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Flandernschlachten

2019-06-17T21:03:28Z

Labattblueboy: (GR) File renamed: File:David Young Cameron - Battlefields of Ypres.jpg → File:David Young Cameron - Battlefields of Ypres (CWM 19710261-0118).jpg painting by similar name at IWM

[[Datei:Chateauwood.jpg|mini|Australische Soldaten in einer zerstörten Landschaft (Chateau Wood, nahe Hooge), Ende Oktober 1917 (Dritte Flandernschlacht)]]
Die vier großen '''Flandernschlachten''' der Jahre 1914, 1915, 1917 und 1918 in [[Französisch-Flandern]] und im belgischen [[Flandern]] ([[Westhoek]]) zählten zu den bedeutendsten Schlachten an der [[Westfront (Erster Weltkrieg)|Westfront]] des [[Erster Weltkrieg|Ersten Weltkriegs]]. Insbesondere die [[Dritte Flandernschlacht]] von 1917 war, was Ausmaß und Opferzahlen betrifft, vergleichbar mit der [[Schlacht an der Somme]] und nimmt einen besonderen Platz im kulturellen Gedächtnis [[Vereinigtes Königreich|Großbritanniens]] und seiner ehemaligen [[Dominion]]s ein. In den Schlachten standen dem [[Deutsches Heer (Deutsches Kaiserreich)|deutschen Heer]] Truppen aus den vorgenannten Ländern sowie aus [[Frankreich]], [[Belgien]] und [[Portugal]] bzw. den Kolonien gegenüber. Gekämpft wurde im sogenannten [[Wytschaete-Bogen]] unter anderem um das Höhengelände von [[Mesen (Belgien)|Messines]] und [[Wijtschate|Wytschaete]] oder um den [[Kemmelberg]]. Diese strategischen Positionen sollten genutzt werden, um die jeweiligen Ziele – auf deutscher Seite die Zerstörung der Operationsbasis und die Ausschaltung der Versorgungshäfen der [[British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF), auf britischer unter anderem die Neutralisierung der deutschen U-Boot-Basen an der flämischen Küste – zu verwirklichen und damit einen entscheidenden Vorteil zu erlangen.

== Überblick ==
=== Erste Flandernschlacht 1914 ===
{{Hauptartikel|Erste Flandernschlacht}}
Die [[Erste Flandernschlacht]] dauerte vom 20. Oktober bis zum 18. November 1914 und entstand direkt aus dem nach der [[Schlacht an der Marne (1914)|Schlacht an der Marne]] einsetzenden [[Wettlauf zum Meer]]. Es gelang den Truppen der [[Triple Entente|Entente]], die deutschen Durchbruchsversuche abzuwehren, die auf die französischen Kanalhäfen ([[Calais]], [[Dunkerque]], [[Boulogne-sur-Mer|Boulogne]] usw.) zielten. Im Gedächtnis der deutschen Seite blieb vor allem der angebliche „Opfergang“ junger Kriegsfreiwilliger bei [[Langemark]], der Anlass zum ''[[Mythos von Langemarck]]'' gab. Auf britischer Seite betrachtete man das „Ende der alten BEF“ als böses Omen – statistisch gesehen war jeder der ursprünglich etwa 80.000 Soldaten der BEF bis zum Ende der Schlacht durch Tod, Verwundung oder Gefangennahme ausgefallen.<ref>Allan Mallinson: ''1914: Fight the Good Fight: Britain, the Army and the Coming of the First World War.'' Random House, 2013, ISBN 978-0-593-06760-4, S. ?</ref> Auch [[Britisch-Indische Armee|britisch-indische]] Truppen, die gerade in Europa angekommen waren, wurden in die Kämpfe geworfen.

Die Front stabilisierte sich vor [[Ypern]], um das auch in den folgenden Jahren heftig gerungen wurde. Die berühmten mittelalterlichen [[Tuchhallen (Ypern)|Tuchhallen]] der belgischen Stadt wurden von den Deutschen am 3. November 1914 mit Artillerie beschossen und brannten nieder, was international für Empörung sorgte und als Teil einer Kampagne gegen das belgische Nationalbewusstsein aufgefasst wurde. (Zum Hintergrund siehe [[Rape of Belgium]] und [[Kriegsziele im Ersten Weltkrieg]].)

=== Zweite Flandernschlacht 1915 ===
{{Hauptartikel|Zweite Flandernschlacht}}
Die [[Zweite Flandernschlacht]] begann am 22. April und dauerte bis Ende Mai 1915. Sie ist vor allem durch den erstmaligen massiven Einsatz von [[Chemische Waffe|Giftgas]] (in diesem Falle [[Chlor]]gas) an der Westfront in Erinnerung, der den angreifenden Deutschen einen großen Vorteil verschaffte, aber letztlich nicht schlachtentscheidend war. Erstmals wurden in dieser Schlacht Truppen der [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] im [[Division (Militär)|Divisionsverbund]] eingesetzt. Sie trugen einen großen Anteil zur Abwehr des deutschen Angriffs bei.

Das Gas wurde erstmals am 22. April 1915 eingesetzt. Es wurde aus Druckflaschen abgeblasen und entließ auf einem sechs Kilometer langen Abschnitt eine tödliche Giftwolke in die französischen Schützengräben. Viele der Soldaten starben an Verätzungen der Lungen, tausende erlitten schwere Verletzungen.<ref>{{Internetquelle |autor=Thomas Weißbrich |url=https://www.dhm.de/lemo/kapitel/erster-weltkrieg/kriegsverlauf/ypern |hrsg=Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin |titel=Die Schlacht bei Ypern 1915 |datum=2014-09-01 |offline= |zugriff=2017-04-11}}</ref>

=== Dritte Flandernschlacht 1917 ===
{{Hauptartikel|Dritte Flandernschlacht}}
Die [[Dritte Flandernschlacht]] vom 31. Juli bis zum 6. November 1917 mit ihrem Vorspiel, der [[Schlacht bei Messines]] im Juni, zählte zu den größten Schlachten des gesamten Krieges. Insgesamt fielen innerhalb von 100 Tagen über 600.000 Mann beider Seiten durch Tod, Verwundung und andere Ursachen aus, davon waren 250.000 Mann [[Gefallener|gefallen]].<ref>''Eine Schlacht – 250.000 Tote'' In: ''Erster Weltkrieg – Flanders Fields'' ([http://www.deutschlandradiokultur.de/erster-weltkrieg-flanders-fields.976.de.html?dram:article_id=294491 deutschlandradiokultur.de] vom 13. August 2014)</ref>

Das belgische Dorf [[Passendale (Zonnebeke)|Passendale]] (engl. ''Passchendaele'') gab der Schlacht ihren englischen Namen, der bis heute für die Grauen des Krieges steht. Die in der Offensive befindlichen Alliierten eroberten in dem durch ständige Regenfälle aufgeweichten Gebiet ein Territorium von rund 130 Quadratkilometern, ohne einen entscheidenden Erfolg zu erzielen. In dieser Schlacht waren Soldaten sämtlicher britischer Dominions im Einsatz, wobei sich die „[[Australian and New Zealand Army Corps|ANZACS]]“ und das von [[Arthur Currie]] geführte Kanadische Korps besonders auszeichneten.

=== Vierte Flandernschlacht 1918 ===
{{Hauptartikel|Vierte Flandernschlacht}}
Die [[Vierte Flandernschlacht]] vom 9. bis zum 29. April war Teil der [[Deutsche Frühjahrsoffensive 1918|deutschen Frühjahrsoffensive 1918]] und zählt zu den letzten Versuchen auf deutscher Seite, das Patt des [[Grabenkrieg im Ersten Weltkrieg|Grabenkriegs]] zu durchbrechen. Sie folgte auf die [[Unternehmen Michael|Michael-Offensive]] im Bereich der Somme und brachte den Deutschen das im Vorjahr verlorene Territorium zeitweilig wieder zurück. Der Angriff blieb jedoch mehrere Kilometer vor dem wichtigen britischen Versorgungsdepot in [[Hazebrouck]] stecken. Im weiteren Verlauf des Jahres ergriffen die Alliierten wieder die Initiative und entrissen den Deutschen das Gebiet endgültig. In dieser Schlacht wurde auch das [[Portugiesisches Expeditionskorps|Portugiesische Expeditionskorps]] eingesetzt.

== Nachwirkungen und Gedenken ==
{{Mehrere Bilder
| align = right
| Richtung = vertical
| Kopfzeile = Aufnahmen von 1919
| Breite = 280
| Bild1 = No-man's-land-flanders-field.jpg
| Untertitel1 = Das verwüstete [[Niemandsland]] im französischen Teil Flanderns
| Bild2 = Ruïne, 1919, Ieper.jpg
| Untertitel2 = Das völlig zerstörte Ypern
}}

Selbst hundert Jahre nach dem Beginn des Ersten Weltkriegs gibt es noch immer Munitionsreste in der Umgebung der belgischen Stadt Ypern. So starben im März 2014 beispielsweise zwei Bauarbeiter bei der Explosion einer Granate aus dieser Zeit. Die Detonation ereignete sich auf einem Industriegelände. Zudem finden sich neben Blindgängern noch zahlreiche Kanister mit dem tödlichen Giftgas, die von einer Sondereinheit der belgischen Armee unschädlich gemacht werden.<ref>{{Internetquelle |autor=Sven Felix Kellerhoff |datum=2014-03-21 |url=https://www.welt.de/geschichte/article126017817/In-Ypern-ist-der-Erste-Weltkrieg-immer-praesent.html |titel=Flandernschlachten. In Ypern ist der Erste Weltkrieg immer präsent |werk=[[Die Welt]] Online |offline= |zugriff=2017-04-11}}</ref>

