Battle of Vimy Ridge

Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement
fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the
Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First
World War. The main combatants were the Canadian
Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the
German Sixth Army. The battle, which took place from
9 to 12 April 1917, was part of the opening phase of the
British-led Battle of Arras, a diversionary attack for the
French Nivelle Offensive.
The objective of the Canadian Corps was to take control
of the German-held high ground along an escarpment at
the northernmost end of the Arras Offensive. This would
ensure that the southern flank could advance without suffering German enfilade fire. Supported by a creeping barrage, the Canadian Corps captured most of the ridge during the first day of the attack. The town of Thélus fell
during the second day of the attack, as did the crest of
the ridge once the Canadian Corps overcame a salient of
considerable German resistance. The final objective, a
fortified knoll located outside the town of Givenchy-enGohelle, fell to the Canadian Corps on 12 April. The German forces then retreated to the Oppy–Méricourt line.
Location of the Battle of Vimy Ridge
man forces continually attempted to outflank each other
through northeastern France.[6] The French Tenth Army
attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and Notre Dame de
Lorette. The French 1st Moroccan Division managed to
briefly capture the height of the ridge but was unable to
hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.[7] The French
made another attempt during the Third Battle of Artois in
September 1915 but only captured the town of Souchez at
the western base of the ridge.[8] The Vimy sector calmed
following the offensive with both sides taking a largely
live and let live approach. In all, the French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain
control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.[9]
Historians attribute the success of the Canadian Corps
in capturing the ridge to a mixture of technical and tactical innovation, meticulous planning, powerful artillery
support and extensive training, as well as the failure of
the German Sixth Army to properly apply the new German defensive doctrine. The battle was the first occasion
when all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary
Force participated in a battle together and thus became
a Canadian nationalistic symbol of achievement and sacrifice. A 100 ha (250 acres) portion of the former battleground serves as a preserved memorial park and site of
The British XVII Corps, commanded by Lieutenantthe Canadian National Vimy Memorial.[5]
General Sir Julian Byng, relieved the French Tenth Army
in the sector in February 1916, permitting the French to
expand their operations at Verdun.[10] The British soon
discovered that German tunnelling companies had taken
1 Background
advantage of the relative calm on the surface to build an
extensive network of tunnels and deep mines from which
Vimy Ridge is an escarpment 8 km (5.0 mi) northeast of they would attack French positions by setting off exploArras on the western edge of the Douai Plains. The ridge sive charges underneath their trenches.[11] The Royal Enrises gradually on its western side, and drops more quickly gineers immediately deployed specialist tunnelling comon the eastern side. At approximately 7 km (4.3 mi) in panies along the front to combat the German mining
length, and culminating at an elevation of 145 m (476 ft) operations.[11] In response to increased British mining
or 60 m (200 ft) above the Douai Plains, the ridge pro- aggression, German artillery and trench mortar fire invides a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres tensified in early May 1916.[12] On 21 May 1916, afin all directions.
ter shelling both forward trenches and divisional artillery
The ridge fell under German control in October 1914 dur- positions from no less than 80 out-of-sight batteries on
ing the Race to the Sea as the Franco-British and Ger- the reverse slope of the ridge, the German infantry be1
2
2 PRELUDE
gan operation Schleswig Holstein, an attack on the British
lines along a 1,800-metre (2,000 yd) front in an effort
to eject them from positions along the ridge.[12] The
Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and
mine craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.[12][Note 1] Small counterattacks by units
of the 140th and 141st British Brigades took place on
22 May but did not manage to change the situation.[12]
The Canadian Corps relieved the British IV Corps stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October
1916.[13]
2
2.1
2.2 Tactical plan
In January 1917, three Canadian Corps officers accompanied other British and Dominion officers attending a
series of lectures hosted by the French Army regarding
their experiences during the Battle of Verdun.[15] The
French counter offensive devised by General Robert Nivelle had been one of a number of Allied successes of
1916. Following extensive rehearsal, eight French divisions had assaulted German positions in two waves along
a 9.7-kilometre (6 mi) front. Supported by exceedingly
strong artillery, the French had recovered lost ground and
inflicted heavy casualties on five German divisions.[16]
Prelude
Strategic planning
Byng during the battle
On 28 May 1916, Byng took command of the Canadian Corps from Lieutenant-General Sir Edwin Alderson.
Formal discussions for a spring offensive near Arras began following a conference of corps commanders held
at British First Army Headquarters on 21 November
1916.[14] In March 1917, British First Army headquarters formally presented Byng with orders outlining Vimy
Ridge as the corps’s objective for the Arras Offensive.[15]
A formal assault plan, adopted in early March 1917, drew
heavily on the briefings of staff officers sent to learn from
the experiences of the French Army during the Battle of
Verdun.[15]
The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four coloured
objective lines – Black, Red, Blue and Brown
On their return from the lectures, the Canadian Corps
staff officers produced a tactical analysis of the Verdun
battles and delivered a series of corps and divisional-level
lectures to promote the primacy of artillery and stress
the importance of harassing fire and company and platoon flexibility.[16] The report of 1st Canadian Division
commander Arthur Currie highlighted the lessons he believed the Canadian Corps could learn from the experiences of the French.[17] The final plan for the assault on
Vimy Ridge drew heavily on the experience and tactical
analysis of the officers who attended the Verdun lectures.
British First Army commander General Henry Horne approved the plan on 5 March 1917.[15]
For the first time all four Canadian divisions were assembled to participate in a battle. The nature and size of
the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support
and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.
