000 casualties Ridge seen as invincible Ridge seen as invincible

19. Canadian Corp, 1917 100,000 soldiers led by British General Julien Byng 100,000 soldiers led by British General Julien Byng Meticulous planning Meticulous planning Rehearsed for weeks and months Rehearsed for weeks and months Gave each soldier a map Gave each soldier a map Trench raids at night Trench raids at night Gained information and terrorized Gained information and terrorized Dig 20 km of tunnels under the ridge Dig 20 km of tunnels under the ridge Blow out exits into no-man’s land Blow out exits into no-man’s land Blow up under German lines Blow up under German lines

20. Scale Trenches for Vimy Attack

21. Vimy: The Attack, April 9th Heaviest barrage of war so far Heaviest barrage of war so far 983 artillery pieces, 150 machine guns 983 artillery pieces, 150 machine guns In 100 minutes, ¼ million shells and 7 million bullets fall onto ridge In 100 minutes, ¼ million shells and 7 million bullets fall onto ridge Creeping Barrage (next slide) Creeping Barrage (next slide) Everything was timed. No stopping for injured Everything was timed. No stopping for injured In eight hours, all objectives complete In eight hours, all objectives complete

22. Creeping Barrage Guns fire at one spot for 5 minutes, and then fire 100 m further Guns fire at one spot for 5 minutes, and then fire 100 m further Troops follow 100 meters behind Troops follow 100 meters behind Do this until troops reach destination Do this until troops reach destination Destroys barbed wire and enemy lines Destroys barbed wire and enemy lines

23. Vimy: Canada Accomplished what French and British could not Accomplished what French and British could not National Pride National Pride First and last time all 4 Canadian Divisions fight together First and last time all 4 Canadian Divisions fight together Byng promoted, Arthur Currie commands Canadian Corps Byng promoted, Arthur Currie commands Canadian Corps First Canadian to do so First Canadian to do so Cost Cost Casualties: 10, 602 Casualties: 10, 602 Killed: 3, 598 Killed: 3, 598

24. Legacy: Canadian National Vimy Memorial

25. 1917: Passchendaele (July - November 1917) Canadians move here after VimyCanadians move here after Vimy Currie argued that it was too muddy but was ignored by HaigCurrie argued that it was too muddy but was ignored by Haig Currie says attack will cost 16,000 casualtiesCurrie says attack will cost 16,000 casualties

26. Passchendaele: Results 15, 654 casualties: worst battle for Canada 15, 654 casualties: worst battle for Canada Attack left little support for British tanks in Cambrai Attack left little support for British tanks in Cambrai By end of November, Germans regained ground By end of November, Germans regained ground June, 1918, Borden furious at British Generals for their incompetence June, 1918, Borden furious at British Generals for their incompetence Stormed at Lloyd George, who made his generals listen Stormed at Lloyd George, who made his generals listen Empire leaders sat down and mapped out, together, strategy to end war. Empire leaders sat down and mapped out, together, strategy to end war.