In this Book

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On the morning of April 9, 1917, troops of the Canadian Corps under General Julian Byng attacked the formidable German defences of Vimy Ridge. Since then, generations of Canadians have shared a deep emotional attachment to the battle, inspired partly by the spectacular memorial on the battlefield. Although the event is considered central in Canadian military history, most people know very little about what happened during that memorable Easter in northern France.

Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment draws on the work of a new generation of scholars who explore the battle from three perspectives. The first assesses the Canadian Corps within the wider context of the Western Front in 1917. The second explores Canadian leadership, training, and preparations and details the story of each of the four Canadian divisions. The final section concentrates on the commemoration of Vimy Ridge, both for contemporaries and later generations of Canadians.

This long-overdue collection, based on original research, replaces mythology with new perspectives, new details, and a new understanding of the men who fought and died for the remarkable achievement that was the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Co-published with the Laurier Centre for Military, Strategic and Disarmament Studies

1

Vimy Ridge and the Battle of Arras: A British Perspective

Gary Sheffield

In this chapter, Sheffield maintains  that the Vimy memorial has observed for the British public as well as scholars the British contribution to Vimy Ridge and the wider Battle of Arras.
2

The End of the Beginning: The Canadian Corps in 1917

Paul Dickson

In this chapter, Dickson reminds us that the preparations for Vimy Ridge coincided with a period of relative stability for the Canadian Corps, due partly to the departure of Sir Sam Hughes, Canada's remarkable minister of Militia and Defence, in November 1916. Dickson alsoargues that by then the Corps had acquired a 'culture' that allowed leaders to innovate and adapt.
3

Vimy Ridge: The Battlefield before the Canadians, 1914–1916

Michael Boire

In this chapter, Boire does a survey of the ridge and makes the point that the Canadians were indebted to the French and British who fought there before 1917. In many ways, their initiatives and casualties made the Canadian success possible.
4

“Old Wine in New Bottles”: A Comparison of British and Canadian Preparations for the Battle of Arras

Mark Osborne Humphries

In this chapter, Humphries reminds us that the Canadians' efforts to break the German hold on Vimy Ridge drew on Canadian lessons, but also largely on British doctrine and practice.
5

Julian Byng and Leadership in the Canadian Corps

Patrick Brennan

In this chapter, Brennan also reminds us that the Canadians depended heavily on British staff officers, far more than Canadian historians have generally appreciated.
6

The Gunners at Vimy: “We are Hammering Fritz to Pieces”

Tim Cook

In this chapter, Cook allows us to see better the intricate level of planning and preparation that went into the artillery battles before and during the infantry's advance.
7

The Sappers of Vimy: Specialized Support for the Assault of 9 April 1917

Bill Rawling

In this chapter, Rawling provides an unprecedented view of the role of the engineers at Vimy Ridge, detailing a battlefield area that resembled some kind of vast industrial enterprise.
8

The Canadian Army Medical Corps at Vimy Ridge

Heather Moran

In this chapter, Moran describes the process that went into evacuating and treating the many casualties.
9

The 1st Canadian Division: An Operational Mosaic

Andrew Iarocci

In this chapter, Iarocci maintains in his study of Arthur Currie's 1st Division that there was no single experience on Vimy Ridge as tempting as it is to conclude from the training, planning and logistical build-up to the battle that the outcome was inevitable. Each of the four Canadian divisions suggest otherwise.
10

The 2nd Canadian Division: A “Most Spectacular Battle”

David Campbell

In this chapter, Campbell's view of the 2nd division also supports the previous chapter's view in that the outcome of Vimy Ridge was not inevitable.
11

The 3rd Canadian Division: Forgotten Victory

Geoffrey Hayes

In this chapter, Hayes continues the discussion of the varied experience of the Canadian divisions during Vimy Ridge by focusing on the 3rd division.
12

The 4th Canadian Division: “Trenches Should Never be Saved”

Andrew Godefroy

In this chapter, Godefroy continues the examination of the Canadian divisions by focusing his study on the 4th division, further highlighting the different aspects of the operation.
13

The German Army at Vimy Ridge

Andrew Godefroy

In this chapter, Godefroy shows in his study if the Germans at Vimy Ridge that, despite shortcomings in their defence of the ridge, many post-war German unit histories also proclaimed a victory, or at least a draw at Vimy. This is due to their success elsewhere during the Battle of Arras.
14

