The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras, in which the Canadian Corps fought the German Sixth Army between the 9th and 12th of April 1917.  The aim of the battle was for Allied forces to take control of the German high ground along the ridge, which they managed due to successful artillery support, well trained men and sound planning.  Though successful, many men died during the assault, and those men are remembered in the Canadian National Vimy Memorial which stretches around the ridge and under it, where there are British and French tunnels though the chalky soil, where they were conducting a separate underground battle of engineers laying mines and blowing up the tunnels on the other side.  Some of the largest craters were caused by exploded tunnel mines, rather than bombardments or shelling above ground.  Before the main offensive started there were numerous large scale trench raids which also used mines and tunnels.  

Historically the battle drew on the experience of the French at Verdun, beginning with large scale shelling of the field by Allied big guns.  Canadian forces blew the be-jesus out of the Germans for eleven days before the actual assault took place, putting a serious strain on German morale, as troops had to remain at the ready the entire time, under constant bombardment.  Then for a few minutes, just before 0530 hours on the 9th of April, Easter Monday, 1917, the guns stopped as they recalibrated in preparation for all firing at once in a synchronised barrage with the lines of troops moving up swiftly behind them.  Four Victoria Crosses were awarded during the offensive and the Canadian National Vimy Memorial is Canada's largest overseas was memorial, as well as the place to mourn those fallen who were never identified, or whose bodies were lost.  

Written by  Toby Bright.

Add comment

Comments, reviews and questions