Consequently, the British 5th Infantry Division and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced
the four Canadian divisions. This brought the nominal The plan divided the Canadian Corps advance into four
strength of the Canadian Corps to about 170,000 men, coloured objective lines. The attack would be made on a
front of 6,400 m (7,000 yd), with its centre opposite the
of whom 97,184 were Canadian.[1]
2.4
Artillery
village of Vimy, to the east of the ridge.[14] The first objective, represented by the Black Line, was to seize the
German forward defensive line.[18] The final objective of
the northern flank was the Red Line: taking the highest
point on the ridge, the fortified knoll known as the Pimple, the Folie Farm, the Zwischen-Stellung trench and the
hamlet of Les Tilleuls. The southern two divisions were
to achieve two additional objectives:[18] the Blue Line encompassing the town of Thélus and the woods outside the
town of Vimy, and the Brown Line, which aimed at capturing the Zwölfer-Graben trench and the German second line.[18][19] The infantry would proceed close behind
a creeping barrage placed down by light field guns, advancing in timed 91-metre (100 yd) increments.[18] The
medium and heavy howitzers would establish a series of
standing barrages further ahead of the infantry against
known defensive systems.[20]
The plan called for units to leapfrog over one another,
as the advance progressed, in order to maintain momentum during the attack. The initial wave would capture
and consolidate the Black Line and then push forward
to the Red Line. The barrage would pause, to enable
reserve units to move up, and then move forward with
the units pushing beyond the Red Line to the Blue Line.
Once the corps secured the Blue Line, advancing units
would once again leapfrog established ones and capture
the Brown Line. Conducted properly, the plan would
leave the Germans forces little time to exit the security of
their deep dugouts and defend their positions against the
infantry advance.[21] If the corps maintained its schedule,
the troops would advance as much as 3,700 m (4,000 yd)
and have the majority of the ridge under control by 1:00
pm of the first day.[22]
2.3
German defences
3
man command to conclude that the policy of rigidly defending a statically fixed line was no longer effective and
could not be relied upon as a defensive strategy.[23] As
a result, the German command began espousing a new
defensive doctrine in December 1916, one that emphasized fighting an elastic defensive battle in depth, rather
than rigidly holding successive lines of trenches.[24] Along
Vimy Ridge, the German forces spent two years constructing fortifications designed in accordance with the
old doctrine of rigid defence. Little reconstruction based
upon the new defence-in-depth doctrine had been accomplished by April 1917.[25]
The geography of the Vimy battlefield made the doctrine
of defence-in-depth difficult to execute.[26] The ridge was
as little as 700 metres (2,300 ft) wide at its narrowest
point and dropped off quickly on its eastern side, all but
eliminating the possibility of counterattacks in the event
an Allied assault captured the ridge.[26][27] The Germans
recognized these issues and were extremely concerned
about the inherent weaknesses of the geographic setting
and the overall dependability of their position. The German defensive strategy was to operate a front line defence of sufficient strength to defend against an initial assault and move operational reserves forward before the
enemy could consolidate their gains or overrun remaining German positions. As a result, the German defence at
Vimy Ridge relied largely on machine guns, which acted
as force multipliers for the defending infantry.[28]
Three line divisions, with seven infantry regiments between them, were responsible for the immediate defence
of the ridge.[29] The established strength of each division
was approximately 15,000 men.[30] However, the actual
strength of the German forces was significantly less. In
1917, a full-strength German rifle company consisted of
264 men; at Vimy Ridge, each rifle company contained
approximately 150 men.[2] Each German regiment was by
design responsible for staffing approximately 1,000 metres (1,100 yd) of front including its depth of defence
back to the rear area. As a result, when the Canadian
Corps attacked, each German company initially faced two
or more battalions of approximately one thousand men
each.[31] Reserve divisions were kept approximately 24
kilometres (15 mi) behind the front lines instead of assembling close behind the second line as espoused by the
defence-in-depth doctrine.[32]
2.4 Artillery
The Canadian Corps’ divisional artillery formations, totalling eight field brigades and two heavy artillery groups,
were insufficient for the task at hand and were consequently reinforced with outside formations.[33] Four
heavy artillery groups, nine artillery field brigades, three
divisional artillery groups and the artillery complement
German dispositions at Vimy Ridge on the first day of the battle of the British 5th Division was attached to the Canadian
Corps.[33] In addition, ten heavy artillery groups of the
The experience of the Battle of the Somme led the Ger- flanking I and XVII Corps were assigned tasks in sup-
4
2 PRELUDE
duds.[40] The introduction of the instantaneous No. 106
fuze greatly improved the effectiveness of the artillery
since this fuse burst reliably with the slightest of contact, unlike older timed fuses, making it especially effective at cutting barbed wire before the advance.[36] To
maintain communications during the battle, particularly
with the artillery, field units laid over 1,400 kilometres
(870 mi) of telegraph and field telephone cabling, normally at a depth of 2.1 metres (7 ft).[41] In addition, the
corps conducted coordinated counter-battery initiatives
before the battle. The First Army Field Survey Company
printed barrage maps for all batteries, produced artillery
boards and provided counter-battery support with their
flash spotting groups and sound ranging sections.[42] Utilizing flash spotting, sound ranging and aerial reconnaissance from No. 16 Squadron, and No. 1 & 2 Balloon
Company of the Royal Flying Corps in the week before
the battle, the counter battery artillery under command of
Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew McNaughton fired 125,900
shells, harassing an estimated 83% of the German gun
positions.[43]
2.5 Training
Map showing rolling artillery barrage for advance
port of the Canadian Corps.[33] The artillery batteries of I
Corps were particularly important because they enfiladed
German gun positions behind Vimy Ridge.[34] In total,
the British made available to the Canadian Corps twentyfour brigade artillery groups consisting of four hundred
and eighty 18 pounder field guns, one hundred thirtyeight 4.5 inch howitzers, ninety-six 2 inch trench mortars, twenty-four 9.45 inch mortars, supported by 245
corps-level siege guns and heavy mortars.[35][36] This firepower gave a density of one heavy gun for every 18 metres
(20 yd) and one field gun for every 9.1 metres (10 yd)
of Canadian Corps frontage,[35] representing a considerable average increase, including three times the heavy
guns, over the distribution of artillery at the Battle of the Large scale-model of German trench lines
