Canada's bloodiest day

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Today marks the 90th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. On April 9, 1917, Canadian forces launched a ground attack on German positions at Vimy Ridge. Where the British and French had previously failed, the Canadians succeeded. They secured the ridge in just four days.

Casualties were enormously high. On the Canadian side, about 3,600 were killed, about 7,100 wounded. On the German side, the numbers were significantly higher.

Vimy Ridge was a key battle of World War I. If not a decisive battle, it was the Allies' first victory in about a year and a half and the taking of a major German stronghold. Aside from boosting morale and establishing momentum, victory allowed the Allies' to resist a German counter-offensive in 1918 and ultimately to prevail later that year.

For Canada, however, Vimy Ridge was decisive. It was a battle fought mostly by the Canadian Corps, all four divisions fighting together for the first time. As such, it was a key moment in the national development of Canada -- not as a member of the British Empire, not as an adjunct of Britain, but as Canada. Indeed, it may be argued that Canada became a nation at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. There are other significant dates in our history -- Confederation on July 1, 1876; the Treaty of Westminster of December 11, 1931; the Canada Act, or patriation, of April 17, 1982 -- but April 9, 1917 belongs among them.

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Canadian forces are currently deployed in Afghanistan. Fifty-one Canadian soldiers have died there since 2002 in the ongoing war against the Taliban and al Qaeda.

And yesterday -- just a day before the 90th anniversary of Vimy Ridge -- was the worst day yet: "Canada suffered its worst day in battle since the Korean War as six soldiers were killed Sunday and two injured by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan."

There are debates here, as there are debates in the U.S. and elsewhere, regarding our military commitments. Should we still be in Afghanistan or not? Those debates can be divisive; they are certainly political -- and many of us have strong views. The war in Afghanistan will be a major issue in the next federal election campaign, expected shortly. But no one -- no one I know -- doubts the bravery and heroism of our men and women in Afghanistan. Like their counterparts 90 years ago, they are proudly wearing the uniform in defence of what this country stands for.

Afghanistan is a long way from France, but we have also come a long way as a nation.

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This is The Battle of Vimy Ridge by Richard Jack (for more on this and other World War I battleground images, see here):