In the Shadow of Vimy Ridge: The Canadian Corps in April and May 1917

Mike Bechthold

In this chapter, Bechthold finishes our battlefield study by describing the lesser-known battle of the Arleux Loop, fought later in April, where several Canadian battalions lost as many as they had at Vimy Ridge.
15

Battle Verse: Poetry and Nationalism after Vimy Ridge

Jonathan Vance

In this chapter, Vance argues that the reasons behind why the Battle of Vimy Ridge has been given such an important place in collective memory for Canadians is partly through poetry. This poetry, some good and some bad, is understood by Canadians as symbolism of Vimy Ridge.
16

“After the Agony in Stony Places” The Meaning and Significance of the Vimy Monument

Jacqueline Hucker

In this chapter, Hucker tells the story of Allward's ambitious vision for Vimy Ridge as she oversaw the restoration of the memorial.
17

Safeguarding Sanctity: Canada and the Vimy Memorial during the Second World War

Serge Durflinger

In the final chapter, Durflinger recounts how the Canadian press kept careful watch on the Vimy memorial during the Second World War. When newspapers reported falsely that the memorial was destroyed during the German advance in the spring of 1940, the memorial came to symbolize for another generation Canadian resolve against German aggression.


Table of Contents

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  1. Title Page, Copyright
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  1. Contents
  2. pp. vi-vii
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  1. Illustrations
  2. pp. ix-x
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  1. Foreword
  2. pp. xi-xii
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  1. Acknowledgements
  2. pp. xiii-xiv
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  1. Introduction
  2. pp. 1-11
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  1. Part I: The Strategic Background
  1. 1. Vimy Ridge and the Battle of Arras: A British Perspective
  2. pp. 15-29
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  1. 2. The End of the Beginning: The Canadian Corps in 1917
  2. pp. 31-49
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  1. 3. Vimy Ridge: The Battlefield before the Canadians, 1914-1916
  2. pp. 51-61
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  1. Part II: The Battle for Vimy Ridge, 9-12 April 1917
  1. 4. "Old Wine in New Bottles": A Comparison of British and Canadian Preparations for the Battle of Arras
  2. pp. 65-85
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  1. 5. Julian Byng and Leadership in the Canadian Corps
  2. pp. 87-104
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  1. 6. The Gunners at Vimy: "We are Hammering Fritz to Pieces"
  2. pp. 105-124
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  1. 7. The Sappers of Vimy: Specialized Support for the Assault of 9 April 1917
  2. pp. 125-138
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  1. 8. The Canadian Army Medical Corps at Vimy Ridge [Includes Image Plates]
  2. pp. 139-154
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  1. 9. The 1st Canadian Division: An Operational Mosaic
  2. pp. 155-169
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  1. 10. The 2nd Canadian Division: A "Most Spectacular Battle"
  2. pp. 171-191
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  1. 11. The 3rd Canadian Division: Forgotten Victory
  2. pp. 193-210
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  1. 12. The 4th Canadian Division: "Trenches Should Never be Saved"
  2. pp. 211-224
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  1. 13. The German Army at Vimy Ridge
  2. pp. 225-237
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  1. 14. In the Shadow of Vimy Ridge: The Canadian Corps in April and May 1917 [Includes Image Plates]
  2. pp. 239-262
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  1. Part III: Aftermath and Memory
  1. 15. Battle Verse: Poetry and Nationalism after Vimy Ridge
  2. pp. 265-277
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  1. 16. "After the Agony in Stony Places": The Meaning and Significance of the Vimy Monument
  2. pp. 279-290
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  1. 17. Safeguarding Sanctity: Canada and the Vimy Memorial during the Second World War [Includes Image Plates]
  2. pp. 291-311
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  1. 18. Afterthoughts
  2. pp. 313-317
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  1. Appendix 1: Order of Battle – Vimy Ridge
  2. pp. 319-330
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  1. Appendix 2: Lest We Forget: The Men of Vimy Ridge
  2. pp. 331-334
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  1. Selected Bibliography
  2. pp. 335-337
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  1. Contributors
  2. pp. 338-340
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  1. Index
  2. pp. 341-353
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