Somme a year earlier.[37]
In February 1917, the British General Staff released a
Brigadier-General Edward Morrison developed and sub- training pamphlet titled SS 143 Instructions for the Trainsequently issued a 35 page multi-phased fire support plan ing of Platoons for Offensive Action, espousing the recalled Canadian Corps Artillery Instruction No. 1 for turn to the pre-war emphasis on fire and movement tacthe Capture of Vimy Ridge to support the efforts of the tics and the use of the platoon as a self-contained tactiinfantry.[38] For its operations, the Canadian Corps re- cal unit.[44] The short pamphlet noted the importance of
ceived three times the artillery normally assigned to a dedicated hand grenade, rifle grenade and machine gun
corps for regular operations.[39] To manage the logistics sections in suppressing enemy strong points with an apassociated with the increased artillery, Royal Artillery propriate level of fire to permit other military units to
staff officer Major Alan Brooke developed coordinated advance.[21] Coupled with the observations and suggescommunication and transport plans to work in conjunc- tions made by Currie in the report he submitted in January
tion with the complex barrage plans.[39]
1917 following the Verdun lectures, the Canadian Corps
A 1.6 million shell allotment allowed the artillery along instilled the tactical change with vigour.[45] The corps inthe Canadian Corps front to maintain a high sustained stilled the tactical doctrine for small units by assigning
rate of fire.[36] Improvements in the quality of the shells objectives down to the platoon level.[41] Assaulting incompared to those used earlier in the war ensured fewer fantry battalions used hills behind the lines as full-scale
2.7
Trench raiding
model representations of the battlefield.[41] Taped lines
demarcated German trench lines while officers on horseback carried flags to represent the advancing front of the
artillery barrage.[16]
Recognizing that the men in leadership positions were
likely to be wounded or killed, soldiers learned the jobs of
those beside and above them. At the British First Army
headquarters, a large-scale plasticine model of the Vimy
sector was constructed and used to show commissioned
and senior non-commissioned officers the topographical features of the battlefield and details of the German
trench system.[41] In addition, upwards of 40,000 topographical trench maps were printed and distributed to ensure that even platoon sergeants and section commanders
possessed a wider awareness of the battlefield.[46] These
measures gave each platoon a clearer picture of how it
fitted into the greater battle plan, and in so doing, reduced the command and control problems that plagued
First World War combat.[47][48]
2.6
Underground operations
5
On their arrival, the British Royal Engineer tunnelling
companies became actively engaged in offensive mining
against German miners,[52] first stopping the German underground advance and then developing a defensive strategy that prevented the Germans from gaining a tactical
advantage through their mining activities.[51] By 1917, no
fewer than 19 distinct crater groups existed along the section of the front. Each group often contained several large
craters all of which were the result of explosions caused
by underground mine warfare.[53]
In preparation for the assault, British tunnelling companies created extensive underground networks and fortifications. Twelve subways, up to 1.2 kilometres (1,300
yd) in length, were excavated at a depth of 10 metres (33
ft) and used to connect reserve lines to front lines, permitting soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely
and unseen. Often incorporated into subways were concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water
reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun
posts, and communication centres.[54] The Germans dug
a number of similar tunnels on the Vimy front to provide covered routes to front lines and large-scale protection for headquarters, resting personnel, equipment and
ammunition.[55][Note 2]
To protect some advancing troops from German machine
gun fire as they crossed no man’s land during the attack,
eight specialized mine charges were laid at the end of the
subways. These specialized mine charges were designed
to allow troops to move more quickly, and safely enter the
German trench system by creating an elongated trenchdepth crater that spanned the entire length of no man’s
land.[52] In an effort to destroy some German surface fortifications before the assault, the British tunnelling companies secretly laid 13 large explosive charges directly
under German positions.[52][56] However, this work did
not go unimpeded; the Germans actively counter-mined
British tunnelling and were successful in destroying a
number of British attempts at placing offensive mines under or near their lines.[57][Note 3] Of the explosive charges
laid by the British, three mines were fired before the assault; another three mines and two specialized charges
were fired at the start of the attack.[52]
2.7 Trench raiding
For more details on this topic, see Trench raiding.
British-dug fighting tunnel in Vimy sector
The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the chalk underground. As a result, pronounced
underground warfare had been an active feature of the
Vimy sector since 1915.[49] The Bavarian engineers, for
example, had blown 20 mines in the sector by March
1915.[50] By early 1916 the German miners had gained
a clear advantage over their French counterparts.[51]
Trench raiding involved making small-scale surprise attacks on enemy positions, often in the middle of the
night for reasons of stealth. All belligerents employed
trench raiding as a tactic to harass their enemy and
gain intelligence.[58] In the Canadian Corps trench raiding developed into a training and leadership-building
mechanism.[58] The size of a raid would normally be anything from a few men to an entire company, or more, depending on the size of the mission.[59] The four months
6
3 BATTLE
before the April attack saw the Canadian Corps execute
no fewer than 55 separate trench raids.[58] Competition
between units even developed with units competing for
the honour of the greatest number of prisoners captured
or most destruction wrought.[60] The policy of aggressive trench raiding was not without its cost. A large-scale
trench raid on 13 February 1917, involving 900 men from
the 4th Canadian Division, resulted in 150 casualties.[61]
An even more ambitious trench raid on 1 March 1917,
once again by the 4th Canadian Division, failed and resulted in 637 casualties including two battalion commanders and a number of company commanders killed.[61][62]
This experience did not lessen the extent to which the
Canadian Corps employed trench raiding with raids being
conducted nightly between 20 March and the opening of
the offensive on 9 April, resulting in approximately 1,400
additional Canadian casualties.[61][63] The Germans operated an active patrolling policy and although not as large
and ambitious as those of the Canadian Corps, they also
engaged in trench raiding. As an example, a German
trench raid launched by 79 men against the 3rd Canadian
Division on 15 March 1917 was successful in capturing
