What role did Canada play in the battle Vimy Ridge ?

Arthur Currie had the duty of the Vimy Ridge in february of 1917. He had made a model to help the soliders practice their attacks until they were comfortable with their jobs. The Canadians had won the victory for teh allies in 1917. They had gained their seperate seat at the peace talks mainly after the war.  the sacrifices and the contributions that Canada put into teh war had made history for the Canadians. it was the first time in history where the Canadian forces had fought under a Canadian-born commander. the battle Vimy Ridge is a battle that is styill remebered til this day. In total there was 67 000 killed and 173 000 wounded.

The Canadians had the duty to fight for their motherland. Sir Wilfrid Laurier had spoken on behalf of the English Canadians when he stated " It is our duty to let Great Britain know and to let the friends and foes of Great Britain know that there is in Canada but one mind and one heart and that all Canadians are behind the Mother Country

Keerthana B.

References 

' Military history of Canada during World War 1 . Wikipedia.  Eteran Affairs Canada. 1992. Retrieved 2006-12-05. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Canada_during_World_War_I

' What did Canada do at Vimy Ridge ?. First answer by ID1676782879. Last edit by Blekh. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_did_canada_do_at_vimy_ridge

Timeline of the Battle

October 1916

      The Canadians start to arrive on the Vimy sector from the Somme battle and load up on artillery and rations. A total of 42,609 tonnes of ammunition and 2,465 tonnes of daily rations are put together for the Canadian Corps. Also they had access to 245 heavy guns, four 12-inch howitzers and the Royal Naval divisions' naval guns among other heavy artillery. It was the first glimpse of where there would be fighting for many.

 


 

December 1916

All four Canadian Divisions are now together for the first time, with a total numbering 100,000 men. From 1916 into early 1917, the Canadians settle in the front line and continued the underground war by blowing up mines. While the Canadian military was planning the upcoming attack, the front lines continued to probe the German lines, and raided their trenches to gain intelligence.

 

March 1, 1917

The 4th Division launched the largest Canadian raids against the German positions between the Pimple and Hill 145. This caused the loss of 687 Canadians.

April 1-7, 1917
Artillery preparations for the battle are immense. In the week preceding the attack, more than one million rounds of all sizes were fired. By the time of the advance on April 9, the Canadians had taken many of the main German trenches and prevented supplies from reaching the German lines.

April 9, 1917
 1st Division

The 1st Division's plan is to attack from its position west of the Arras-Lens road and capture the main German trenches in front of Thelus, carry through to capture positions south of Thelus and push east to capture Farbus. The front line fell quickly but resistance got was tougher when they got to the second line. The 1st Division has achieved its objectives.

April 9, 1917
 2nd Division

Its objectives are similar to the 1st Division's, that is, to capture the main German trench position in front of Thelus. The 2nd Division has also achieved all its ojectives.

April 9, 1917
 3rd Division

The 3rd Division is to attack on a front of 1.2 kilometres opposite La Folie Wood. Its objective is to reach the eastern slope of Vimy Ridge. They manage to capture La Folie Farm, push through La Folie Wood and capture positions south of Hill 145. This resulted in several deaths.

April 9, 1917
 4th Division

The 4th Division is to attack from Bradmarsh Crater to Givenchy. Its objective is Hill 145 and the eastern slopes of the ridge. This is the most heavily defended part of the ridge. Their northern flank is open to fire from the strong German position of the Pimple. The Pimple is also the most steep and destroyed landscape in the area.

They manage to capture Hill 145, although German trenches east of the Hill are still active.

April 10, 1917

The 4th Division attacks the remaining German positions on the ridge just east of Hill 145 and quickly captures them. Vimy Ridge is now in the hands of Canadian.

April 12, 1917
The 4th Division attacks the Pimple. After a short fight they capture it.. While the Allies expect counterattack, none appeared, and a day later the Germans withdraw. The planning and rehearsing of the Canadian Corps pay off.

