April 9 is Vimy Ridge Day, a nationally recognized commemoration of those who fought and gave their lives at one of the major battles of the First World War, and one Winnipeg veteran says there are still lessons to be learned from this battle more than a century later.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge started on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917. Four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought against three divisions of the German army at the ridge located in northern France.
“It really was a chance for the Canadians to show the world how organized and coordinated and innovative we were in battle, without relying on just being a part of England or Great Britain,” said Peter Martin, a veteran with the Transcona Legion.
He said the Battle of Vimy Ridge is particularly important for that part of the city. “We lost 13 young men from Transcona – ages 18 to 33 – in that battle,” said Martin. “So we must remember that we played an important role in this battle.”
Martin said the battle allowed Canadian soldiers to show how innovative they could be with a tactic called a “creeping barrage,” which allowed them to advance on the Germans under covering fire. “Our guys were shooting weapons over our soldiers as we were advancing and the Germans couldn’t shoot back because the bombs were going off in front of them, they couldn’t see it.”
He added the battle marked a turning point for Canada as a global power, as other countries got a look at our capabilities. “They would say ‘Oh, Canada is forced to be reckoned with, they’re organized and coordinated.’ They weren’t just somebody else’s tag along.”
Martin is the Manitoba coordinator for No Stone Left Alone, which educates students about Canada’s past wars and the veterans who served their country. He brings high school students to war memorials like the Transcona cenotaph to teach them the lessons of war.
“I try to put it in a way that they can understand,” he said. “These young people – age 18 – going off to something that they weren’t sure what they’re going to experience and doing something special for our country. And the family is saying goodbye, not sure if they’re going to return home.”
Martin said the Battle of Vimy Ridge helps students learn the cost of battle. “In this case, 13 didn’t return home. I kind of relate it in that personal way.”
He said its important to remember the soldiers as real people. “They were collectively a group of Canadian soldiers in the battle, but each one had a home that they’d left, family members who would never ever forget their sacrifice, and their lives would never be the same again,” Martin said.
Vimy Ridge Day has been recognized by the Canadian government since 2003. Martin said there’s a simple way to show appreciation, “When you see a veteran, somebody in the uniform, I tell the kids you don’t have to talk to them. Just offer them a little salute,” he said.
“I teach every student how to do that, it’s called the silent salute of appreciation. Just saying thank you for your service. And they might just return it and say ‘you’re welcome.’”