prisoners and causing damage.[64]
2.8
Battle in the air
An observer of the Royal Flying Corps in a reconnaissance aircraft
The Royal Flying Corps launched a determined effort
to gain air superiority over the battlefield in support of
the spring offensive. The Canadians considered activities
such as artillery spotting, and photography of opposing
trench systems, troop movements and gun emplacements
essential to continue their offensive.[65] The Royal Flying Corps deployed 25 squadrons totalling 365 aircraft
along the Arras sector, outnumbering the Imperial German Army Air Service by 2-to-1.[65] Byng was given use
of No. 2 Squadron, No. 8 (Naval) Squadron, No. 25
Squadron, No. 40 Squadron and No. 43 Squadron, with
No. 16 Squadron permanently attached to the Canadian
Corps and employed exclusively for observation and artillery support.[66]
Aerial reconnaissance was often a hazardous task because of a requirement to fly at slow speeds and at low
altitudes. The task was made all the more dangerous
with the arrival of additional German flying squadrons,
including Manfred von Richthofen's highly experienced
and well equipped Jasta 11, which led to sharp increase
in Royal Flying Corps casualties. Although significantly
outnumbering the Germans, the Royal Flying Corps lost
131 aircraft during the first week of April alone.[66] Despite the losses suffered by the Royal Flying Corps, the
Imperial German Army Air Service failed to prevent the
Royal Flying Corps from carrying out its prime objective,
namely the continued support of the army throughout the
Arras Offensive with up-to-date aerial photographs and
reconnaissance information.[65]
3 Battle
3.1 Belligerents
See also: Battle of Vimy Ridge order of battle and
Arthur Currie
German Sixth Army commander General Ludwig von
Falkenhausen was responsible for the Cambrai–Lille sector and commanded 20 divisions, plus reserves.[67] Vimy
Ridge itself was principally defended by the ad hoc Gruppe Vimy formation based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps
commander General der Infanterie Karl von Fasbender.[68] However, a division of Gruppe Souchez, under
VIII Reserve Corps General of the Infantry Georg Karl
Wichura, was involved in the frontline defence along the
northernmost portion of the ridge.[69]
Three divisions were ultimately responsible for manning
the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps. The
16th Bavarian Infantry Division was located opposite the
town of Souchez and responsible for the defence of the
northernmost section of the ridge. The division was created in January 1917 through the amalgamation of existing Bavarian formations and had so far only opposed
the Canadian Corps.[67] The 79th Reserve Division was
responsible for the defence of the vast central section including the highest point of the ridge, Hill 145.[70] The
79th Reserve Division fought for two years on the Eastern
Front before being transferred to the Vimy sector at the
end of February 1917. The 1st Bavarian Reserve Division had been in the Arras area since October 1914 and
was holding the towns of Thélus, Bailleul and the southern slope of the ridge.[67]
Byng commanded four attacking divisions, one division of reserves and numerous support units. He was
supported to the north by the 24th British Division of I
Corps, which advanced north of the Souchez river and by
the advancing XVII Corps to the south. The 4th Canadian Division was responsible for the northern portion of
3.2
Preliminary attack
7
6-inch gun of the Royal Garrison Artillery firing over Vimy Ridge
behind Canadian lines at night
Position of the defending and attacking forces before the battle
the advance that included the capture of the highest point
of the ridge followed by the heavily defended Pimple
just west of the town of Givenchy-en-Gohelle. The 3rd
Canadian Division was responsible for the narrow central
section of the ridge, including the capture of La Folie
Farm. The 2nd Canadian Division, which later included
an additional brigade from the 5th British Division, was
directly south of 3rd Canadian Division and entrusted
with the capture of the town of Thélus. The 1st Canadian
Division was responsible for the broad southern sector
of the corps advance and expected to make the greatest
advance in terms of distance. Byng planned for a
healthy reserve for contingencies that included the relief
of forward troops, help in consolidating positions and
aiding the 4th Canadian Division with the capture of
the Pimple. As a result, the 9th Canadian Brigade, 15th
British Brigade and 95th British Brigade were kept in
corps-level reserve.[41]
3.2
Preliminary attack
German foreign intelligence gathering, large-scale Allied
trench raids and observed troop concentrations west of
Arras made it clear to the Germans that a spring offensive near Arras was being planned.[71] In February 1917,
a German-born Canadian soldier deserted to the German
side and helped confirm many of the suspicions held by
the Germans, providing them with a great deal of useful
information.[71] By March 1917, the German forces were
aware that a major attack was imminent and would include operations aimed at capturing Vimy Ridge.[72][73]
General of Infantry Ernst August Marx von Bachmeister, commanding the German 79th Reserve Division, reported in late-March that he believed the Canadian Corps
was moving into an echelon formation and were preparing for a major attack.[74][75] The Germans quickly developed plans to launch a pre-emptive operation, following
the adage that the best defence is a good offense, intent on
capturing the northern section of the Zouave Valley along
the northernmost portion of the Canadian front.[76][Note 4]
Heavy Canadian Corps artillery fire ultimately prevented
the Germans from executing their pre-emptive attack.[77]
The preliminary phase of the Canadian Corps artillery
bombardment began on 20 March 1917, with a systematic two-week bombardment of German batteries,
trenches and strong points.[78] The Canadian Corps paid
particular attention to eliminating German barbed wire,
a task made easier with the introduction of the No. 106
instantaneous fuse.[36][78] In addition, only half of the
available artillery was committed at any one point in
time with the intensity of the barrage expressly varied
as to confuse the Germans and preserve some level of
secrecy.[78] Phase two lasted the entire week beginning 2
April 1917 and employed the entire artillery arsenal at the
disposal of the Canadian Corps, massing the equivalent
of one heavy gun for every 18 metres (20 yd) and one
field gun for every 9.1 metres (10 yd).[35] The German
soldiers came to refer to the week before the attack as
'the week of suffering'.[79] By the Germans’ own account,
their trenches and defensive works were almost completely demolished.[80] Furthermore, German health and
morale suffered from the stress of remaining at the ready
for eleven straight days under extremely heavy artillery
bombardment.[81] Compounding German difficulties was
the inability of ration parties to bring food supplies to the
front lines.[78] On 3 April, General von Falkenhausen ordered his reserve divisions to prepare to relieve frontline
divisions over the course of a long drawn-out defensive
8
3 BATTLE
battle, in a manner similar to the Battle of the Somme.
