On April 9, 1917 the Canadian military began an assault that would solidify itself as a formidable force for the remainder of the First World War. The Battle of Vimy Ridge took place from April 9 - 12, a battle that marked the first time all four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought alongside each other. The battle was a key victory for both the Canadian military and the Allied forces, as Vimy stood as a strategic and tactical advantage to whichever side maintained hold of the ridge. Within the Canadian Corps stood soldiers who came from all across the nation, which included those who claimed the Lakehead region as home. These men fought as part of the 52nd Battalion in the 3rd Canadian Division. During the fighting, the full Canadian Corps had approximately 100,000 strong to push against three divisions of the German 6th Army; there were an estimated 45,000 German soldiers defending the ridge. Large casualties and wounded were felt on both sides of the front line during the fight.
After the fighting had ceased, soldiers took to pen and paper and wrote home to their loved ones. These men told their tales of the fighting, which were published in the Port Arthur News Chronicle and the Fort William Daily Times Journal, giving people at home a chance to hear about the front lines from those who were experiencing it firsthand.
The May 11, 1917 edition of the Port Arthur News Chronicle showcases letters from Vimy Ridge. Lance Corporal J. Sawaskey writes to his aunt and uncle, highlighting the operation the Canadian Corps conducted in April. Private George Singleton writes home as well about the operation and the Canadian Corps victory. In these letters we get a sense of the heaviness felt by the soldiers, and the camaraderie they had with one another. Based on the letters shared, we also get insight into how the soldiers felt leading up to the Vimy Ridge operation. We also learn about colloquialisms used by soldiers during the war. For instance, soldiers would refer to German soldiers as "Fritz."
2026 marks the 90th anniversary of the unveiling of the Canadian National Vimy Ridge Memorial. King Edward VIII unveiled the memorial on Sunday, July 26, 1936 at the location of the battle itself, approximately four kilometres west of the City of Vimy. Attending the unveiling were veterans from Port Arthur and Fort William. One month prior to leaving for Europe, the Port Arthur Canadian Legion lit a wreath at the Port Arthur Cenotaph to collect the ashes and scatter them at the base of the memorial, honouring Port Arthur's fallen soldiers. The memorial, designed by Canadian architect Walter Seymour Allward, bears the inscription:
“To the valour of their Countrymen in the Great War and in memory of their sixty thousand dead this monument is raised by the people of Canada”
As the ceremony was taking place in France, the Twin Cities held their own memorial service at St. Luke's Anglican Church in Fort William. Accompanied by the Fort William Pipe Band, members of both the Fort William and Port Arthur Canadian Legions joined with the Ladies Auxiliary and marched from Memorial Hall, on May Street, to St. Luke's.
If you would like to learn more about the Lakehead's involvement in the Great War, the Battle of Vimy Ridge, or any other aspect of our local history, please reach out to the research department at research@tbpl.ca.
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