Vimy Day
April 9, 2016

 2016 Vimy Day

MWO (Ret'd) Burton White, Sgt-at-Arms for Peninsula Br 62 lowers the flag to half mast at 0650 on April 9 in remembrance of Vimy Ridge Day also known as a National Day of Remembrance in Canada.


April 9th - Vimy Ridge Day in Canada

Vimy Ridge Day is an annual observance on April 9 to remember Canadians who victoriously fought in the battle of Vimy Ridge in northern France during the First World War. The day is also known as the National Day of Remembrance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.


Background:

The battle of Vimy Ridge, which was part of the larger battle of Arras in northern France, began on Easter Monday, which was April 9, in 1917. About 30,000 Canadians fought at Vimy Ridge and claimed victory. However, this victory came at a high cost. The Canadians suffered about 11,000 casualties. Of these, nearly 3,600 Canadians were killed.
At Vimy, regiments from coast to coast saw action together in a distinctly Canadian triumph, helping create a new and stronger sense of Canadian identity. After Vimy, the Canadian corps never looked back, and its success raised Canada’s international stature and earned a separate signature on the Treaty of Versailles that ended the war.

Symbols:

The Canadian National Vimy Memorial sits on a hill on land granted to Canada in northern France. This monument is inscribed with the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who were listed as missing or presumed dead in France. It stands as a tribute to all who served their country in battle and risked or gave their lives in the war.