However, the divisions were kept 24 kilometres (15 mi)
from the battlefield to avoid being shelled.[32][82]
3.3
3.3.1
Main assault
9 April
2nd Canadian Division soldiers advance behind a tank
Artillery-fire on a field of barbed wire at Vimy Ridge
The attack was to begin at 5:30 am on Easter Monday, 9 April 1917. The attack was originally planned
for the morning of 8 April (Easter Sunday), but it was
postponed for 24 hours at the request of the French.[83]
During the late hours of 8 April and early morning of
9 April the men of the leading and supporting wave of
the attack were moved into their forward assembly positions. The weather was cold and later changed to sleet
and snow.[84] Although physically discomforting for everyone, the north-westerly storm provided some advantage to the assaulting troops by blowing snow in the faces
of the defending troops.[85] Light Canadian and British
artillery bombardments continued throughout the prior
night but stopped in the few minutes before the attack, as
the artillery recalibrated their guns in preparation for the
synchronized barrage.[86] At exactly 5:30 am, every artillery piece at the disposal of the Canadian Corps began
firing. Thirty seconds later, engineers detonated the mine
charges laid under no man’s land and the German trench
line, destroying a number of German strong points and
creating secure communication trenches directly across
no man’s land.[87][88] Light field guns laid down a barrage that advanced in predetermined increments, often
100 yards (91 m) every three minutes, while medium and
heavy howitzers established a series of standing barrages
further ahead, against known defensive systems.[43] During the early fighting the German divisional artilleries, despite heavy losses, were able to maintain their defensive
firing.[89] As the Canadian assault advanced, it overran
many of the German guns because there was no means of
moving them to the rear on account of many of the horses
being killed in the initial gas attack.[90]
The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions reported reaching and capturing their first objective, the Black Line, by
6:25 am.[19] The 4th Canadian Division encountered a
great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable
to complete its first objective until some hours later.[19]
After a planned pause, when the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions consolidated their positions, the advance
resumed. Shortly after 7:00 am, the 1st Canadian Division captured the left half of its second objective, the
Red Line, and moved the 1st Canadian Brigade forward to mount an attack on the remainder.[91] The 2nd
Canadian Division reported reaching the Red Line and
capturing the town of Les Tilleuls at approximately the
same time.[92] A mine explosion that killed many German
troops of the Reserve Infantry Regiment 262 manning the
front line preceded the advance of the 3rd Canadian Division. The remaining German troops could do no more
than man temporary lines of resistance until later manning a full defence at the German third line.[93] As a result, the southern section of the 3rd Canadian Division’s
was able to reach the Red Line at the western edge of
the Bois de la Folie at around 7:30 am.[88] At 9:00 am
the division learned of its exposed left flank, as the 4th
Canadian Division had not yet captured Hill 145.[94] The
3rd Canadian Division was thus called upon to establish
a divisional defensive flank to its north.[94] Although the
German commanders were able to maintain open lines
of communication and issue operating orders, even with
swift staff work the tempo of the assault was such that
German decision cycle was unable to react decisively.[28]
The only portion of the Canadian assault that did not go
as planned was the advance of the 4th Canadian Division, collapsing almost immediately after exiting their
trenches.[95] The commanding officer of one of the assaulting battalions requested that the artillery leave a portion of German trench undamaged.[96] Machine-gun nests
in the undamaged sections of the German line pinned
down, wounded or killed much of the 4th Canadian Division’s right flank. The progress on the left flank was
eventually impeded by harassing fire from the Pimple that
9
advance recommenced with both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reporting their final objective.[108] The
tank supported advance via Farbus, and directed at the
rear of the 79th Reserve Division, was eventually halted
by concentrated German fire short of the village.[109] The
Canadian 1st and 2nd Divisions were nonetheless able to
secure the Brown Line by approximately 2:00 pm.[108]
The 4th Canadian Division had made an attempt to capture the northern half of Hill 145 at around 3:15 pm,
briefly capturing the peak before a German counterattack retook the position.[101][109] The Germans occupying the small salient on ridge soon found themselves
being attacked along their flanks by continuously reinforced Canadian Corps troops.[110] When it became obviMachine gunners operating from craters on the plateau above the ous that the position was completely outflanked and there
ridge
was no prospect of reinforcement, the German troops
pulled back.[109] The German forces were evacuated off
the ridge with German artillery batteries moved west of
was made worse when the creeping barrage got too far the Vimy–Bailleul railway embankment or to the Oppy–
ahead of the advancing troops.[97][98] In view of the Ger- Méricourt line.[111] By nightfall of 10 April, the only
man defence, the 4th Canadian Division did not attempt Canadian objective not yet achieved was the capture of
a further frontal assault throughout the afternoon.[99] Re- the Pimple.[101]
serve units from the 4th Canadian Division came forward and once again attacked the German positions on
the top of the ridge. Persistent attacks eventually forced 3.3.3 12 April
the German troops holding the south-western portion of
Hill 145[Note 5] to withdraw, but only after they had run The 4th Canadian Division faced difficulties at the start
out of ammunition, mortar rounds and grenades.[100][101] of the battle that forced it to delay its assault on the Pimple until 12 April.[112] The Pimple was initially defended
Towards midday, the 79th Reserve Division was ordered
by the 16th Bavarian Infantry Division, but the Canadian
to recapture the portions of its third line lost during the
Corps’ preliminary artillery bombardment leading up to
progression of the Canadian attack.[102] However, it was
the assault on 9 April caused heavy casualties amongst
not until 6:00 pm that the force was able to organize and
its ranks. On 11 April, the 4th Guards Infantry Division
counterattack, clearing the Canadian Corps troops out of
first reinforced and then relieved affected 16th Bavarthe ruined village of Vimy, but not recapturing the third
ian Infantry Division units.[111] The night before the at[103]
line south of the village.
By night time, the German
tack, artillery harassed German positions while a gas secforces holding the top of the ridge believed they had overtion of Royal Engineers, employing Livens Projectors,
[104]
come the immediate crisis for the mean time.