=== Kriegsgräber- und Gedenkstätten ===
An die Gefallenen der Kämpfe erinnern im Raum um Ypern zahlreiche Kriegsgräberstätten. Teilweise liegen die Gräber der Gefallenen beider Seiten in unmittelbarer Nachbarschaft oder die Toten beider Seiten liegen auf ein und demselben Friedhof. Zu nennen sind etwa auf deutscher Seite der [[Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Langemark|Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof Langemark]] ({{Coordinate|NS=50/55/12/N|EW=2/55/1.2/E|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Deutsche Kriegsgräberstätte Langemark}}) mit rund 44.300 Toten in Einzel- und Gemeinschaftsgräbern, der [[Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Menen|Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof Menen]] ({{Coordinate|NS=50/48/34/N|EW=3/9/2/E|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Deutsche Kriegsgräberstätte Menen}}) mit 47.900 Toten, der [[Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Vladslo|Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof Vladslo]] ({{Coordinate|NS=51/4/12/N|EW=2/55/40/E|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Deutsche Kriegsgräberstätte Vladslo}}) mit über 25.600 Toten und der [[Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Hooglede|Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof Hooglede]] ({{Coordinate|NS=50/58/41/N|EW=3/5/37/E|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Deutsche Kriegsgräberstätte Hooglede}}) mit über 8200 Toten, auf die die meisten der rund 134.000 deutschen Kriegstoten in Belgien nach dem deutsch-belgischen Kriegsgräberabkommen von 1954 umgebettet wurden.<ref>[http://www.volksbund.de/kriegsgraeberstaette/langemark.html Langemark], [http://www.volksbund.de/kriegsgraeberstaette/menen.html ''Menen''], [http://www.volksbund.de/kriegsgraeberstaette/vladslo.html ''Vladslo''] und [http://www.volksbund.de/kriegsgraeberstaette/hooglede.html ''Hooglede''] auf den Seiten des [[Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge|Volksbunds Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge]], abgerufen am 11. April 2017.</ref>

Auf britischer Seite erinnern unter anderem der Ehrenbogen ''[[Menenpoort|Menin Gate]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50/51/7/N|EW=2/53/30/E|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Menin Gate/Menenpoort}}) und der ''[[Ypres Town Cemetery and Extension]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50.85345|EW=2.89820|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Ypres Town Cemetery and Extension}}) in Ypern, der ''[[Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial to the Missing]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50/53/13|EW=02/59/53|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial to the Missing}}) bei Passendale, der ''[[Zantvoorde British Cemetery]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50.81376|EW=2.98344|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Zantvoorde British Cemetery}}) bei [[Zonnebeke]], mehrere kleinere Friedhöfe bei [[Brandhoek]] ({{Coordinate|NS=50.85335|EW=2.79098|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Brandhoek}}), der ''[[Essex Farm Cemetery]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50.87089|EW=2.87311|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Essex Farm Cemetery}}) bei Ypern, der ''[[Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50/49/45|EW=02/42/04|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery}}) bei [[Poperinge]], der ''[[Maple Copse Cemetery]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50.83549|EW=2.93858|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Maple Copse Cemetery}}), der ''[[Prowse Point Military Cemetery]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50.74394|EW=2.89876|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Prowse Point Military Cemetery}}), der ''[[Polygon Wood Cemetery]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50.85740|EW=2.99046|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Polygon Wood Cemetery}}), der ''[[Buttes New British Cemetery and New Zealand Memorial]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50.85585|EW=2.99179|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Buttes New British Cemetery and New Zealand Memorial}}) bei Zonnebeke, der ''[[Hooge Crater Cemetery]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50.84516|EW=2.94268|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Hooge Crater Cemetery}}) und der ''[[Bedford House Cemetery]]'' ({{Coordinate|NS=50.82840|EW=2.89036|type=landmark|region=BE-VWV|text=ICON0|name=Bedford House Cemetery}}) an die Schlachten und ihre Toten.<ref>{{Webarchiv|url=http://discover.cwgc.org/discover/the-ypres-salient.aspx |wayback=20170509014331 |text=''The Ypres Salient'' |archiv-bot=2018-12-05 10:14:56 InternetArchiveBot }} auf den Seiten der [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]], abgerufen am 11. April 2017.</ref><ref>[http://www.greatwar.co.uk/places/ypres-salient-monuments.htm ''Monuments & Memorials on the Ypres Salient, Belgium''] auf der Webseite ''greatwar.co.uk'', abgerufen am 11. April 2017.</ref> Die anglikanische Kirche [[St. George’s Memorial Church (Ypern)|St. George’s Memorial Church]] in Ypern hält alljährlich einen besonderen Gedenkgottesdienst am ''[[Veterans Day|Armistice Day]]'' (11. November) ab. Eine besondere Tradition hat das allabendliche Abspielen des Hornsignals ''[[The Last Post]]'' am Menin Gate in Ypern in Erinnerung an die Toten des Commonwealth. Diese wurde nur während der deutschen Besetzung Belgiens im Zweiten Weltkrieg unterbrochen.

Die französischen Gefallenen der Flandernschlachten wurden mehrheitlich nach dem Krieg auf den [[Französischer Nationalfriedhof Notre-Dame-de-Lorette|Französischen Nationalfriedhof Notre-Dame-de-Lorette]] ({{Coordinate|NS=50.401|EW=2.719|type=landmark|region=FR-62|text=ICON0|name=Nécropole nationale Notre-Dame-de-Lorette}}) bei [[Ablain-Saint-Nazaire]] umgebettet, der so zum zentralen französischen Erinnerungsort für die nördlichen Schlachtfelder vom [[Artois]] bis zur belgischen Küste wurde. Er beherbergt die Überreste von über 43.000 Gefallenen. In unmittelbarer Nähe wurde in den 2010er Jahren mit Unterstützung des [[Verteidigungsministerium (Frankreich)|französischen Verteidigungsministeriums]] das [[Gefallenenmahnmal Notre-Dame-de-Lorette]] ({{Coordinate|NS=50/23/59.39|EW=02/43/12.29|type=landmark|region=FR-62|text=ICON0|name=Anneau de la Mémoire – Mémorial international de Notre-Dame de Lorette}}) erbaut (auch ''Ring der Erinnerung''). 500 Metallstelen im Innenraum listen die Namen von fast 580.000 in Nordfrankreich Gefallenen aller Nationalitäten alphabetisch geordnet auf, ohne Hinweis auf ihren Rang, ihre Herkunft oder ihre Religion.<ref>[http://www.cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr/de/internationale-gedenkstaette-notre-dame-de-lorette Internationale Gedenkstätte Notre-Dame-de-Lorette] auf ''cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr'', abgerufen am 13. April 2017.</ref> Der einzige größere französische Militärfriedhof in Belgien (abgesehen vom [[Beinhaus]] ''Ossuaire du Mont Kemmel'' am Kemmelberg), heißt ''Saint-Charles de Potyze'' und liegt bei [[Wieltje]].<ref>[http://www.wo1.be/nl/geschiedenis/gastbijdragen/sites-monumenten-begraafplaatsen-versterkingen-patrimonium/de-franse-militaire-begraafplaats-saint-charles-de-potyze ''De Franse militaire begraafplaats Saint-Charles de Potyze''] von Philippe Barbez auf ''wo1.be'' (niederländisch), abgerufen am 15. April 2017.</ref>

An die portugiesischen Gefallenen der Vierten Flandernschlacht wird mit einem Monument in [[La Couture (Pas-de-Calais)|La Couture]] und dem Portugiesischen Nationalfriedhof<ref>[http://www.wegedererinnerung-nordfrankreich.com/die-wege/die-front/richebourg-portugiesischer-friedhof.html ''Richebourg – Portugiesischer Friedhof''] auf ''wegedererinnerung-nordfrankreich.com'', abgerufen am 14. April 2017.</ref> im benachbarten [[Richebourg (Pas-de-Calais)|Richebourg]] erinnert.

