VIMY RIDGE - A MOST COSTLY VICTORY

 

 

Vimy Ridge — Against Formidable Odds

A tribute to the Canadians’ valiant victory (April 9–12, 1917)

 The long, chalk escarpment of Vimy Ridge dominated the Douai Plain and had resisted Allied capture since the Germans seized it in 1914. French assaults in 1915 and British attacks in 1916 failed at terrible cost, cementing Vimy’s reputation as nearly impregnable.

At dawn on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917, the Canadian Corps fought as one for the first time—four divisions advancing behind a meticulously timed creeping barrage. Months of preparation—tunnelling, rehearsals, precise maps, and unit‑level briefings—paid off. By April 10, Canadians held Hill 145, the highest point; on April 12, they seized the last stronghold, ‘the Pimple,’ and the ridge was fully in Canadian hands.

Victory came at a heavy price. In four days the Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties—3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded. Those numbers still sober a nation proud of the courage, discipline, and skill shown there.

Key facts

·       Dates: April 9–12, 1917.

·       Forces: All four Canadian divisions attacked together for the first time.

·       Tactics: A coordinated creeping barrage advanced roughly 100 yards (≈90 m) every few minutes.

·       Objectives taken: Hill 145 and the ‘Pimple’; the entire ridge secured by April 12.

·       Casualties: 10,602 (3,598 killed; 7,004 wounded).

“They advanced through sleet and mud behind the guns—and took the ridge.”

Vimy did not end the war, but it helped shape a nation. Today the Canadian National Vimy Memorial stands on land granted to Canada in perpetuity by France—a quiet promise that we will remember them.

Sources: Veterans Affairs Canada; Canadian War Museum.