Addifired more than 40 drums of gas directly into the town
tional German reinforcements began arriving and by late
of Givenchy-en-Gohelle to cause confusion.[112] The deevening portions of the 111th Infantry Division occupied
fending German troops managed to drive back the inithe third line near Acheville and Arleux, with the remaintial Canadian assaults at around 4:00 am using small arms
[104]
der of the division arriving the following day.
fire.[113] The 10th Canadian Brigade attacked once again
at 5:00 am, this time supported by a significant amount
of artillery and the 24th British Division of I Corps to
3.3.2 10 April
the north.[112] The German defensive artillery fire was
late and too light to cause the assaulting troops great
The British moved three fresh brigades up to the Red
difficulty, allowing the Canadian Corps to exploit wide
Line by 9:30 am on 10 April to support the advance of
gaps and break into the German positions.[113] The 10th
the 1st and 2nd Canadian Division, whereupon they were
Canadian Brigade, assisted by snow and a westerly wind,
to leapfrog existing units occupying the Red line and adfought hastily entrained German troops to capture the en[105]
Fresh units including two secvance to the Blue Line.
tire Pimple by 6:00 pm.[114]
tions of tanks and the 13th British Brigade were called
up from reserve to support the advance of the 2nd Canadian Division. By approximately 11:00 am, the Blue
Line, including Hill 135 and the town of Thélus, had 4 Aftermath
been captured.[106] To permit the troops time to consolidate the Blue Line, the advance halted and the barrage By nightfall on 12 April 1917, the Canadian Corps was
remained stationary for 90 minutes while machine guns in firm control of the ridge. The corps suffered 10,602
were brought forward.[107] Shortly before 1:00 pm, the casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.[3] The Ger-
10
man Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties with approximately 4,000 men becoming prisoners
of war.[115][Note 6] Four members of the Canadian Corps
received Victoria Crosses, the highest military decoration
awarded to British and Commonwealth forces for valour,
for their actions during the battle:
5
COMMEMORATION
defensive doctrine of the time. Instead, the defensive system was a series of unmoving strong points and static lines
of resistance, which the Canadian artillery ultimately isolated and destroyed.[119] As a result of the inquiry, Hindenburg removed Falkenhausen from his command and
transferred him to Belgium where he served the remainder of the war as that country’s Governor General.[120]
• Private William Johnstone Milne of the 16th (Cana- The Germans did not see the Canadian Corps’s capdian Scottish) Battalion.
ture of Vimy Ridge as a loss. Contemporary German
sources viewed the action, at worst, as a draw, given
• Lance-Sergeant Ellis Wellwood Sifton of the 18th
that no full-scale breakthrough occurred following the
(Western Ontario) Battalion.
attack.[120] The Germans did not attempt to recapture the
• Private John George Pattison of the 50th (Calgary) ridge, even during the Spring Offensive, and it remained
under British control until the end of the war.
Battalion.
• Captain Thain Wendell MacDowell of the 38th (Ot- The loss of Vimy Ridge forced the Germans to reassess
their defensive strategy in the area. Instead of mounting a
tawa) Battalion.
counterattack, they pursued a scorched earth policy, and
retreated to the Oppy–Méricourt line.[121] The complete
At least two Orders Pour le Mérite, the Kingdom of Prusfailure of the French Nivelle Offensive in the week afsia's highest military order, were awarded to German
ter the Arras Offensive placed pressure on Field Marshal
commanders for their actions during the battle:
Douglas Haig to keep the Germans occupied in the Arras sector to minimize French losses.[121] The Canadian
• Oberstleutnant Wilhelm von Goerne commander of Corps participated in several of these actions including
the 261st Prussian Reserve Infantry Regiment, of the Battle of Arleux and the Third Battle of the Scarpe in
the German 79th Reserve Division.[118]
late April and early May 1917.[122]
• General of the Infantry Georg Karl Wichura com- After the end of World War I, Julian Byng was raised to
mander of the VIII Reserve Corps and Gruppe Sou- the peerage as Baron Byng of Vimy, of Thorpe-le-Soken
chez.[118]
in the County of Essex, on 7 October 1919.[123] The next
month, he retired from the military and moved to Thorpe
Hall.[124]
5 Commemoration
5.1 Influence on Canada
The Battle of Vimy Ridge has considerable significance
for Canada.[125]
German soldiers captured during the battle.
Following the defeat, the Chief of the German General Staff, Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, ordered
the Supreme Army Command to conduct a court of enquiry into the defensive collapse of the Arras sector.[29]
The court concluded that the Sixth Army headquarters
had disregarded frontline commander reports, noting a
possible imminent attack, and as a result, reserve units
were kept too far back to execute a timely and effective
counterattack.[74] The court concluded that Sixth Army
commander General Ludwig von Falkenhausen failed to
apply an elastic defence properly as espoused by German
Although the battle is not generally considered the greatest achievement of the Canadian Corps in strategic importance or results obtained, it was the first instance in
which all four Canadian divisions, made up of troops
drawn from all parts of the country, fought as a cohesive formation.[126] The image of national unity and
achievement is what initially gave the battle importance
for Canada.[127] According to Pierce, “The historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted
in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to
an event that came to symbolize Canada’s coming of age
as a nation.”[128] The idea that Canada’s national identity
and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of
Canada.[129][130]
11
5.2
Vimy Memorial
Main article: Canadian National Vimy Memorial
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is Canada’s
largest and principal overseas war memorial.[131] Located
on the highest point of the Vimy Ridge, the memorial is
dedicated to the commemoration of the Battle of Vimy
Ridge and Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed
during the First World War. It serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers killed in France during the First World War with no known grave.[132] France
granted Canada perpetual use of a section of land at Vimy
Ridge in 1922 for the purpose of a battlefield park and
memorial.[5] A 100-hectare (250-acre) portion of the former battlefield is preserved as part of the memorial park
that surrounds the monument. The grounds of the site are
still honeycombed with wartime tunnels, trenches, craters
and unexploded munitions, and are largely closed off for
public safety.[132] A section of preserved trenches and a
portion of a tunnel have been made accessible to site visitors.