{{Klappbox|Lage einiger Kriegsgräberstätten und Gedenkorte in Flandern auf einer Karte der belgischen Provinz Westflandern|2=<div style="padding:1em;">
[[Datei:Het treurende ouderpaar - Käthe Kolwitz.JPG|mini|„[[Trauerndes Elternpaar]]“, Vladslo]]
[[Datei:LangemarkCemetery09June2010.JPG|mini|Skulpturengruppe „Trauernde Soldaten“, Langemark]]
[[Datei:Sanctuary Wood Cemetery -9.JPG|mini|Sanctuary Wood]]
[[Datei:Polygon Wood Cemetery-8.JPG|mini|Polygon Wood]]
[[Datei:All that remains 678.jpg|mini|Tyne Cot]]
{{Positionskarte+
|Belgien Westflandern
|caption=Legende:
:[[Datei:Sinnbild Kriegsgräberstätte - Richtlinien für die touristische Beschilderung, Ausgabe 2008.svg|10px]] – Deutsche Kriegsgräberstätte
:[[Datei:RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|10px]] – Britische (oder Empire-)Kriegsgräber- bzw. Gedenkstätte
:[[Datei:France roundel.png|10px]] – Französische Kriegsgräberstätte
:[[Datei:Roundel of Belgium.svg|10px]] – Belgische Kriegsgräberstätte
:[[Datei:Roundel of Portugal.svg|10px]] – Portugiesische Kriegsgräberstätte
|width=900
|places=
{{Karte in einer Ecke|1=Belgien|Karte=Belgien Westflandern|Breite=300|Ecke=ne|Datei=Provincie West-Vlaanderen in Belgium.svg|Stil=;|Erklärung=Lage der Provinz Westflandern in Belgien}}
{{Karte in einer Ecke|1=Frankreich Hauts-de-France|Karte=Frankreich Hauts-de-France|Breite=300|Ecke=se|Stil=;|Erklärung=Lage der Kriegsgräberstätten in der Region Hauts-de-France in Frankreich|Zugabe={{Positionskarte~
|Frankreich Hauts-de-France
|lat=50.401
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{{Positionskarte~
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{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Langemark|lat=50/55/12/N|long=02/55/01.2/E|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=9|mark=Sinnbild Kriegsgräberstätte - Richtlinien für die touristische Beschilderung, Ausgabe 2008.svg|marksize=10|marktarget=Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Langemark}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Menen|lat=50/48/34/N|long=03/09/02/E|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=3|mark=Sinnbild Kriegsgräberstätte - Richtlinien für die touristische Beschilderung, Ausgabe 2008.svg|marksize=10|marktarget=Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Menen}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Vladslo|lat=51/04/12/N|long=02/55/40/E|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=3|mark=Sinnbild Kriegsgräberstätte - Richtlinien für die touristische Beschilderung, Ausgabe 2008.svg|marksize=10|marktarget=Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Vladslo}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Hooglede|lat=50/58/41/N|long=03/05/37/E|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=3|mark=Sinnbild Kriegsgräberstätte - Richtlinien für die touristische Beschilderung, Ausgabe 2008.svg|marksize=10|marktarget=Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Hooglede}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Menin Gate|lat=50/51/7/N|long=2/53/30/E|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=7|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10|marktarget=Menenpoort}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Ypres Town|lat=50.85345|long=2.89820|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=12|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Tyne Cot|lat=50/53/13|long=02/59/53|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Zantvoorde|lat=50.81376|long=2.98344|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Brandhoek|lat=50.85335|long=2.79098|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=10|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Essex Farm|lat=50.87089|long=2.87311|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=10|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Lijssenthoek|lat=50/49/45/N|long=02/42/04|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=10|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Maple Copse|lat=50.83548|long=2.93860|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=4|wrap=manual|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Prowse Point|lat=50.74394|long=2.89876|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=11|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10|wrap=manual}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Polygon Wood|lat=50.85740|long=2.99046|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=3|wrap=manual|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Buttes|lat=50.85586|long=2.99179|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=10|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Hooge Crater|lat=50.84516|long=2.94268|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=12|wrap=manual|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Bedford House|lat=50.82840|long=2.89036|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=11|wrap=manual|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Poelkapelle|lat=50.92018|long=2.97138|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=4|wrap=manual|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10|marktarget=Poelkapelle British Cemetery}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Sanctuary Wood|lat=50.83812|long=2.94402|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=2|wrap=manual|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10|marktarget=Sanctuary Wood Cemetery}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Messines Ridge|lat=50/45/54/N|long=2/53/27/E|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|wrap=manual|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Ploegsteert|lat=50/44/17/N|long=2/52/55/E|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|wrap=manual|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10|position=4}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Saint Julien|lat=50/53/58/N|long=2/56/26/E|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|wrap=manual|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10|position=12}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Voormezele|lat=50.81803|long=2.87360|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|mark=RAF Lowvis Army roundel.svg|marksize=10|position=7}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Westvleteren|lat=50/55/35/N|long=02/43/14/E|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=12|mark=Roundel of Belgium.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Steenkerke|lat=51/03/32/N|long=02/41/24/E|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=12|mark=Roundel of Belgium.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Houthulst|lat=50.96643|long=2.94863|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=12|mark=Roundel of Belgium.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Keiem|lat=51.08640|long=2.88540|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=12|mark=Roundel of Belgium.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Ramskapelle|lat=51.11395|long=2.76409|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=12|mark=Roundel of Belgium.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Adinkerque|lat=51.07567|long=2.60174|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=12|mark=Roundel of Belgium.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=De Panne|lat=51.08784|long=2.60405|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=12|mark=Roundel of Belgium.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Hoogstade|lat=50.97829|long=2.68974|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=12|mark=Roundel of Belgium.svg|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Saint-Charles de Potyze|lat=50/51/47/N|long=02/55/35/E|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=12|mark=France roundel.png|marksize=10}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Yserturm|lat=51.03166|long=2.85218|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=2|mark=Openstreetmap Carto monument.svg|marksize=12|marktarget=Yserturm}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Passchendaele 1917|lat=50.87073|long=2.98866|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=3|mark=Openstreetmap Carto Museum.svg|marksize=12|wrap=manual}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=In Flanders Fields|lat=50.85102|long=2.88541|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=9|mark=Openstreetmap Carto Museum.svg|marksize=12|wrap=manual}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Hill 62|lat=50.83672|long=2.94603|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=3|mark=Openstreetmap Carto Museum.svg|marksize=12|wrap=manual|marktarget=Hill 62}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Kemmelberg|lat=50.77942|long=2.81439|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=2|mark=BlackMountain.svg|marksize=12|marktarget=Kemmelberg}}
{{Positionskarte~|Belgien Westflandern|label=Höhe 60|lat=50.82377|long=2.92944|region=BE-VWV|label_size=60|position=5|mark=BlackMountain.svg|marksize=12|2=}}
}}</div>|hintergrundfarbe=hintergrundfarbe5|paddingleft=5px}}

=== In Flanders Fields ===
[[Datei:Poppies Field in Flanders.jpg|mini|Feld mit Mohnblumen in Flandern]]
Besondere Bekanntheit erlangte das noch während des Krieges veröffentlichte Gedicht ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'' des kanadischen Sanitätsoffiziers [[John McCrae]] (1872–1918), der es 1915 zur Erinnerung an einen in der Zweiten Flandernschlacht gefallenen Kameraden verfasst hatte.<ref>''In Flanders Fields.'' In: ''[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]].'' 3. November 2011 ([http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/in-flanders-fields/ thecanadianencyclopedia.ca]).</ref> Der darin erwähnte [[Klatschmohn]] gilt als Symbol für die Toten der Kämpfe und wurde Ausgangspunkt für das im englischsprachigen Raum weitverbreitete Gedenksymbol der ''[[Remembrance Poppy|Remembrance Poppies]]''. Auf deutscher Seite wurde mit einem stilisierten [[Vergissmeinnicht]] ein vergleichbares Symbol kreiert, das Bezüge zur ''[[Blaue Blume|Blauen Blume]]'' der [[Romantik]] sowie zur [[Wandervogel]]-Bewegung des frühen 20. Jahrhunderts aufweist.

{{Siehe auch|Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge#Gedenkblume Vergissmeinnicht|titel1=Gedenkblume Vergissmeinnicht|Der Tod in Flandern}}

=== Museen ===
[[Datei:IJzertoren.jpg|mini|Yserturm und Friedenstor in Diksmuide]]

In [[Diksmuide]] beherbergt der rund 84 Meter hohe [[Yserturm]] (''IJzertoren'') auf 22 Etagen ein Museum über den Ersten Weltkrieg in Flandern.<ref>{{Internetquelle |url=http://www.museumaandeijzer.be/ijzertoren/de/ijzertoren-diksmuide/der-ijzerturm |hrsg=museumaandeijzer.be |titel=Der Ijzerturm |offline= |zugriff=2017-04-11}}</ref> Weitere Museen, die sich mit diesem Teil der Geschichte befassen, sind das „[[In Flanders Fields Museum]]“ in Ypern und das „Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917“ in [[Zonnebeke]].

=== Kunstwerke (Galerie) ===
<gallery widths="230">
After The Push by CRW Nevinson 1917.JPG|''After The Push'' [[Christopher Nevinson|Christopher R. W. Nevinson]], 1917
The Ypres Salient at Night Art.IWMART1145.jpg|''The Ypres Salient at Night'' [[Paul Nash]], 1918
Paul Nash Wire 1918-19.jpg|''Wire'' Paul Nash, 1918/19
The Menin Road (1919) (Art. IWM ART 2242).jpg|''The Menin Road'' Paul Nash, 1919
David Young Cameron - Battlefields of Ypres (CWM 19710261-0118).jpg|''The Battlefields of Ypres – After'' David Young Cameron, 1920
</gallery>
{{Siehe auch|Liste von Gemälden und Grafiken zum Ersten Weltkrieg}}

== Siehe auch ==
* [[Kampf um Höhe 60 (Westfront)]]
* [[Minenkrieg#Minenkrieg im Ersten Weltkrieg|Minenkrieg im Ersten Weltkrieg]]
* [[Yser-Front]]
* [[Marinekorps Flandern]]
* [[Zone rouge]]

== Literatur ==
* Beatrix Brice: ''The Battle Book of Ypres: A Reference to Military Operations in the Ypres Salient, 1914–1918.'' John Murray Publishers, Spa Books in association with Tom Donovan Military Books 1987, ISBN 0-907590-17-9, (Erstauflage 1927, [https://books.google.de/books?id=cXWpBQAAQBAJ&pg=PP4#v=onepage&q&f=false Leseprobe]).
* Yves Buffetaut: ''Batailles de Flandres et d’Artois 1914–1918'' (= ''Guides “Historia”.'' 11). Editions Tallandier, [Paris] 1992, ISBN 2-235-02090-9.
* Winston Groom: ''A Storm in Flanders: Triumph and Tragedy on the Western Front.'' Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 2016, ISBN 978-1-4746-0434-5 ([https://books.google.de/books?id=0zGJCwAAQBAJ&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false Leseprobe]).
* Mélanie Morin-Pelletier: ''Fighting in Flanders: Gas, Mud, Memory.'' Canadian Museum Of Civilization, Ottawa, ON 2015, ISBN 978-0-660-20306-5.
* [[Alan Palmer]]: ''The Salient: Ypres, 1914–18.'' Constable, London 2007, ISBN 978-1-84119-633-6.
* Werner Bernhard Sendker: ''Auf Flanderns Feldern gefallen: Deutsche und ihr Verhältnis zum Ersten Weltkrieg.'' Der Andere Verlag, Tönningen 2005, ISBN 3-89959-366-9.
* Keir Reeves, Geoffrey R. Bird, Laura James, Birger Stichelbaut und Jean Bourgeois (Hrsg.): ''Battlefield Events: Landscape, commemoration and heritage.'' Routledge advances in event research series, 2016, ISBN 978-1-138-90059-2. Darin u. a.:
** Caroline Winter: ''Celebrating peace and commemorating war in the city of Ieper.'' (S. 77–94).
** Luc Vandael, Hannelore Decoodt, Marc Dewilde, Piet Geleyns, Koen Himpe, Marnix Peters und Hilde Verboven: ''The Heritage of ‘Flanders Fields’. Research, protection, management and commemoration of World War I landscapes in Flanders (Belgium).'' (S. 95–108).

