1. Created by: D. VandenBerg

2. Created by: D. VandenBerg
Victory at Vimy
“Many historians and writers consider the
Canadian victory at Vimy a defining moment
for Canada, when the country emerged from
under the shadow of Britain and felt capable of
greatness. Canadian troops also earned a
reputation as formidable, effective troops
because of the stunning success. But it was a
victory at a terrible cost, with more than 10,000
killed and wounded.”
- Canadian Museum of Civilization

3. Created by: D. VandenBerg
Victory at Vimy
“The fight to take Vimy Ridge cost Canada
dearly, but it would become the cornerstone of
the nation's image of its place in the world. In
four days, 3,600 Canadian soldiers died, another
5,000 were wounded. But the ridge was taken,
much of it in the first day. The valour of the
troops, the originality of the plan, the success
where larger, more established armies had
failed, all contributed to a new nation's pride.”
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

4. Created by: D. VandenBerg
Victory at Vimy
“Vimy Ridge would become the most influential
battle of World War I and the model for the great
allied offensive of 1918. It dramatically revealed
how innovative tactics combined with iron
courage and heroic self-sacrifice enabled
Canadian soldiers to transform a field of
slaughter into a field of glory…The Capture of
Vimy Ridge is renowned in Canadian lore, but
few understand how it was an important
progression in the development of the Canadian
soldier and Canada itself. Vimy was graduation
day”
- History Television

5. Created by: D. VandenBerg
Background
• German occupying troops controlled the
ridge using a network of trenches
– Ran along the ridge and down into the valley
– Connected with another network of natural caves.
• 150,000 French and British soldiers had died
trying to take it back.
• Allied commanders believed the ridge to be
impregnable.

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Arthur Currie
• Sam Hughes instructed
that the Canadian Corps
Divisions be permanently
attached
• Arthur Currie helped plan
and coordinate the attack
at Vimy
– He studied battles, such as
the Somme, and tried to
learn lessons from these
events
• Currie’s Philosophy:
– “A thorough preparation
must lead to success;
neglect nothing”

8. Created by: D. VandenBerg
Preparation
• All details of the
attack, except the
date, were shared
with the soldiers
• What is the Vimy
Glide?
• What was the effect
of issuing maps to
the soldiers?

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Rolling or Creeping Barrage
• A military tactic where artillery and infantry
move together, in the same direction, at a
calculated pace
– Destroys defenses
– Forces defenders to find cover
– Creates a protective dust cloud

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Trench Raids
• Trench raids were
used to gather
information about
terrain and defenses
• Currie favoured an
attack focused on
enemy strong points
• Mixed platoons were
created to make
them self sufficient

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Artillery
• Currie recognized that
artillery had formerly
targeted enemy
infantry but not
enemy artillery
• Explain how Currie
and Byng located
enemy artillery guns
with flash-spotting
and sound-ranging

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Indirect Fire
• Explain why
machine guns
were sometimes
not aimed directly
at the enemy.

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Tunnels
• Tunnels were
used to:
– obtain control
under no-mans
land
– Achieve surprise
by moving troops
and supplies to
forward positions

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Vimy

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The Attack and Outcome

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Significance
• In four days:
– 3,600 Canadian
soldiers died
– another 5,000 were
wounded.
• But the ridge was
taken
• Biggest success of
the war so far

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Legacy
• Large source of pride
for Canadians
because:
– of valour of the troops,
– the originality of the
plan,
– the success where
larger, more
established armies
had failed

19. Created by: D. VandenBerg
Vimy Today
• Today, there's a large park at Vimy Ridge,
dedicated to Canada. The striking memorial
features a 30-tonne limestone figure carved from
a single block, a hooded figure representing
Canada herself, gazing down on a single tomb
overlooking the Douai plain.
• The twin stone pillars list the names of 11,285
Canadian soldiers who died in France and
whose remains were never found.

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Vimy Memorial

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Conclusion
• Explain why the events at Vimy Ridge
support the ‘myths’ summarized at the
start of this presentation?

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Vimy

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Sources
• www.civilization.ca/cwm/vimy/sculptures_e.html
• http://www.history.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=22826
• http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/vimy/
• National Film Board: Far From Home