The memorial took eleven years and $1.5 million ($20.27
million in present terms) to build and was unveiled on 26
July 1936 by King Edward VIII, in the presence of President Albert Lebrun of France and 50,000 or more Canadian and French veterans and their families.[132][Note 7]
Starting in 2004, the monument underwent a major
multi-year restoration project, which included general
cleaning and the recarving of many inscribed names.
Queen Elizabeth II rededicated the restored monument
on 9 April 2007 during a ceremony commemorating the
90th anniversary of the battle. Veterans Affairs Canada
maintains the memorial site.[133]
Ridge.[116] Losses of the 79th Reserve Division 1—11
April were 3,473 and 1st Bavarian Reserve were 3,133.
Other casualties from the bombardment and the units
sent as reinforcements and counter-attack divisions are
additional.[117]
[7] The Canadian War Museum cites a crowd of 100,000.
7 Footnotes
[1] Nicholson p. 229
[2] Turner pp. 21–22
[3] Moran p. 139
[4] Nicholson p. 265
[5] Canada Treaty Information, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, 26 February 2002, retrieved
17 October 2010
[6] Boire (2007) pp. 52–53
[7] Boire (2007) p. 56
[8] Tucker p. 68
[9] Turner p. 8
[10] Boire (1992) p. 15
[11] Boire (2007) p. 59
[12] Samuels pp. 200–202
[13] Farr p. 147
[14] Nicholson p. 245
[15] Brennan p. 94
[16] Nicholson p. 227
6
Notes
[1] The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the
British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunneling and counter-mining
activities.
[2] These included the Prinz Arnulf, Volker and Schwaben
tunnels
[3] German counter-mining explosion; 35 tonnes exploded
near the Broadmarsh Crater (creating the Longfellow
crater group) on 23 March 1917, 45 tonnes exploded 26
March 1917 near the Pimple
[17] Humphries p. 67
[18] Granatstein p. 113
[19] Nicholson p. 254
[20] Nicholson p. 249
[21] Turner p. 38
[22] Nicholson p. 248
[23] Nicholson p. 239
[24] Nicholson p. 240
[25] Wynne pp. 170–171
[4] The attack was code named Operation Munich
[5] Hill 145 is the site of the present-day Vimy Memorial.
[6] The German Historical Service estimated Sixth Army suffered 79,418 casualties during April and May 1917, of
that 22,792 were classified as missing. Crown Prince Rupprecht estimated 85,000 casualties for the Sixth Army,
with 3,404 men becoming prisoners of war at Vimy
[26] Turner p. 29
[27] Sheldon pp. ix, 252
[28] Sheldon p. 252
[29] Godefroy (2007b) p. 229
[30] Turner p. 20
12
7 FOOTNOTES
[31] Turner p. 22
[68] Williams p. 149
[32] Nicholson p. 267
[69] Godefroy (2007b) pp. 228–229
[33] Farndale p. 238 Map 38
[70] Hopkins p. 157
[34] Chasseaud p. 266
[71] Sheldon pp. 229–237
[35] Nicholson p. 225
[72] Hopkins pp. 157–158
[36] Cook (2007) p. 113
[73] Sheldon p. 251
[37] Sheffield pp. 191, 194
[74] Godefroy (2007b) p. 230
[38] WO 106/399 Canadian Corps Artillery Instruction No. 1
for the Capture of Vimy Ridge (1917)
[75] Sheldon p. 259
[39] Brennan pp. 98–99
[40] Sheffield p. 191
[41] Turner p. 39
[42] Chasseaud p. 268
[43] Cook (2007) p. 117
[44] Corkerry entire manual
[45] Humphries pp. 73–76
[76] Sheldon pp. 248–249
[77] Sheldon p. 263
[78] Barris p. 58
[79] Nicholson p. 251
[80] Sheldon p. 273
[81] Sheldon pp. 270–272
[82] Godefroy (2007a) p. 231
[83] McGill p. 261
[46] Humphries p. 77
[84] Turner p. 52
[47] Barris p. 41
[85] Nicholson p. 253
[48] Terraine p. 180
[86] Cook (2007) p. 116
[49] Sheldon pp. 177–178
[87] Rawling pp. 131–133
[50] Sheldon p. 179
[88] Hayes p. 200
[51] Sheldon p. 225
[89] Sheldon p. 298
[52] Durand Group, Vimy Ridge, retrieved 12 January 2008
[90] Sheldon p. 299
[53] Boire (1992) p. 20
[91] Nicholson p. 255
[54] Barton p. 200
[92] Campbell pp. 178–179
[55] Sheldon p. 200
[93] Sheldon p. 291
[56] Boire (1992) pp. 22–23
[94] Hayes pp. 202–203
[57] Sheldon pp. 218–222
[95] Godefroy (2007a) pp. 217–218
[58] Cook (1999) p. 10
[96] Nicholson p. 259
[59] Tucker et al. p. 694
[97] Nicholson pp. 259–260
[60] Turner p. 41
[98] Godefroy (2007a) p. 222
[61] Sheldon p. xi
[99] Sheldon p. 297
[62] Cook (1999) pp. 7–24
[100] Sheldon p. 309
[63] Turner pp. 41–42
[101] Godefroy (2007a) p. 220
[64] Sheldon p. 254
[102] Sheldon p. 308
[65] Barris p. 49
[103] Sheldon pp. 308–309
[66] Turner p. 43
[104] Sheldon p. 311
[67] Nicholson p. 246
[105] Campbell p. 179
13
[106] Campbell pp. 179–181
[107] Nicholson p. 257
[108] Campbell p. 182
[109] Sheldon p. 312
[110] Sheldon p. 313
[111] Sheldon p. 315
[112] Nicholson p. 262
[113] Sheldon p. 317
[114] Nicholson p. 263
[115] Gibbs, Philip (11 April 1917), “All of Vimy Ridge
Cleared of Germans”, New York Times (New York), retrieved 2 February 2009
[116] Falls p. 341 and pp. 556-557
[117] Falls p. 341
[118] Godefroy (2007b) p. 233
[119] Godefroy (2007b) p. 231
[120] Godefroy (2007b) pp. 233–234
[121] Bechthold p. 240
[122] Bechthold pp. 239–264
[123] The London Gazette: no. 31610. p. 12890. 21 October
1919.