== Weblinks ==
{{Commonscat|Battles of Ypres|Flandernschlachten}}
* Jones Spencer: [http://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/ypres_battles_of ''Ypres, Battles of''] In: Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson (Hrsg.): ''[[1914-1918-online]].'' International Encyclopedia of the First World War, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin 13 Februar 2015, [[doi:10.15463/ie1418.10552]] (englisch).
* Webseite [http://www.becarto14-18.be/ ''BeCarto 14–18''] mit interaktiver Karte (mehrsprachig)
* [http://www.wo1.be/en/history/battles-ypres-salient ''Battles Ypres Salient''] auf ''wo1.be'' (englisch)
* [http://www.webmatters.net/txtpat/index.php?id=519 ''Battle Sites in Belgium''] auf der Webseite ''webmatters.net'' (englisch)

== Fußnoten ==
<references />

[[Kategorie:Militärgeschichte (Erster Weltkrieg)]]
[[Kategorie:Westfront (Erster Weltkrieg)]]

Vestre Kirkegård

2019-05-15T07:06:15Z

Labattblueboy: (GR) File renamed: File:Commonwealth war grave WWI.JPG → File:Vestre Kirkegård World War I Commonwealth war graves.jpg more accurate name

{| class="wikitable" width="30%" style="float:right;"
|- style="background:beige;"
! colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: larger;" | Vestre Kirkegård
|-
| align="center" valign="middle" | Lage
| align="center" | Vestre Kirkegårds Allé 15 {{DNK|#}} 2450 [[Kopenhagen]] SV, [[Region Hovedstaden]]
|-
| align="center" valign="middle" | Eigentümer
| align="center" | [[Kopenhagen|Stadt Kopenhagen]]
|-
| align="center" valign="middle" | Eröffnung
| align="center" | 2. November 1870
|-
| align="center" valign="middle" | Fläche
| align="center" | rund 54 [[Hektar]]
|}
Der '''Vestre Kirkegård''' ({{DeS|Westfriedhof}}) ist ein [[Friedhof]] in der [[Dänemark|dänischen]] Hauptstadt [[Kopenhagen]]. Er liegt inmitten der Stadtviertel [[Sydhavnen]] und [[Vesterbro]] sowie dem Stadtteil [[Valby]].

== Geschichte ==
Die Anlage wurde am 2. November 1870 eingeweiht und ist mit rund 54 [[Hektar]] die größte Grabanlage des Landes.<ref>kk.dk: [http://www.kk.dk/artikel/vestre-kirkeg%C3%A5rd-mellem-sydhavnen-valby-og-vesterbro Der Vestre Kirkegård auf der Website der Københavns Kommune] (dänisch)</ref> Der Friedhof wurde nötig, um die steigende Zahl der Beisetzungen in der Stadt zu bewältigen. Bis dahin war der 1760 angelegte [[Assistenzfriedhof]] der Hauptfriedhof der Stadt, der aber mit der Zeit an seine Grenzen stieß. Entworfen wurde die Anlage von Hans Jørgen Holm, einem Architekten im Kopenhagener Bestattungsdienst, in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Landschaftsarchitekten Edvard Glæsel und dem Stadtplaner Charles Ambt, der für die Gesamtplanung verantwortlich war. Zunächst war der Westfriedhof eine Begräbnisstätte für arme Menschen. In den 1990er Jahren wurde er zum Hauptfriedhof der dänischen Hauptstadt.<ref>triposo.com: [https://www.triposo.com/poi/Vestre_Cemetery Copenhagen, Denmark - Vestre Cemetery] (englisch)</ref>

== Deutsche Flüchtlings- und Soldatengräber ==
In der [[Deutsche Kriegsgräberstätte Kopenhagen West (Vestre Kirkegård)]] auf dem Friedhof ruhen deutsche Flüchtlinge und Soldaten des [[Zweiter Weltkrieg|Zweiten Weltkriegs]].

== Galerie ==
<gallery>
Datei:Vestre Kirkegård - entrance 2.JPG|Der Eingang zur Grabanlage
Datei:Vestre Kirkegaard Copenhagen portal.jpg|Das Friedhofsportal
Datei:Vestre Kirkegaard Copenhagen nordre kapel.jpg|Die Nordkapelle
Datei:Vestre Kirkegaard Copenhagen soendre kapel.jpg|Die Südkapelle
Datei:Jrb gravsten vestre kirkegaard 001.JPG|Gedenkstein für 4.636 deutsche Soldaten und 4.019 deutsche Flüchtlinge im [[Zweiter Weltkrieg|Zweiten Weltkrieg]]
Datei:Vestre Kirkegaard Copenhagen tyske grave 3.jpg|Deutsche Gräber auf dem Vestre Kirkegård
Datei:Vestre Kirkegård World War I Commonwealth war graves.jpg|Denkmal für 19 [[Vereinigtes Königreich|britische]] Kriegsgefangene im [[Erster Weltkrieg|Ersten Weltkrieg]], die auf der Heimreise starben.
Datei:Vestre Kirkegaard Copenhagen urnehaven 2.jpg|Einer von zwei Seen auf der Anlage
Datei:Vestre Kirkegård Carl Nielsen.JPG|Das Grab von [[Carl Nielsen]]
Datei:Pfeiffers Grab.JPG|Das Grab von [[Helmut Pfeiffer (Jurist)|Helmut Pfeiffer]]
Datei:Vestre Kirkegaard Copenhagen Thad Jones.jpg|Das Grab von [[Thad Jones]]
Datei:Vestre Kirkegaard Copenhagen Jens Otto Kragh.jpg|Das Grab von [[Jens Otto Krag]]
</gallery>

