1. The Battle of Vimy Ridge

2. Location of Vimy Ridge

3. The Battle of Vimy Ridge
German fortified position
Key to German defenses in the north
Featured concrete machine gun bunkers, trenches, underground tunnels, underground dugouts capable of holding entire German battalions

4. The Battle of Vimy Ridge
The four Canadian divisions given the task of taking Vimy Ridge
Lead by Lieutenant-General Sir Julian Byng
First time all Canadian divisions had fought as a unit

5. Canadian objectives at Vimy Ridge

6. The Battle of Vimy Ridge
British learned from failure at the Battle of the Somme
Planning was key to success
Every detail was thoroughly planned and rehearsed
Air reconnaissance identified German trench systems, machine gun nests etc.

7. Large scale replica of German trenches

8. The Battle of Vimy Ridge
Initial artillery barrage lasted a week, over a million shells used
Successfully destroyed German defenses
Germans called this the “week of suffering”
Every soldier knew what the objectives were and had maps

9. The Battle of Vimy Ridge
A creeping barrage was used during the attack (artillery aimed just in front of advancing infantry)
New and improved shells effectively cut barbed wire
Underground tunnels and dugouts allowed troops to advance to the front safely
Communication lines were improved

10. The Battle of Vimy Ridge
On April 9, 1917 at 5:30am the creeping barrage started and Canadian soldiers advanced
The only Canadian division not to achieve their objective on time was the 4th division
With reinforcements they too reached their objective

11. Brigadier-General A.E. Ross declared after the battle
“…in those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation."

12. The Battle of Vimy Ridge
Only significant victory in the spring offensive of 1917
One of the most decisive victories of WW1
Greatest Allied victory till this point
Capture more ground, more guns, and more prisoners than any previous offensive in 2.5 years of war

13. The Battle of Vimy Ridge
3 598 Canadian soldiers lost their lives out of casualties
Canada had achieved the reputation of being one of the best fighting forces in the war
Canada went into the battle still seen as a British colony, but emerged a nation

14. The Battle of Vimy Ridge
Brigadier-General Alexander Ross at the new Vimy Memorial in 1936 said,
"It was Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific on parade. I thought then that in those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation."