1. The Battle of Vimy Ridge, 9-12 April 1917

2. Situated in northern France, the heavily-fortified seven-kilometre ridge held a commanding view over the Allied lines.
previous French attacks had failed with over 100,000 casualties.

3. Preparing For The Attack Commanders
Lt.General Sir Julian Byng
Maj.General Arthur Currie

4. Preparing For The Attack- Innovations
All 4 Canadian Divisons (100,000 men)
Platoon System
Full-scale replica rehearsal
Communications (maps,subways,tunnels)
Artillery (1 million shells beginning March 20)
Intelligence (air recon, mapping enemy positions)
Rolling Barrage (100m every 3 minutes)

5. Rolling Barrage

6. In the week leading up to the battle, Canadian and British artillery pounded the enemy positions on the ridge .
The Germans called the period “the week of suffering.”

7. the infantry were given specialist roles as machine-gunners, rifle-men and grenade-throwers.
To bring men forward safely for the assault, engineers dug deep tunnels from the rear to the front. (12 totalling 5kms)
Roads and tramways
were repaired to carry ammo.

13. The Capture of Vimy Ridge
Attacking together for the first time, the four Canadian divisions stormed the ridge at 5:30am on 9 April 1917
More than 15,000 Canadian infantry overran the Germans all along the front
There were countless acts of sacrifice, as Canadians single-handedly charged machine-gun nests or forced the surrender of Germans in protective dugouts
4 Victoria Crosses were awarded for bravery

14. Captain Thain Wendell MacDowell
Victoria Cross recipient

15. Hill 145
Hill 145, the highest and most important feature of the Ridge, and where the Vimy monument now stands, was captured on the second day in a frontal bayonet charge against machine-gun positions
It was fortified by the Germans with wired trenches and deep dug-outs beneath its rear slope and support fire from “the Pimple” (which was finally captured April 12)

20. But it was victory at a heavy cost: 3,598 Canadians were killed and another 7,000 wounded.

21. Vimy became a symbol for the sacrifice of the young Dominion of Canada.
Brigadier-General A.E. Ross declared after the war, "in those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation."

22. Vimy Memorial
In 1922, the French government ceded to Canada in perpetuity Vimy Ridge, and the land surrounding it.
The Vimy memorial was unveiled in 1936.