== Gräber (Auswahl) ==
* [[Johan Ankerstjerne]] (1886–1959), dänischer Kameramann
* [[Herman Bang]] (1857–1912), dänischer Schriftsteller und Journalist
* [[Sophus Bauditz]] (1850–1915), dänischer Pädagoge, Autor und Dramatiker
* [[Victoria Benedictsson]] (1850–1888), schwedische Schriftstellerin
* [[Vilhelm Bergsøe]] (1835–1911), dänischer Novellist, Naturforscher und Numismatiker
* [[Willy Bille]] (1889–1944), dänischer Maler
* [[Frederik Borgbjerg]] (1866–1936), dänischer Journalist und Sozialdemokrat
* [[Tine Bryld]] (1939–2011), dänische Sozialarbeiterin, Autorin, Radiomoderatorin
* [[Vilhelm Buhl]] (1881–1954), dänischer Jurist und sozialdemokratischer Politiker
* [[Christian Christiansen (Physiker)|Christian Christiansen]] (1843–1917), dänischer Physiker
* [[Hans Victor Clausen]] (1861–1937), dänischer Historiker
* [[Nancy Dalberg]] (1881–1949), dänische Komponistin
* [[Paul Diderichsen]] (1905–1964), dänischer Sprachwissenschaftler
* [[Tove Ditlevsen]] (1917–1976), dänische Schriftstellerin
* [[Edvard Eriksen]] (1876–1959), dänischer Bildhauer
* [[Andrias Christian Evensen]] (1874–1917), färöischer Geistlicher, Politiker, Schulbuchautor und Linguist
* [[Niels Ryberg Finsen]] (1860–1904), färöischer-dänischer Arzt
* [[Achton Friis]] (1871–1939), dänischer Zeichner und Maler
* [[Michael Pedersen Friis]] (1857–1944), dänischer Politiker und Premierminister
* [[Martin Severin From]] (1828–1895), dänischer Schachmeister
* [[Olaf Fønss]] (1882–1949), dänischer Stummfilmschauspieler
* [[Jørgen Pedersen Gram]] (1850–1916), dänischer Mathematiker
* [[Asger Hamerik]] (1843–1923), dänischer Komponist und Dirigent
* [[Vilhelm Hammershøi]] (1864–1916), dänischer Maler
* [[Emil Christian Hansen]] (1842–1909), dänischer Botaniker
* [[Hans Christian Svane Hansen]] (1906–1960), dänischer Politiker
* [[Wilhelm Hansen (Kunstsammler)|Wilhelm Hansen]] (1868–1936), dänischer Kunstsammler ([[Ordrupgaard Museum]])
* [[Louis Hasselriis]] (1844–1912), dänischer Bildhauer
* [[Hans Hedtoft]] (1903–1955), dänischer Politiker und Staatsminister
* [[Erik Henningsen]] (1855–1930), dänischer Maler und Illustrator
* [[Fini Henriques]] (1867–1940), dänischer Komponist und Geiger
* [[Knud Hjortø]] (1869–1931), dänischer Schriftsteller
* [[Per Hækkerup]] (1915–1979), dänischer Politiker
* [[Harald Høffding]] (1843–1931), dänischer Philosoph
* [[Robert Jacobsen]] (1912–1993), dänischer Maler, Bildhauer und Grafiker
* [[Jákup Jakobsen]] (1864–1918), färöischer Linguist
* [[Arthur Jensen (Schauspieler)|Arthur Jensen]] (1897–1981), dänischer Schauspieler
* [[Sámal Joensen-Mikines]] (1906–1979), färöischer Maler
* [[Wilhelm Johannsen (Botaniker)|Wilhelm Johannsen]] (1857–1927), dänischer Botaniker und Genetiker
* [[Viggo Johansen]] (1851–1935), dänischer Maler und Zeichner
* [[Thad Jones]] (1923–1986), US-amerikanischer Jazztrompeter
* [[Duke Jordan]] (1922–2006), US-amerikanischer Jazzpianist
* [[Anker Jørgensen]] (1922–2016), dänischer Politiker
* [[Hack Kampmann]] (1856–1920), dänischer Architekt, königlicher Bauinspektor, Architekturprofessor und Kunstmaler
* [[Viggo Kampmann]] (1910–1976), dänischer Politiker und Ministerpräsident
* [[Johan Peter Koch]] (1870–1928), dänischer Offizier, Kartograf und Polarforscher
* [[Herman D. Koppel]] (1908–1998), dänischer Pianist und Komponist
* [[Jens Otto Krag]] (1914–1978), dänischer Politiker
* [[Johann Adam Krygell]] (1835–1915), dänischer Organist und Komponist
* [[Thor Lange]] (1851–1915), dänischer Schriftsteller und Übersetzer
* [[Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller]] (1850–1926), dänischer Komponist
* [[Henrik Malberg]] (1873–1958), dänischer Schauspieler
* [[Otto Malling]] (1848–1915), dänischer Organist und Komponist
* [[Niels Matthiasen]] (1924–1980), dänischer Politiker
* [[Johannes Meyer (Schauspieler)|Johannes Meyer]] (1884–1972), dänischer Schauspieler
* [[Sophus Michaëlis]] (1865–1932), dänischer Dichter
* [[Vilhelm Milthers]] (1865–1962), dänischer Geologe
* [[Sigvard Munk]] (1891–1983), dänischer Politiker und Oberbürgermeister von Kopenhagen
* [[Franz Xaver Neruda]] (1843–1915), dänischer Komponist
* [[Asta Nielsen]] (1881–1972), dänische Schauspielerin
* [[Carl Nielsen]] (1865–1931), dänischer Komponist und Dirigent
* [[Poul Nørlund]] (1888–1951), dänischer Kultur- und Kunsthistoriker sowie Mittelalterarchäologe
* [[Carl Hansen Ostenfeld]] (1873–1931), dänischer Botaniker
* [[Egmont Harald Petersen]] (1860–1914), dänischer Verleger und Gründer der [[Egmont Foundation]]
* [[Julius Peter Christian Petersen]] (1839–1910), dänischer Mathematiker
* [[Helmut Pfeiffer (Jurist)|Helmut Pfeiffer]] (1907–1945), deutscher Jurist und SS-Offizier, der vom NS-Regime verfolgte Menschen rettete
* [[Louis Pio]] (1841–1894), dänischer Sozialistenführer
* [[Carl Ploug]] (1813–1894), dänischer Lyriker, Journalist und Politiker
* [[Knud Rasmussen]] (1879–1933), grönländisch-dänischer Polarforscher, Ethnologe und Buchautor
* [[Helmer Rosting]] (1893–1945), dänischer Theologe, Diplomat und Direktor des dänischen Roten Kreuzes
* [[A. W. Sandberg]] (1887–1938), dänischer Filmregisseur und Kameramann
* [[Sophus Schandorph]] (1836–1901), dänischer Schriftsteller
* [[Eiler Theodor Lehn Schiøler]] (1874–1929), dänischer Bankier und Ornithologe
* [[Johannes Schmidt (Biologe)|Johannes Schmidt]] (1877–1933), dänischer Biologe
* [[Thorvald Stauning]] (1873–1942), dänischer Politiker und Staatsmann
* [[Karl Kristian Steincke]] (1880–1963), dänischer Jurist und Politiker
* [[Hjalmar Söderberg]] (1869–1941), dänischer Schriftsteller
* [[Ed Thigpen]] (1930–2010), US-amerikanischer Jazzschlagzeuger
* [[Valdemar Tofte]] (1832–1907), dänischer Geiger und Musikpädagoge
* [[Laurits Tuxen]] (1853–1927), dänischer Bildhauer, Porträt-, Historien- und Landschaftsmaler
* [[Kristian Zahrtmann]] (1843–1917), dänischer Maler

== Weblinks ==
{{Commonscat|Vestre Kirkegård}}
* kk.dk: [http://www.kk.dk/artikel/vestre-kirkeg%C3%A5rd-mellem-sydhavnen-valby-og-vesterbro Vestre Kirkegård - mellem Sydhavnen, Valby og Vesterbro] (dänisch)
* gravsted.dk: [http://gravsted.dk/index.php?side=find&felt=kg&kg_nr=5 Liste von Gräbern des Vestre Kirkegård] (dänisch)
* findagrave.com: [https://www.findagrave.com/php/famous.php?page=cem&FScemeteryid=2129660 Gräber auf dem Vestre Kirkegård] (englisch)

== Einzelnachweise ==
<references />

{{Coordinate |NS=55.657188 |EW=12.529877 |type=landmark |region=DK}}

[[Kategorie:Friedhof in Dänemark]]
[[Kategorie:Religion (Kopenhagen)]]
[[Kategorie:Friedhof in Europa]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-07-23T21:32:48Z

Labattblueboy: Undid revision 791875563 by 99.237.210.197 (talk) Vimy Memorial not Vimy Ridge Memorial

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial, only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=NHSC|designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|designation1_date=1996}}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a [[war memorial]] site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[Military history of Canada during World War I|First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First World War killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] eleven years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside the country, the other being the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]].

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, {{convert|8|km|mi|spell=in}} northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately {{convert|7|km|mi|spell=in}} in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point, and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under [[German Empire|German]] control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the [[Allies of World War I|Franco-British]] and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French [[Moroccan Division (France)|1st Moroccan Division]] briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The British [[XVII Corps (United Kingdom)|XVII Corps]] relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds|url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|format=PDF|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=21 August 1916|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British [[IV Corps (United Kingdom)|IV Corps]] stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under [[I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps|I Bavarian Reserve Corps]] commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Divisions captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the [[10th Canadian Infantry Brigade|10th Canadian Brigade]] attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German [[6th Army (German Empire)|Sixth Army]] suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[Prisoner of war#World War I|prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Gibbs|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF|title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans|newspaper=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|format=PDF|date=11 April 1917|accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}

==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone-walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, [[Bourlon Wood Memorial|Bourlon Wood]], [[Le Quesnel Memorial|Le Quesnel]], [[Dury Memorial|Dury]], and [[Courcelette Memorial|Courcelette]] in France and [[Saint Julien Memorial|St. Julien]], [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood)]], and [[Passchendaele Memorial|Passchendaele]] in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee|accessdate=12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement, and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials, and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings, and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web|title=Design Competition|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; the design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade|date=26 February 2002|url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|accessdate=4 January 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|archivedate=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half-finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then Paris, though he eventually set up a studio in [[London]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white [[marble]] for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget [[limestone]]—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927, and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres, and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web|title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle|work=VAC Canada Remembers|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=n.d.|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news|last=Picard|first=Andréa|title=Restoring Loss at Vimy|periodical=Canadian Architect|publication-date=May 2006|url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/|publisher=Business Information Group|accessdate=1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |date=12 August 1998 |accessdate=22 May 2013 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514080225/http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |archivedate=14 May 2013 |df= }}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design, and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pilgrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made [[pilgrimage]]s to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes, the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}}<ref name="Cook2017">{{cite book|author=Tim Cook|title=Vimy: The Battle and the Legend|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HWFeDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT258|year=2017|publisher=Penguin Canada|isbn=978-0-7352-3317-1|pages=258–261}}</ref> The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy|url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx|accessdate=4 January 2010|date=n.d.|publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag-covered stage located in front of the statue of Canada Bereft]]

On 26 July, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President [[Albert François Lebrun|Albert Lebrun]], and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37–38}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Tim|date=2 April 2017|title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html|work=Toronto Star|location=Toronto|access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news|last=Foot|first=Richard|title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|publication-place=Vancouver|date=4 April 2007|page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]

In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated, [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier|journal=After the Battle|issue=109|publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd.|issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War, very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice, with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the 50th anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares|newspaper=Toronto Star|page=A3|first=Patrick|last=Doyle|date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/|title=Return To The Ridge|date=1 September 1997|magazine=Legion Magazine|first=Tom|last=MacGregor|publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle|publisher=Canadian Press|date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Valpy|title=Setting a legend in stone|url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|location=Toronto|date=7 April 2007|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being [[water damage]].<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode|title=|date=9 April 2007|series=National News|series-link=|first=Tom|last=Kennedy|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge took place at the memorial on 9 April 2017, coincidentally during the [[150th anniversary of Canada]]. Estimates before the event indicated that an audience of up to 30,000 would be present.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html|title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge|date=31 March 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|first=Alicja|last=Siekierska|accessdate=1 April 2017}}</ref> The Mayor of [[Arras]], Frédéric Leturque, thanked Canadians, as well as Australians and British, New Zealanders, and South Africans, for their role in the First World War battles in the area.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/04/09/justin-trudeau-in-france-to-mark-the-100th-anniversary-of-vimy-ridge-2/#.WOpNcfnyvX5| title=Canadian and French leaders pay homage to fallen soldiers at Vimy Ridge |author=The Canadian Press| date=9 April 2017| publisher=National Newswatch Inc| accessdate=7 April 2017}}</ref>

Attending dignitaries for Canada included [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[David Johnston]]; [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]]; [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]]; [[Prince Harry]]; and Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]. [[President of France|President]] [[François Hollande]] and [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Bernard Cazeneuve]] represented France.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39541940| title=Vimy Ridge: Royals commemorate defining WW1 battle| date=9 April 2017| publisher=BBC| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril| title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril| date=25 March 2017| accessdate=1 April 2017| publisher=Le Voix du Nord}}</ref> Elizabeth II issued a statement via the Governor General, remarking "[Canadians] fought courageously and with great ingenuity in winning the strategic high point of Vimy Ridge, though victory came at a heavy cost".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://gg.ca/document.aspx?id=16771&lan=eng| author=Elizabeth II| title=Message from Her Majesty The Queen on the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge| date=9 April 2017| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref>

Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste (France)|La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation| url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps| title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps| publisher=Ottawa Citizen| first=Bruce| last=Deachman| date=22 March 2016| accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete, are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three-walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately {{convert|8|km|abbr=on}} north of Arras, France, circled by the small towns and communes of [[Vimy]] to the east, [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]] to the north, [[Souchez]] to the northwest, [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]] to the south and [[Thélus]] to the southeast. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the [[trench warfare|trench lines]] of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|title=Annual Report 2007–2008|format=PDF|year=2008|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|page=16|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|archivedate=14 June 2011}}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret|title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=22 March 2007|accessdate=14 November 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret|archivedate=13 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide, indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in [[laurel wreath|laurel]] and [[olive branch]]es carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize victory and peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France, and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large [[memorial cross|crosses]] adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments, and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'' by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list, and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web|title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925|location=Paris|publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926|language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx|publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office|title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine|trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division|date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the memorial, campaign battles are inscribed on the left- and right-hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919|publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation|page=10|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|archivedate=19 October 2014|df=dmy}}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[1st Foreign Regiment]] with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment|2nd Foreign Regiment]], both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom|trans-title=Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie|last=Trouillard|date=6 May 2015|publisher=France 24|language=french|url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger|title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger|publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère|trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion|language=french|date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Beaver|title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html|work=[[The Independent]]|date=14 August 1998|accessdate=26 April 2009|location=London}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|accessdate=10 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=25 November 2015 |accessdate=10 February 2016 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305024306/http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |archivedate=5 March 2016 |df= }}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/|publisher=Global News|date=14 May 2013|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france|title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France|first=Blair|last=Crawford|date=11 January 2017|accessdate=17 March 2017|publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment poster|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx|title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=2 April 2017|publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/|title=Mission|publisher=Vimy Foundation|accessdate=9 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen|last=Harris|newspaper=[[London Free Press]]|publisher=Sum Media Corp|title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets|date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne|last=Arsenault|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict, and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/|title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate)|date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010|publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue|issue=259|date=March 2011|first=Mick|last=Bister|publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Designing and Constructing |series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |date=5 May 2000 |accessdate=8 January 2010 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514080225/http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |archivedate=14 May 2013 |df= }}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Memorial, France|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|date=n.d.}}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian [[military awards and decorations|military]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news|title=New military medal to honour combat casualties|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264|date=29 August 2008|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit |url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |date=January 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Embassy of France in Canada |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722194337/http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |archivedate=22 July 2011 |df= }}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190|accessdate=6 May 2012|publisher=CTV|date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
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* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Geology and Warfare: Examples of the Influence of Terrain and Geologists on Military Operations |last1=Rose |first1=Edward |first2=Paul |last2=Nathanail |year=2000 |publisher=Geological Society |location=London |isbn=0-85052-463-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Command or Control?: Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888–1918 |last=Samuels |first=Mart |year=1996 |publisher=Frank Cass |location=Portland |isbn=0-7146-4570-2 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Saunders |first=Nicholas |title=Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001 |journal=Antiquity |volume=76 |issue=291 |pages=101–108 |publisher=Portland Press |year=2002 |ref=Saunders}}
* {{cite book |title=The German Army on Vimy Ridge 1914–1917 |last=Sheldon |first=Jack |year=2008 |publisher=Pen & Sword Military |location=Barnsley (UK) |isbn=978-1-84415-680-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Simkins |first1=Peter |last2=Jukes |first2=Geoffrey |last3=Hickey |first3=Michael |title=The First World War: The Western Front, 1917–1918 |year=2002 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84176-348-4 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Smith |first=Julian |title=Restoring Vimy: The Challenges of Confronting Emerging Modernism |pages=49–56 |journal=Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |volume=33 |issue=1 |publisher=Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |date=2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |first=Denise |last=Thomson |title=National Sorrow, National Pride: Commemoration of War in Canada, 1918–1945 |journal=Journal of Canadian Studies |date=Winter 1995–1996 |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=5–27 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=The European powers in the First World War: an encyclopedia |editor-last=Tucker |editor-first=Spencer |year=1996 |publisher=Garland Publishing |location=New York |isbn=0-8153-0399-8 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Vimy Ridge 1917: Byng's Canadians Triumph at Arras |last=Turner |first=Alexander |year=2005 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=London |isbn=1-84176-871-5 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning, and the First World War |last=Vance |first=Jonathan Franklin |year=1997 |publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver |isbn=0-7748-0600-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{citation |chapter=Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians ... From Africa to the Artois |first=Philippe |last=Vincent-Chaissac |publisher=L'Echo du Pas-de-Calais |title=They Came from Across the Globe |p=3 |chapter-url=http://memoire.pas-de-calais.com/images/_uk/pdf-nationalites/marocain.pdf |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Literature and Theology: New Interdisciplinary Spaces |year=2011 |editor-first=Heather |editor-last=Walton |publisher=Ashgate |contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Making Memory: Jewish and Christian Explorations in Monument, Narrative, and Liturgy |first=Alana |last=Vincent |year=2014 |publisher=James Clarke & Co |isbn=978-0-227-17431-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Byng of Vimy, General and Governor General |last=Williams |first=Jeffery |year=1983 |publisher=Secker & Warburg |location=London |isbn=0-436-57110-2 |ref=harv}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)
* [http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/first-world-war/vimy-ridge/100-anniversary Veterans Affairs Canada - Vimy Ridge 100th anniversary]

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-06-20T20:26:36Z

Labattblueboy: Reverted edits by 216.73.76.49 (talk) to last version by John of Reading

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-13T17:19:15Z

Labattblueboy: Undid revision 775248181 by 72.89.243.137 (talk) unnecessary

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial, only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=NHSC|designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|designation1_date=1996}}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a [[war memorial]] site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[Military history of Canada during World War I|First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First World War killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] eleven years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside the country, the other being the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]].

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, {{convert|8|km|mi|spell=in}} northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately {{convert|7|km|mi|spell=in}} in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point, and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under [[German Empire|German]] control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the [[Allies of World War I|Franco-British]] and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French [[Moroccan Division (France)|1st Moroccan Division]] briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The British [[XVII Corps (United Kingdom)|XVII Corps]] relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds|url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|format=PDF|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=21 August 1916|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British [[IV Corps (United Kingdom)|IV Corps]] stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under [[I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps|I Bavarian Reserve Corps]] commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Divisions captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the [[10th Canadian Infantry Brigade|10th Canadian Brigade]] attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German [[6th Army (German Empire)|Sixth Army]] suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[Prisoner of war#World War I|prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Gibbs|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF|title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans|newspaper=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|format=PDF|date=11 April 1917|accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}

==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone-walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, [[Bourlon Wood Memorial|Bourlon Wood]], [[Le Quesnel Memorial|Le Quesnel]], [[Dury Memorial|Dury]], and [[Courcelette Memorial|Courcelette]] in France and [[Saint Julien Memorial|St. Julien]], [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood)]], and [[Passchendaele Memorial|Passchendaele]] in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee|accessdate=12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement, and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials, and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings, and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web|title=Design Competition|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; the design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade|date=26 February 2002|url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|accessdate=4 January 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|archivedate=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half-finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then Paris, though he eventually set up a studio in [[London]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white [[marble]] for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget [[limestone]]—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927, and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres, and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web|title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle|work=VAC Canada Remembers|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=n.d.|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news|last=Picard|first=Andréa|title=Restoring Loss at Vimy|periodical=Canadian Architect|publication-date=May 2006|url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/|publisher=Business Information Group|accessdate=1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial|date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design, and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made [[pilgrimage]]s to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes, the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}}<ref name="Cook2017">{{cite book|author=Tim Cook|title=Vimy: The Battle and the Legend|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HWFeDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT258|year=2017|publisher=Penguin Canada|isbn=978-0-7352-3317-1|pages=258–261}}</ref> The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy|url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx|accessdate=4 January 2010|date=n.d.|publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag-covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft]]

On 26 July, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President [[Albert François Lebrun|Albert Lebrun]], and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Tim|date=2 April 2017|title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html|work=Toronto Star|location=Toronto|access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news|last=Foot|first=Richard|title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|publication-place=Vancouver|date=4 April 2007|page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]

In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated, [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier|journal=After the Battle|issue=109|publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd.|issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War, very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice, with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the 50th anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares|newspaper=Toronto Star|page=A3|first=Patrick|last=Doyle|date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/|title=Return To The Ridge|date=1 September 1997|magazine=Legion Magazine|first=Tom|last=MacGregor|publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle|publisher=Canadian Press|date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Valpy|title=Setting a legend in stone|url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|location=Toronto|date=7 April 2007|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being [[water damage]].<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode|title=|date=9 April 2007|series=National News|series-link=|first=Tom|last=Kennedy|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge took place at the memorial on 9 April 2017, coincidentally during the [[150th anniversary of Canada]]. Estimates before the event indicated that an audience of up to 30,000 would be present.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html|title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge|date=31 March 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|first=Alicja|last=Siekierska|accessdate=1 April 2017}}</ref> The Mayor of [[Arras]], Frédéric Leturque, thanked Canadians, as well as Australians and British, New Zealanders, and South Africans, for their role in the First World War battles in the area.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/04/09/justin-trudeau-in-france-to-mark-the-100th-anniversary-of-vimy-ridge-2/#.WOpNcfnyvX5| title=Canadian and French leaders pay homage to fallen soldiers at Vimy Ridge |author=The Canadian Press| date=9 April 2017| publisher=National Newswatch Inc| accessdate=7 April 2017}}</ref>

Attending dignitaries for Canada included [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[David Johnston]]; [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]]; [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]]; [[Prince Harry]]; and Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]. [[President of France|President]] [[François Hollande]] and [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Bernard Cazeneuve]] represented France.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39541940| title=Vimy Ridge: Royals commemorate defining WW1 battle| date=9 April 2017| publisher=BBC| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril| title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril| date=25 March 2017| accessdate=1 April 2017| publisher=Le Voix du Nord}}</ref> Elizabeth II issued a statement via the Governor General, remarking "[Canadians] fought courageously and with great ingenuity in winning the strategic high point of Vimy Ridge, though victory came at a heavy cost".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://gg.ca/document.aspx?id=16771&lan=eng| author=Elizabeth II| title=Message from Her Majesty The Queen on the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge| date=9 April 2017| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref>

Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste (France)|La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation| url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps| title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps| publisher=Ottawa Citizen| first=Bruce| last=Deachman| date=22 March 2016| accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete, are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three-walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately {{convert|8|km|abbr=on}} north of Arras, France, circled by the small towns and communes of [[Vimy]] to the east, [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]] to the north, [[Souchez]] to the northwest, [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]] to the south and [[Thélus]] to the southeast. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the [[trench warfare|trench lines]] of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|title=Annual Report 2007–2008|format=PDF|year=2008|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|page=16|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|archivedate=14 June 2011}}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of thesite.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret|title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=22 March 2007|accessdate=14 November 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret|archivedate=13 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide, indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in [[laurel wreath|laurel]] and [[olive branch]]es carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize victory and peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France, and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large [[memorial cross|crosses]] adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments, and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'' by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list, and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web|title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925|location=Paris|publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926|language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx|publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office|title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine|trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division|date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the memorial, campaign battles are inscribed on the left- and right-hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919|publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation|page=10|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|archivedate=19 October 2014|df=dmy}}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[1st Foreign Regiment]] with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment|2nd Foreign Regiment]], both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom|trans-title=Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie|last=Trouillard|date=6 May 2015|publisher=France 24|language=french|url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger|title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger|publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère|trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion|language=french|date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Beaver|title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html|work=[[The Independent]]|date=14 August 1998|accessdate=26 April 2009|location=London}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|accessdate=10 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870|title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=25 November 2015|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/|publisher=Global News|date=14 May 2013|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france|title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France|first=Blair|last=Crawford|date=11 January 2017|accessdate=17 March 2017|publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment poster|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx|title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=2 April 2017|publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/|title=Mission|publisher=Vimy Foundation|accessdate=9 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen|last=Harris|newspaper=[[London Free Press]]|publisher=Sum Media Corp|title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets|date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne|last=Arsenault|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict, and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/|title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate)|date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010|publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue|issue=259|date=March 2011|first=Mick|last=Bister|publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Designing and Constructing|series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|date=5 May 2000|accessdate=8 January 2010|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Memorial, France|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|date=n.d.}}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian [[military awards and decorations|military]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news|title=New military medal to honour combat casualties|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264|date=29 August 2008|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit|url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm|date=January 2004|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Embassy of France in Canada}}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190|accessdate=6 May 2012|publisher=CTV|date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book |last1=Bell |first1=Lynne |last2=Bousfield |first2=Arthur |last3=Toffoli |first3=Gary |title=Queen and Consort:Elizabeth and Philip – 60 Years of Marriage |publisher=Dundurn Press |year=2007 |location=Toronto |isbn=978-1-55002-725-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Boire |first=Michael |title=The Underground War: Military Mining Operations in support of the attack on Vimy Ridge, 9 April 1917 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=15–24 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Boire%20-%20The%20Underground%20War.pdf |accessdate=2 January 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091040/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Boire%20-%20The%20Underground%20War.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy-all}}
* {{cite book |last=Boire |first=Michael |year=2007 |contribution=The Battlefield before the Canadians, 1914–1916 |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=51–61 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Bolling |first=Gordon |contribution=Acts of (Re-)Construction: Traces of Germany in Jane Urquhart's Novel the Stone Carvers |pages=295–318 |title=Refractions of Germany in Canadian Literature and Culture |editor1-last=Antor |editor1-first=Heinz |editor2-last=Brown |editor2-first=Sylvia |editor3-last=Considine |editor3-first=John |editor4-last=Stierstorfer |editor4-first=Klaus |year=2003 |publisher=de Gruyter |location=Berlin |isbn=978-3-11-017666-7 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Borestad |first=Lane |title=Walter Allward: Sculptor and Architect of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |pages=23–38 |journal=Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |volume=33 |issue=1 |publisher=Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |date=2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |first=Laura |last=Brandon |contribution=Canvas of War |title=Canada and the Great War: Western Front Association Papers |editor-last=Busch |editor-first=Briton Cooper |year=2003 |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |location=Montreal |isbn=0-7735-2570-X |ref=harv |pages=203–215}}
* {{cite book |title=Art or Memorial? : The Forgotten History of Canada's War Art |last=Brandon |first=Laura |year=2006 |publisher=University of Calgary Press |location=Calgary |isbn=1-55238-178-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Brown |first=Eric |last2=Cook |first2=Tim |title=The 1936 Vimy Pilgrimage |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=33–54 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 2011 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Campbell |first=David |year=2007 |contribution=The 2nd Canadian Division: A 'Most Spectacular Battle' |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=171–192 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |last=Cavell |first=Richard |editor-last=Sugars |editor-first=Cynthia |title=Remembering Canada: The Politics of Cultural Memory |encyclopedia=The Oxford Handbook of Canadian Literature |year=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-994186-5 |pages=64–79 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Cook |first=Tim |year=2007 |contribution=The Gunners of Vimy Ridge: 'We are Hammering Fritz to Pieces' |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=105–124 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Race, Empire and First World War Writing |first=Santanu |last=Das |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-521-50984-8 |year=2011 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Doughty |first=Robert A. |title=Pyrrhic Victory: French Strategy and Operation in the Great War |year=2005 | publisher=Belknap Press |publication-place=Cambridge and London |isbn=0-674-01880-X |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Duffy |first=Denis |title=Complexity and contradiction in Canadian public sculpture: the case of Walter Allward |journal=American Review of Canadian Studies |volume=38 |issue=2 |pages=189–206 |publisher=Routledge |date=2008 |doi=10.1080/02722010809481708 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Durflinger |first=Serge |year=2007 |contribution=Safeguarding Sanctity: Canada and the Vimy Memorial during the Second World War |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=291–305 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Evans |first=Suzanne |date=9 February 2007 |title=Mothers of Heroes, Mothers of Martyrs: World War I and the Politics of Grief |location=Montreal |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |isbn=0773531882 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country |last=Fabijančić |first=Tony |year=2003 |publisher=University of Alberta |isbn=0-88864-397-7 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=The Silent General: A Biography of Haig's Trusted Great War Comrade-in-Arms |last=Farr |first=Don |year=2007 |publisher=Helion & Company Limited |location=Solihull |isbn=978-1-874622-99-4 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Godefroy |first=Andrew |authorlink=Andrew Godefroy |year=2007 |contribution=The German Army at Vimy Ridge |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=225–238 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Hayes |first=Geoffrey |year=2007 |contribution=The 3rd Canadian Division: Forgotten Victory |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=193–210 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Canada at War, 1914–1918: A Record of Heroism and Achievement |last=Hopkins |first=J. Castell |year=1919 |publisher=Canadian Annual Review |location=Toronto |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Hucker |first=Jacqueline |year=2007 |contribution=The Meaning and Significance of the Vimy Monument |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=279–290 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Hucker |first=Jacqueline |title=Vimy: A Monument for the Modern World |pages=39–48 |journal=Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |volume=33 |issue=1 |publisher=Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |date=2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Humphries |first=Mark Osborne |year=2007 |contribution='Old Wine in New Bottles': A Comparison of British and Canadian Preparations for the Battle of Arras |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=65–85 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Inglis |first=Dave |title=Vimy Ridge: 1917–1992, A Canadian Myth over Seventy Five Years |year=1995 |publisher=Simon Fraser University |location=Burnaby |url=http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/6687/b17448906.pdf |accessdate=22 May 2013 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Battlefield tourism: pilgrimage and the commemoration of the Great War in Britain, Australia and Canada, 1919–1939 |last=Lloyd |first=David |year=1998 |publisher=Berg Publishing |location=Oxford |isbn=1-85973-174-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Canada at Vimy |last=MacIntyre |first=Duncan E. |year=1967 |publisher=Peter Martin Associates |location=Toronto |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Moran |first=Heather |year=2007 |contribution=The Canadian Army Medical Corps at Vimy Ridge |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=139–154 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=Desmond |first2=Glenn |last2=Wright |title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1962 |publisher=Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location=Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=1 January 2007 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title="We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location=Ottawa |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy}}
* {{cite book |title=ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide |last=Pedersen |first=Peter |year=2012 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |location=New York |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Prost |first=Antoine |year=1997 |contribution=Monuments to the Dead |editor-last=Nora |editor-first=Pierre |editor2-last=Kritzman |editor2-first=Lawrence |editor3-last=Goldhammer |editor3-first=Arthur |title=Realms of memory: the construction of the French past |publication-place=New York |publisher=Columbia University Press |pages=307–332 |isbn=0-231-10634-3 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Geology and Warfare: Examples of the Influence of Terrain and Geologists on Military Operations |last1=Rose |first1=Edward |first2=Paul |last2=Nathanail |year=2000 |publisher=Geological Society |location=London |isbn=0-85052-463-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Command or Control?: Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888–1918 |last=Samuels |first=Mart |year=1996 |publisher=Frank Cass |location=Portland |isbn=0-7146-4570-2 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Saunders |first=Nicholas |title=Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001 |journal=Antiquity |volume=76 |issue=291 |pages=101–108 |publisher=Portland Press |year=2002 |ref=Saunders}}
* {{cite book |title=The German Army on Vimy Ridge 1914–1917 |last=Sheldon |first=Jack |year=2008 |publisher=Pen & Sword Military |location=Barnsley (UK) |isbn=978-1-84415-680-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Simkins |first1=Peter |last2=Jukes |first2=Geoffrey |last3=Hickey |first3=Michael |title=The First World War: The Western Front, 1917–1918 |year=2002 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84176-348-4 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Smith |first=Julian |title=Restoring Vimy: The Challenges of Confronting Emerging Modernism |pages=49–56 |journal=Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |volume=33 |issue=1 |publisher=Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |date=2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |first=Denise |last=Thomson |title=National Sorrow, National Pride: Commemoration of War in Canada, 1918–1945 |journal=Journal of Canadian Studies |date=Winter 1995–1996 |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=5–27 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=The European powers in the First World War: an encyclopedia |editor-last=Tucker |editor-first=Spencer |year=1996 |publisher=Garland Publishing |location=New York |isbn=0-8153-0399-8 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Vimy Ridge 1917: Byng's Canadians Triumph at Arras |last=Turner |first=Alexander |year=2005 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=London |isbn=1-84176-871-5 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning, and the First World War |last=Vance |first=Jonathan Franklin |year=1997 |publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver |isbn=0-7748-0600-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{citation |chapter=Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians ... From Africa to the Artois |first=Philippe |last=Vincent-Chaissac |publisher=L'Echo du Pas-de-Calais |title=They Came from Across the Globe |p=3 |chapter-url=http://memoire.pas-de-calais.com/images/_uk/pdf-nationalites/marocain.pdf |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Literature and Theology: New Interdisciplinary Spaces |year=2011 |editor-first=Heather |editor-last=Walton |publisher=Ashgate |contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Making Memory: Jewish and Christian Explorations in Monument, Narrative, and Liturgy |first=Alana |last=Vincent |year=2014 |publisher=James Clarke & Co |isbn=978-0-227-17431-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Byng of Vimy, General and Governor General |last=Williams |first=Jeffery |year=1983 |publisher=Secker & Warburg |location=London |isbn=0-436-57110-2 |ref=harv}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)
* [http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/first-world-war/vimy-ridge/100-anniversary Veterans Affairs Canada - Vimy Ridge 100th anniversary]

