Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment (review)

Canadians remain deeply attached to the victory of the Canadian Corps in April 1917 at Vimy Ridge. That battle has since become an allegory for our nationhood, forged in fire on that ground by the valour, common and heroic, of the men who fought, including the 10,602 casualties. The symbolism of that event was reaffirmed in the restoration of Walter Allward’s sculpture on Hill 145 in time for the ninetieth anniversary of the Battle of Arras.

In the foreword, A.M.J. Hyatt suggests that the authors of Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment ‘collectively present the most comprehensive examination of the Battle of Vimy Ridge which has so far been published.’ His assessment is shared by this reviewer. Although the quality of the articles is a bit uneven, this is a remarkable collection of articles and a marvellous first step towards answering the many questions that remain unanswered about Canada’s participation at Vimy and in the First World War.

Editors Geoffrey Hayes, Andrew Iarocci, and Mike Bechtold begin the book acknowledging the foundational nature of their work, and they have chosen three good questions with which to frame the study: Why were Canadians in Arras? How did they win? And how have we come to understand Vimy as we have? The articles are roughly ordered in terms of addressing these questions, and, for the most part, the three corresponding sections achieve what they set out to do.

The collection opens strongly, with an informative and eloquent introduction, followed by an engaging essay by Gary Sheffield. Sheffield, whose main contention of the essay is that the Battle of Vimy Ridge needs to be understood in its context as one part of the Battle of Arras, sets a high standard for what is to follow. He makes a compelling case. Among other factors, his research suggests that ‘the importance of the Canadian Corps’ capture of Vimy Ridge has been exaggerated’ (17) – a provocative conclusion for an opening essay in a book addressing one of the most enduring heroic myths in Canada’s history, and one that has been too long unstated.

The remainder of the first section, which is focused on explaining the context of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, explores the Canadian Corps and the battlefield before the Canadians come to be on the field at Arras. Paul Dickson’s observations about the stability of the corps in the wake of Sam Hughes’s departure and Micheal Boire’s discussion of the importance to the Canadians of the French experience, lay out the foundations for understanding the second section. The idea of providing such a context is immensely valuable, particularly to students.

The second section is the longest of the three and seems to reflect its ambitious focus. Charged with explaining why the Canadians were successful at Vimy, the eleven authors in part 2 cover a wide range of topics, including the medical corps, leadership, support, the German army, strategy, and tactics. Each of the four Canadian divisions is examined separately. The essays focus solely on the battle itself, from preparation through conclusion, and it is in these essays that the greatest value of the work is found.

Not all of the essays are as strong as those by Mark Humphries and Geoffery Hayes, which, along with Tim Cook’s discussion of the artillery and Bill Rawling’s analysis of the participation of engineers, stand out; however, they provide an initial overview of the battle and are a welcome addition to Canadian historiography. Several bring to light material that has previously remained unexamined and each explores an important element of the battle. Each of the four Canadian divisions receives individual treatment, as does the medical corps. Given the complexity of each of the topics, almost all of the articles would have benefited from the addition of more maps and the opportunity for additional length. Nonetheless, as a group, these articles represent a strong, if brief, overview.

While there are many elements of this book that...