What was Vimy Ridge?

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a First World War battle from April 9 to 12, 1917 in which the Canadian Corps captured Vimy Ridge in northern France from German forces. It was the first time all four Canadian divisions had fought together as a unified Canadian Corps. The victory cost about 10,600 Canadian casualties (3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded) over the four-day battle. Vimy Ridge is widely considered Canada's coming-of-age as a nation and one of the most important Canadian victories of the First World War.

Vimy Ridge is a 7-kilometre-long escarpment that rises about 60 metres above the Douai Plain in the Pas-de-Calais region of northern France. The ridge had been fortified by German forces since October 1914 and offered commanding views over the Allied lines. Earlier French and British attempts to capture the ridge in 1915 and 1916 had cost about 150,000 French casualties without success. The Canadian Corps was assigned to take the ridge as part of the larger Battle of Arras (April 9 to May 16, 1917).

The Canadian Corps was commanded by British Lieutenant-General Sir Julian Byng (later Governor General of Canada from 1921 to 1926) with Canadian Major-General Arthur Currie commanding the 1st Canadian Division. About 100,000 Canadians participated, supported by British artillery and tanks. Preparation included extensive training on a full-scale model of the ridge in the rear areas, the construction of 12 deep tunnels (some still preserved at the Vimy Memorial), and innovative tactics including the rolling barrage (the artillery fire moving forward in stages just ahead of the infantry).

The attack began at 5:30 AM on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917 in driving snow. By the end of the first day the Canadians had captured most of the ridge. The decisive Hill 145 (the highest point) fell on April 10. The Pimple (a smaller German-held position) fell on April 12. Casualties were high but lower than comparable First World War battles, demonstrating the effectiveness of the preparation. Four Canadians earned the Victoria Cross during the battle: William Milne, Ellis Sifton, Thain MacDowell, and John Pattison. After the war the French government granted Canada the Vimy Ridge battlefield in perpetuity. The Canadian National Vimy Memorial (designed by Walter Allward, dedicated July 26, 1936 by King Edward VIII) stands on Hill 145 and is one of Canada's most important national monuments. The Vimy Foundation maintains educational and remembrance work, and the 100th anniversary of Vimy was commemorated on April 9, 2017.