Important Canadian Battles in WWI

Vimy Ridge- April 1917

Many historians consider the Canadian victory at Vimy a defining moment for Canada

The Canadian Corps was ordered to seize Vimy Ridge in April 1917.

The Canadians would be assaulting over an open graveyard, previous French attacks had failed with over 100,000 casualties.

"In those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation."BGen A.E. Ross

Canadian troops also earned a reputation as formidable, effective troops because of the stunning success

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

Artillery and preparation key in this battle

3,598 Canadians were killed and another 7,000 wounded

In 1922, the French government ceded to Canada Vimy Ridge, and the land surrounding it.

Canadian WWI Memorial

Victoria Cross

Battle of Ypes

April 1915, the 1st Canadian Division fought the grim Battle of Ypres, in Belgium,

Germans introduced poison gas to the Western Front.

5,200 Canadian deaths

Battle of the Somme 1916

Canadians fought under gruelling conditions to advance only a few miles on the Somme front

By October 1916, the Canadian Corps had grown to four infantry divisions supported by strong artillery, cavalry, engineer, and auxiliary forces, a total of more than 80,000 men.

Battle of the Somme was one of the largest battles of the First World War, with more than one million casualties

The battle is remembered today as the debut of the tank.

The 1st Newfoundland Regiment, Most of the battalion was wiped out before it

crossed the front line, and it suffered 91% casualties

Passchendaele

June 1917, Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie became the first Canadian to command the Canadian Corps. That October-November, fighting on horrific battlefields in waist-deep mud, the Corps captured Passchendaele, in Belgium, but suffered 16,000 killed or wounded.

Other contributions

Over 3000 British and Canadian pilots trained in Canada, Fighter pilot “Billy” Bishop was the third leading ace of the war, credited with 72 aircraft destroyed

The small Royal Canadian Navy patrolled the east coast against the threat posed by German submarines.

Coming of Age

620,000 Canadians served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, including 425,000 who served overseas; more than 60,000 were killed and 172,000 wounded

Canada’s immense contribution to victory helped Canadians develop a growing sense of nationhood and international recognition

Entered League of Nations on its own