The sacrifice at Vimy Ridge

Dear Editor:



On April 9, 2007 it will be ninety years since the famous Canadian assault on Vimy Ridge in the First World War. The British Army and also the French had launched attacks before on the Ridge, but they were not successful due to the lack of preparation.

The Canadian engineers built tunnels a few hundred yards long with exits near the well-fortified enemy trenches. The high command was determined that the Ridge must not remain in German hands, since they had such a good view of the Allied movements, looking west across France.

On Easter Monday morning, in a snowstorm, thousands of Canadian troops emerged from the tunnels and charged the German trenches. It came as a surprise to the enemy as they never expected a mass attack in such brutal weather. The first wave was badly cut down, but when the Germans saw the second wave they soon decided the jig was up, so they started their retreat to the east. They were down in strength now and many out of ammunition, so their hands went up as they yelled, “Kemerad.” That morning the Canadians suffered 10,602 casualties, which included 3,598 killed. The advance went on over two miles to the east.

I was at Vimy Ridge a few years ago. Some might think its high ground, which is not so, but was considered of strategic importance. I was able to walk in the old German trenches. They were partially filled in, but that was an experience for me. At that time the tunnels were close to cave-ins, but now work has been done so tourists can walk through them.

There are many thousands of names engraved in the base of the memorial, which lets you know the size of it. I found my cousin’s name from Digby Neck, he was last seen in the first wave. Nothing was found to identify him, that’s the word his mother got. It was thought that he might have fallen into one of the huge craters full of mud and water. Being weighed down with a machine gun and ammunition, he never had a chance.



Oren Foster B.E.M.

Deep Brook