The capture of Vimy Ridge

The capture of Vimy Ridge, an important position in northern France, is one of the most important battles in the history of Canada. It was hailed by our allies as the most successful attack of the war. This victory suddenly made the great powers of the time take notice of the young Canada. Vimy Ridge is approximately 14km long and overlooks the Doulai Plain in northern France. It is located about 12km to the northeast from Arras. The Germans seized it during their advance in September of 1914. They immediately realised its potential and fortified it. The Germans built elaborate trenches and tunnels connecting deep underground caves. Ammunition was stockpiled, and a railroad was built to ensure continuous supply. Behind the ridge, the Germans built a large number of factories that were crucial to war production. The Hindenburg Line also hinged on this strategic ridge. Seeing that Vimy Ridge allowed the Germans to observe Allied movements for a great deal off the French and British resolved to mount a counter-attack aimed at retaking the ridge. The attempt was a total disaster. French and British troops were cut down as they tried to cross the open land between them and the ridge. The final toll for the attack was 150,000 dead. Following the attack, the predominant view among Allied commanders was that the ridge was impregnable. This view was wrong. In the winter of 1916 The Canadian Corps moved into the Arras sector, replacing the British. Also, in 1916 Robert Nivelle became the Commander-in-Chief of all forces on the Western Front. He immediately began planning what was to become known as the Nivelle Offensive. One of the key components of this offensive was the capture of Vimy Ridge. This task was allocated to the four Canadian corps, fighting together for the first time. Unlike previous assaults on Vimy Ridge the Canadians took the time to prepare. Replicas of the Vimy Ridge and the surrounding terrain allowed units to practice the attack and see what other units beside them would be doing. Canadian artillery spotters under the direction of Andrew McNaughton were able to identify the positions of around 80% of the German guns on Vimy Ridge. By the time the assault was to begin over 70% of these guns had been destroyed. One of the reasons Haig's attack at the Somme had failed so miserably the year before was the belief that barbed wire could be cut using shrapnel. This was a mistaken belief that cost the British dearly. To destroy the barbed wire covering German positions the Canadians developed a new fuse that allowed the shells to burst on contact, and thus destroy the wire. Finally, tunnels were dug towards Vimy so that Canadians would not have to advance across much open ground in front of the ridge. In the evening of April 8th, 1917, some 20,000 Canadians travelled towards their jumping-off points. At 5:30 on April 9th the assault began with close to 3,000 Allied guns opening fire. After a short barrage the Canadians went over the top and proceeded towards the ridge with a creeping barrage covering their advance. The Germans were completely overwhelmed as the four Canadian divisions surged over the ridge. The Canadians quickly captured the large tunnels and trench systems. Although casualties were heavy the Canadians seized nearly all of their objectives. By the end of the day it was clear that the Canadians more or less had control of Vimy. However, it wasn't until April 12th that all the pillboxes and isolated groups of Germans had been eliminated. In a few days the Canadians achieved the biggest Commonwealth success on the Western Front. It did not come without great cost. The Canadians suffered 10,602 casualties during the assault and the mopping up. However, the most important position on the Western Front had been taken. Unfortunately, the Allies failed to capitalize on the success and the Germans were able to dig in away from the ridge. No breakout from the trenches occurred. The land around Vimy Ridge was later given to Canada by the French government. Today, it's is a popular tourist destination and a symbol of Canada's sacrifice during the First World War.