Weapons used during the Battle:

Machine-guns were primarily a defensive weapon along with choking, blistering gas, grenades, barb wire, and guns such as rifles and field guns.

References

Media, Site created by 7th Floor. Historica. 27 03

2011<http://www.histori.ca/peace/page.do?pageID=337>.

Poppy. Yahoo Answers. 2009. 27 03 2011 <http://74.6.239.84/search/srpcache?ei=UTF-8&p=weapons+used+in+the+ww1+battle+of+vimy+ridge&rd=r1&fr=yfp-t-715&u=http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=weapons+used+in+the+ww1+battle+of+vimy+ridge&d=4658111258494988&mkt=en-CA&setlang=en-CA&w=305b9e42,f8ad22c4&ic>.

Significance of Vimy Ridge

            The Canadian victory over Vimy Ridge became a defining moment for Canada as a whole. Although the victory came with a great loss of dedicated troops, it earned the Canadians a reputation of great strength and achievement. Canada's military accomplishments during the battle raised our international reputation and helped earn a separate signature on the Treaty of Versailles that ended the war. It was the first step towards its independence and power. 

Today, the Canadian National Vimy Memorial sits atop Hill 145, surrounded by the beautiful countryside. This great monument is engraved with the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who were listed as "missing, presumed dead" in France. It stands as an honor to all who served their country in the battle and risking or giving their lives and giving us the peace and freedom we have today.  

Do you think all the Canadians’ preparation for the battle at Vimy Ridge was worth it?

        It was the first time all 4 divisions of the Canadian Corps worked together as one. They planned and prepared extensively with models of the trench system.  General Arthur Currie was the first Canadian commander of the Canadian Corps in 1917. He had little military experience but he played an amazing role in the victorious battle. His strategy was to make sure that all soldiers involved in the attack knew about the plan in result, maps were given to every soldier unlike the Germans. Currie truly believed that it was important to “Neglect nothing.”

 The Platoon System was developed by the Canadians. The platoons would strike at the enemy in a loose action where the German defenders had no chance of cutting down the attackers. In result this attack would find the attackers able to cover their own progress.

On the other hand, Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew McNaughton commanded Canada’s artillery strategy. He thought of new ways to locate the artillery guns.  Not only did the Canadians prepare by physical activity but also by making huge underground storage spaces so that troops and supplies can be carried. Beside main tunnels, chambers were dug to treat wounded troops.  Canadians also made artillery barrage. The attack strategy was to create an artillery barrage to force the Germans to stay in the trenches which would keep them away from their guns.   Machine guns were a defensive weapon with a huge advantage. It wiped out many men with over 400 bullets firing per minute.  It was lt.-Col R. Brtinel’s plan of “indirect firing” which stopped the movement of the German lines. Due to the extensive preparations and strategies, Canadians won a victorious battle capturing Vimy Ridge.

By: Lavanya A

References

"Battle of Vimy Ridge - Veterans Affairs Canada." Veterans Affairs Canada - Anciens Combattants Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2011. <http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/sub.cfm?source=history/firstwar/fact_sheets/vimy>.

Nisbett, Emily , and Kirstyn Ruselle. "The Battle of Vimy Ridge." The Battle of Vimy Ridge. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2011. <https://sites.google.com/a/adamscott.ca/world-war-i-museum-feb-2010/Home/the-battle-of-vimy-ridge-room-for-the-first-world-war>.

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Welcome!

We're in grade 10 and this site is made for a history project. Our names are Lavanya, Lukzhy & Keerthana.  Throughout the site, there will be amazing facts and history about one of Canada's victorious battles in World War I , the Battle of Vimy Ridge.  Feel free to read and comment on our work! Enjoy your visit! =D

References

Brewster, Hugh . AT VIMY RIDGE: Canada's Greatest World War 1 Victory . N.d. Scholastic, Canada. AT VIMY RIDGE: Canada's Greatest World War 1 Victory . Web. 27 Mar. 2011.