[124] The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31640. p. 13768.
11 November 1919. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
[125] On importance to Canada, see Inglis Outside of Canada
the battle has much less significance and may simply be
noted as being one part of the larger offensive of the Battle
of Arras, also per Inglis.
[126] Vance p. 66
[127] Vance p. 233
[128] Pierce p. 5
[129] Inglis p. 2
[130] Humphries p. 66
[131] WarMuseum.ca – History of the First World War – After
the War, Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation,
retrieved 16 May 2009
[132] The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts, Department of Veterans Affairs Canada, retrieved 8 April 2012
[133] Wineguard pp. 83–85
8 References
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• Barton, Peter; Doyle, Peter; Vandewalle, Johan
(2004), Beneath Flanders Fields: The Tunnellers’
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• Bechthold, Mike (2007), “In the Shadow of Vimy
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• Boire, Michael (2007), “The Battlefield before
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• Brennan, Patrick (2007), “Julian Byng and Leadership in the Canadian Corps”, in Hayes, Geoffrey;
Iarocci, Andrew; Bechthold, Mike, Vimy Ridge: A
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14
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• Farndale, General Sir Martin (1986), Western Front,
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• Farr, Don (2007), The Silent General: A Biography of Haig’s Trusted Great War Comrade-in-Arms,
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• Godefroy, Andrew (2007b), “The German Army
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• Granatstein, Jack Lawrence (2004), Canada’s
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• Hayes, Geoffrey (2007), “The 3rd Canadian Division: Forgotten Victory”, in Hayes, Geoffrey;
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• Nicholson, G. W. L. (1967), The Gunners of
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15
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9
External links
• The Battle of Vimy Ridge Battle info, video footage
and photos
• The Vimy Foundation
• Canadian War Museum — The Battle of Vimy
Ridge
• Historica Minutes Vimy Ridge
• CBC Vimy Ridge Site
• Vimy Ridge from The Canadian Encyclopedia
• 360° Panoramic view of Memorial site
• Vimy Ridge Virtual Interactive (Veterans Affairs
Canada)
• The Underground War: Military Mining Operations
in Support of the Attack on Vimy Ridge, 9 April
1917
16
10
10
10.1
TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES
Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses
Text
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Jll, Jfitzg, Jiang, Tobias Conradi, Hemmer, Adam Bishop, RickK, Varangian, DJ Clayworth, Cjrother, Indefatigable, Jni, SD6-Agent,
Bearcat, Pigsonthewing, PBS, Korath, RedWolf, Stephan Schulz, Hemanshu, Sunray, Refdoc, Profoss, Anthony, Quadalpha, SoLando,
Paisa, Tom harrison, Bradeos Graphon, Everyking, Varlaam, Mboverload, JillandJack, PlatinumX, Bobblewik, Johnny27~enwiki, Gdr,
SURIV, Abu badali, Quadell, Albrecht, Antandrus, Madmagic, CanSpice, Loopy, Deleting Unecessary Words, Monk Bretton, Neutrality,
Ukexpat, Trevor MacInnis, Mike Rosoft, Timothy Campbell, Bourquie, Roberdin, Discospinster, Rich Farmbrough, YUL89YYZ, Bender235, Sc147, FrankCostanza, AlDragon, RJHall, CanisRufus, Kross, Zegoma beach, RoyBoy, Bobo192, Hurricane111, Piddingworth,
AKGhetto, TheProject, Sam Korn, Krellis, Merope, Senor Purple, Wereldburger758, Alansohn, LtNOWIS, Ben davison, Arthena, Andrew Gray, Hu, Snowolf, BrentS, Say1988, Dabbler, Drbreznjev, Axeman89, Xtopher, Firsfron, OwenX, Woohookitty, Mindmatrix, LOL,
WadeSimMiser, Dowew, Sir Lewk, Kelisi, Mangojuice, GregorB, Haunti, NightOnEarth, Essjay, GraemeLeggett, Dysepsion, DavidCane,
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10.2
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1868-1921.svg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
• File:Canadian_tank_and_soldiers_Vimy_1917.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Canadian_tank_
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10.2
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17
reproduction reference number PA-004388 and under the MIKAN ID number 3522713
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• Derivative of Battle of Vimy Ridge Original artist: Speaker: Zegoma beach
Authors of the article
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• File:GermanDispositionsatVimy9April1917.jpg
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GermanDispositionsatVimy9April1917.jpg License: PD Contributors:
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title='User:Michael Dorosh'>Michael Dorosh</a><a href='//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Michael_Dorosh' title='User talk:Michael Dorosh'>Talk</a>
• File:German_prisoners_captured_during_Battle_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/
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• File:Naval_gun_firing_over_Vimy_Ridge.jpg Source:
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• File:Plan_of_Attack_Vimy_Ridge.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Plan_of_Attack_Vimy_Ridge.
jpg License: Public domain Contributors: This image is available from Library and Archives Canada under the reproduction reference
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• File:USMA_-_Battle_of_Arras_-_Vimy_Ridge_derivative.png Source:
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• File:Vimy_Ridge_-_Canadian_machine_gun_crews.jpeg Source:
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18
10
TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES
• File:Vimy_Ridge_1917-barrage_map.jpg
Source:
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1917-barrage_map.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: This image is available from Library and Archives Canada under the
reproduction reference number NMC 111113 and under the MIKAN ID number 178448
Original artist: Base map supplied by Ordnance Survey,[1] and modified by 1st Field Survey Company, Royal Engineers (as denoted in
bottom left quadrant of map)
• File:Wikibooks-logo.svg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Wikibooks-logo.svg License: CC BY-SA 3.0
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Updated by Time3000 17 April 2007 to use official Wikinews colours and appear correctly on dark backgrounds. Originally uploaded by
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10.3
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