THIS MONTH IN HISTORY

VIMY RIDGE

9 TO 12 APRIL 1917 The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras in WWI with the Canadian Corps in the First Army fighting three divisions of the German 6th Army. The final objective, a fortified knoll located outside the village of Givenchyen-gohelle, fell to the Canadians on 12 April. Historians attribute the success to technical and tactical innovation, meticulous planning, powerful artillery support and extensive training, along with failures in the German defensive doctrine. The battle was the first occasion when the four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force fought together and it was made a symbol of Canadian national achievement and sacrifice.