Did you know? "Designed by Canadian sculptor and architect Walter Seymour Allward, the Vimy monument took eleven years to build. It rests on a bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel. The towering pylons and sculptured figures contain almost 6,000 tonnes of limestone brought to the site from an abandoned Roman quarry on the Adriatic Sea (in present day Croatia)." (Veterans Affairs Canada)
Ecoivres Military Cemetery
Day 3 - August 7 - Arras to Dieppe - WWI
Leaving our hotel in Arras, we visited both the Ecoivres 1916-1918 and Nine Elms 1915-1918 Military Cemeteries to pay tribute to both the French and Canadian soldiers buried there.
"The graves of the mostly British and Canadian soldiers are in chronological order: the graves of the men of the 46th North Midland Division who relieved the French in March 1916 are followed by those of the 25th Division who fell in the German attack at the foot of Vimy Ridge in May 1916; next come the men of the 47th London Division who died between July and October 1916 and finally the graves of the Canadians who lost their lives in the successful assault on Vimy
Ridge in April 1917." (Ecoivres Military Cemetery - Mont-Saint-Eloi)
"To the memory of these 10 soldiers of the British Empire killed in action in April 1917 and buried at the time in the Seaforth Grave Roclincourt whose graves were destroyed in later battles. Their glory shall not be blotted out." (Nine Elms)
Leaving our hotel in Arras, we visited both the Ecoivres 1916-1918 and Nine Elms 1915-1918 Military Cemeteries to pay tribute to both the French and Canadian soldiers buried there.
"The graves of the mostly British and Canadian soldiers are in chronological order: the graves of the men of the 46th North Midland Division who relieved the French in March 1916 are followed by those of the 25th Division who fell in the German attack at the foot of Vimy Ridge in May 1916; next come the men of the 47th London Division who died between July and October 1916 and finally the graves of the Canadians who lost their lives in the successful assault on Vimy
Ridge in April 1917." (Ecoivres Military Cemetery - Mont-Saint-Eloi)
"To the memory of these 10 soldiers of the British Empire killed in action in April 1917 and buried at the time in the Seaforth Grave Roclincourt whose graves were destroyed in later battles. Their glory shall not be blotted out." (Nine Elms)
Vimy Ridge
We would eventually make our way to Vimy Ridge which included a walking tour of the memorial as well as a guided tour of the trenches and the tunnels.
"To bring men forward safely for the assault, engineers dug deep tunnels from the rear to the front. Despite this training and preparation, the key to victory would be a devastating artillery barrage that would not only isolate enemy trenches, but provide a moving wall of high explosives and shrapnel to force the Germans to stay in their deep dugouts and away from their machine-guns.
In the week leading up to the battle, Canadian and British artillery pounded the enemy positions on the ridge, killing and tormenting defenders. New artillery tactics allowed the gunners to first target, then destroy enemy positions. A nearly limitless supply of artillery shells and the new 106 fuse, which allowed shells to explode on contact, as opposed to burying themselves in ground, facilitated the destruction of hardened defences and barbed wire. The Canadian infantry would be well supported when it went into battle with over 1,000 artillery pieces laying down withering, supportive fire.
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. Incredible bravery and discipline allowed the infantry to continue moving
forward under heavy fire, even when their officers were killed. There were countless acts of sacrifice, as Canadians single-handedly charged machine-gun nests or forced the surrender of Germans in protective dugouts. Hill 145, the highest and most important feature of the Ridge, and where the Vimy monument now stands, was captured in a frontal bayonet charge against machine-gun positions. Three more days of costly battle delivered final victory. The Canadian operation was an important success, even if the larger British and French offensive, of which it had been a part, had failed. But it was victory at a heavy cost: 3,598 Canadians were killed and another 7,000 wounded.
The capture of Vimy was more than just an important battlefield victory. For the first time all four Canadian divisions attacked together: men from all regions of Canada were present at the battle. Brigadier-General A.E. Ross declared after the war, "in
those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation."
Vimy became a symbol for the sacrifice of the young Dominion. In 1922, the French government ceded to Canada in perpetuity Vimy Ridge, and the land surrounding it. The gleaming white marble and haunting sculptures of the Vimy Memorial, unveiled in
1936, stand as a terrible and poignant reminder of the 11,285 Canadian soldiers killed in France who have no known graves." (Canadian War Museum)
We would eventually make our way to Vimy Ridge which included a walking tour of the memorial as well as a guided tour of the trenches and the tunnels.
"To bring men forward safely for the assault, engineers dug deep tunnels from the rear to the front. Despite this training and preparation, the key to victory would be a devastating artillery barrage that would not only isolate enemy trenches, but provide a moving wall of high explosives and shrapnel to force the Germans to stay in their deep dugouts and away from their machine-guns.
In the week leading up to the battle, Canadian and British artillery pounded the enemy positions on the ridge, killing and tormenting defenders. New artillery tactics allowed the gunners to first target, then destroy enemy positions. A nearly limitless supply of artillery shells and the new 106 fuse, which allowed shells to explode on contact, as opposed to burying themselves in ground, facilitated the destruction of hardened defences and barbed wire. The Canadian infantry would be well supported when it went into battle with over 1,000 artillery pieces laying down withering, supportive fire.
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. Incredible bravery and discipline allowed the infantry to continue moving
forward under heavy fire, even when their officers were killed. There were countless acts of sacrifice, as Canadians single-handedly charged machine-gun nests or forced the surrender of Germans in protective dugouts. Hill 145, the highest and most important feature of the Ridge, and where the Vimy monument now stands, was captured in a frontal bayonet charge against machine-gun positions. Three more days of costly battle delivered final victory. The Canadian operation was an important success, even if the larger British and French offensive, of which it had been a part, had failed. But it was victory at a heavy cost: 3,598 Canadians were killed and another 7,000 wounded.
