The Canadian War Memorial of Vimy near Arras
The Canadian War Memorial of Vimy is the most prestigious Canadian monument in Europe and was designed by the Canadian sculptor and architect, Walter Seymour Allward. The Vimy Memorial stands on Hill 145, overlooking the Canadian battlefield of 1917, at one of the points of fiercest fighting and is located about 20 kilometres north of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. The Memorial stands as a tribute to all Canadian soldiers who risked or gave their lives in battle during the First World War and commemorates the 9 April 1917 battle.
Photo by Jeffrey J. Soulliere
The construction of the Memorial required 11,000 tonnes of concrete and masonry for the foundations and 6,000 tonnes of limestone to construct the monument itself. It took 11 years to build it. Inscribed on the ramparts of the Memorial are the names of the 11,285 Canadian soldiers who were declared “missing and presumed dead” in France and have no known graves. A commemorative ceremony takes place every year on 9 April, the date of the battle’s anniversary.
In 1922, the land which contains the Vimy Memorial was granted by the French nation to the people of Canada in recognition of the sacrifices made by Canada during the First World War and for the victory achieved by Canadian troops when the Vimy Ridge was seized on 9 April 1917.
The Canadian Memorial of Vimy offers a spectacular view of the mining valley of Artois region, which was the context of violent and bloody fighting during the war.
The 110 hectare park surrounding the Vimy Memorial is adorned with 11,285 Canadian pine trees paying tribute to the 11,285 Canadian soldiers ‘missing and presumed dead’ during the First World War. Even today, the grassy ground is pock-marked with the depressions of mine-craters, shell-holes and mounds from the massive artillery bombardment which the Canadians used before seizing Vimy Ridge. Because the ground is still full of unexploded mines and shells, visitors are warned not to stray from marked pathways. By walking through the perfectly restored trenches and tunnels, the visitors can experience the significance of the task the Canadian Corps had to carry out to defeat the German troops.
6 responses so far
My wife and I visited Vimy in May, 2008. What an incredible site it is, especially when one has a very strong sense of history. At least one member of my family served at Vimy and survived. Another member was killed on September 2, 1918 near Hendecourt-les-Cagnicourt. How could I not feel an affinity with the Vimy Memorial?
Thanks a lot Ronald for sharing this. Vimy is indeed an incredible site, full of history. This is why some people don’t feel good to see joggers every Sunday morning at Vimy…they feel that this site is not meant to do sport!
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