The capture of Vimy was more than just an important battlefield victory. For the first time all four Canadian divisions attacked together: men from all regions of Canada were present at the battle. Brigadier-General A.E. Ross declared after the war, "in
those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation."
Vimy became a symbol for the sacrifice of the young Dominion. In 1922, the French government ceded to Canada in perpetuity Vimy Ridge, and the land surrounding it. The gleaming white marble and haunting sculptures of the Vimy Memorial, unveiled in
1936, stand as a terrible and poignant reminder of the 11,285 Canadian soldiers killed in France who have no known graves." (Canadian War Museum)
Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery
Back on board our bus we headed for Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery. An unusual name for a cemetery is it not?
"Cabaret Rouge, was a small cafe with red bricks and a red-tiled roof. It gave its name to this sector of the front line and a communication trench. The cafe was destroyed by shelling in May 1915. This cemetery is close to where it once stood.
The cemetery was started in March 1916. It was enlarged to its present size after the First World War when over 7,000 dead were
brought from 103 small cemeteries and individual graves on the battlefields. Original burials were made by the 47th (London)Division and the Canadian Corps and can be seen in Plots 1-5. The cemetery now contains 7,655 First World War Commonwealth burials - more than half unidentified. The sole Second World War burial is located near the Southern boundary wall (see plan)."
"In May 2000, the remains of an unknown Canadian soldier were taken from this cemetery and buried in a special tomb in front of the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Canada. A focal point for remembrance; he represents more than 116,000 Canadians who sacrificed their lives in the cause of peace and freedom. A headstone in Plot 8, Row E, Grave 7 marks his original grave (see plan)." (Cabaret Rouge Cemetery)
Back on board our bus we headed for Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery. An unusual name for a cemetery is it not?
"Cabaret Rouge, was a small cafe with red bricks and a red-tiled roof. It gave its name to this sector of the front line and a communication trench. The cafe was destroyed by shelling in May 1915. This cemetery is close to where it once stood.
The cemetery was started in March 1916. It was enlarged to its present size after the First World War when over 7,000 dead were
brought from 103 small cemeteries and individual graves on the battlefields. Original burials were made by the 47th (London)Division and the Canadian Corps and can be seen in Plots 1-5. The cemetery now contains 7,655 First World War Commonwealth burials - more than half unidentified. The sole Second World War burial is located near the Southern boundary wall (see plan)."
"In May 2000, the remains of an unknown Canadian soldier were taken from this cemetery and buried in a special tomb in front of the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Canada. A focal point for remembrance; he represents more than 116,000 Canadians who sacrificed their lives in the cause of peace and freedom. A headstone in Plot 8, Row E, Grave 7 marks his original grave (see plan)." (Cabaret Rouge Cemetery)
Passchendaele
"Is a 2008 Canadian war film, written, co-produced, directed by, and starring Paul Gross. The film, which was shot in Calgary,
Alberta, Fort Macleod, Alberta, and in Belgium, focuses on the experiences of a Canadian soldier, Michael Dunne, at the Battle of Passchendaele also known as the Third Battle of Ypres." (Wikipedia)
"Is a 2008 Canadian war film, written, co-produced, directed by, and starring Paul Gross. The film, which was shot in Calgary,
Alberta, Fort Macleod, Alberta, and in Belgium, focuses on the experiences of a Canadian soldier, Michael Dunne, at the Battle of Passchendaele also known as the Third Battle of Ypres." (Wikipedia)
Honouring our Military Heroes
"Lieutenant Colonel John Alexander McCrae (November 30, 1872 – January 28, 1918). In the trenches amongst the horrific wreckage of the Battle of Ypres in France, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, dirty and hunched over, scribbled pensively on scrap paper to create the poem, In Flanders Fields on April 3, 1915. The day before, McCrae tragically witnessed the killing and burial of fellow Canadian, 22-year old Lieutenant Alexis Helmer of Hull, Quebec – who inspired the poem." (ancestry.com)
"Lieutenant Colonel John Alexander McCrae (November 30, 1872 – January 28, 1918). In the trenches amongst the horrific wreckage of the Battle of Ypres in France, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, dirty and hunched over, scribbled pensively on scrap paper to create the poem, In Flanders Fields on April 3, 1915. The day before, McCrae tragically witnessed the killing and burial of fellow Canadian, 22-year old Lieutenant Alexis Helmer of Hull, Quebec – who inspired the poem." (ancestry.com)
Puys (Blue Beach)
Travelling to Puys, we fast forwarded ourselves to World War II.
"On this beach, officers and men of the Royal Regiment of Canada died at dawn 19 August 1942, striving to reach the heights beyond. You who are alive, on this beach, remember that these men died far from home, that others, here and everywhere, might freely enjoy life in God's Mercy." (Blue Beach)
Travelling to Puys, we fast forwarded ourselves to World War II.
"On this beach, officers and men of the Royal Regiment of Canada died at dawn 19 August 1942, striving to reach the heights beyond. You who are alive, on this beach, remember that these men died far from home, that others, here and everywhere, might freely enjoy life in God's Mercy." (Blue Beach)
After arriving at our hotel in Dieppe, we walked along the streets to a local restaurant to enjoy our evening meal. We stopped at a burial monument to 2 Canadian soldiers "killed in this street, behind Saint Remy Church, at 7:20 a.m. on the morning of 19 August 1942" and viewed a number of sites, including the Eglise Saint-Jacques "situated on one of the pilgrim routes to Saint James of Compostella." (Eglise Saint-Jacques)