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-13T15:32:59Z

Labattblueboy: /* Site */ no citation for size of circle

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial, only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=NHSC|designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|designation1_date=1996}}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a [[war memorial]] site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[Military history of Canada during World War I|First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First World War killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] eleven years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside the country, the other being the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]].

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, {{convert|8|km|mi|spell=in}} northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately {{convert|7|km|mi|spell=in}} in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point, and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under [[German Empire|German]] control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the [[Allies of World War I|Franco-British]] and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French [[Moroccan Division (France)|1st Moroccan Division]] briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The British [[XVII Corps (United Kingdom)|XVII Corps]] relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds|url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|format=PDF|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=21 August 1916|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British [[IV Corps (United Kingdom)|IV Corps]] stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under [[I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps|I Bavarian Reserve Corps]] commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Divisions captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the [[10th Canadian Infantry Brigade|10th Canadian Brigade]] attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German [[6th Army (German Empire)|Sixth Army]] suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[Prisoner of war#World War I|prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Gibbs|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF|title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans|newspaper=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|format=PDF|date=11 April 1917|accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}

==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone-walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, [[Bourlon Wood Memorial|Bourlon Wood]], [[Le Quesnel Memorial|Le Quesnel]], [[Dury Memorial|Dury]], and [[Courcelette Memorial|Courcelette]] in France and [[Saint Julien Memorial|St. Julien]], [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood)]], and [[Passchendaele Memorial|Passchendaele]] in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee|accessdate=12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement, and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials, and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings, and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web|title=Design Competition|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; the design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade|date=26 February 2002|url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|accessdate=4 January 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|archivedate=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half-finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then Paris, though he eventually set up a studio in [[London]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white [[marble]] for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget [[limestone]]—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927, and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres, and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web|title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle|work=VAC Canada Remembers|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=n.d.|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news|last=Picard|first=Andréa|title=Restoring Loss at Vimy|periodical=Canadian Architect|publication-date=May 2006|url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/|publisher=Business Information Group|accessdate=1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial|date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design, and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made [[pilgrimage]]s to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes, the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}}<ref name="Cook2017">{{cite book|author=Tim Cook|title=Vimy: The Battle and the Legend|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HWFeDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT258|year=2017|publisher=Penguin Canada|isbn=978-0-7352-3317-1|pages=258–261}}</ref> The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy|url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx|accessdate=4 January 2010|date=n.d.|publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag-covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft]]

On 26 July, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President [[Albert François Lebrun|Albert Lebrun]], and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Tim|date=2 April 2017|title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html|work=Toronto Star|location=Toronto|access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news|last=Foot|first=Richard|title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|publication-place=Vancouver|date=4 April 2007|page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]

In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated, [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier|journal=After the Battle|issue=109|publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd.|issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War, very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice, with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the 50th anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares|newspaper=Toronto Star|page=A3|first=Patrick|last=Doyle|date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/|title=Return To The Ridge|date=1 September 1997|magazine=Legion Magazine|first=Tom|last=MacGregor|publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle|publisher=Canadian Press|date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Valpy|title=Setting a legend in stone|url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|location=Toronto|date=7 April 2007|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being [[water damage]].<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode|title=|date=9 April 2007|series=National News|series-link=|first=Tom|last=Kennedy|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge took place at the memorial on 9 April 2017, coincidentally during the [[150th anniversary of Canada]]. Estimates before the event indicated that an audience of up to 30,000 would be present.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html|title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge|date=31 March 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|first=Alicja|last=Siekierska|accessdate=1 April 2017}}</ref> The Mayor of [[Arras]], Frédéric Leturque, thanked Canadians, as well as Australians and British, New Zealanders, and South Africans, for their role in the First World War battles in the area.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/04/09/justin-trudeau-in-france-to-mark-the-100th-anniversary-of-vimy-ridge-2/#.WOpNcfnyvX5| title=Canadian and French leaders pay homage to fallen soldiers at Vimy Ridge |author=The Canadian Press| date=9 April 2017| publisher=National Newswatch Inc| accessdate=7 April 2017}}</ref>

Attending dignitaries for Canada included [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[David Johnston]]; [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]]; [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]]; [[Prince Harry]]; and Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]. [[President of France|President]] [[François Hollande]] and [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Bernard Cazeneuve]] represented France.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39541940| title=Vimy Ridge: Royals commemorate defining WW1 battle| date=9 April 2017| publisher=BBC| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril| title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril| date=25 March 2017| accessdate=1 April 2017| publisher=Le Voix du Nord}}</ref> Elizabeth II issued a statement via the Governor General, remarking "[Canadians] fought courageously and with great ingenuity in winning the strategic high point of Vimy Ridge, though victory came at a heavy cost".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://gg.ca/document.aspx?id=16771&lan=eng| author=Elizabeth II| title=Message from Her Majesty The Queen on the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge| date=9 April 2017| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref>

Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste (France)|La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation| url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps| title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps| publisher=Ottawa Citizen| first=Bruce| last=Deachman| date=22 March 2016| accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete, are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three-walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately {{convert|8|km|abbr=on}} north of Arras, France, circled by the small towns and communes of [[Vimy]] to the east, [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]] to the north, [[Souchez]] to the northwest, [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]] to the south and [[Thélus]] to the southeast. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the [[trench warfare|trench lines]] of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|title=Annual Report 2007–2008|format=PDF|year=2008|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|page=16|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|archivedate=14 June 2011}}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of thesite.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret|title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=22 March 2007|accessdate=14 November 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret|archivedate=13 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide, indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in [[laurel wreath|laurel]] and [[olive branch]]es carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize victory and peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France, and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large [[memorial cross|crosses]] adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments, and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'' by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list, and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web|title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925|location=Paris|publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926|language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx|publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office|title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine|trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division|date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the memorial, campaign battles are inscribed on the left- and right-hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919|publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation|page=10|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|archivedate=19 October 2014|df=dmy}}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[1st Foreign Regiment]] with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment|2nd Foreign Regiment]], both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom|trans-title=Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie|last=Trouillard|date=6 May 2015|publisher=France 24|language=french|url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger|title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger|publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère|trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion|language=french|date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Beaver|title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html|work=[[The Independent]]|date=14 August 1998|accessdate=26 April 2009|location=London}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|accessdate=10 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870|title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=25 November 2015|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/|publisher=Global News|date=14 May 2013|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france|title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France|first=Blair|last=Crawford|date=11 January 2017|accessdate=17 March 2017|publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment poster|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx|title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=2 April 2017|publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/|title=Mission|publisher=Vimy Foundation|accessdate=9 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen|last=Harris|newspaper=[[London Free Press]]|publisher=Sum Media Corp|title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets|date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne|last=Arsenault|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict, and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/|title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate)|date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010|publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue|issue=259|date=March 2011|first=Mick|last=Bister|publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Designing and Constructing|series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|date=5 May 2000|accessdate=8 January 2010|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Memorial, France|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|date=n.d.}}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian [[military awards and decorations|military]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news|title=New military medal to honour combat casualties|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264|date=29 August 2008|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit|url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm|date=January 2004|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Embassy of France in Canada}}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190|accessdate=6 May 2012|publisher=CTV|date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book |last=Inglis |first=Dave |title=Vimy Ridge: 1917–1992, A Canadian Myth over Seventy Five Years |year=1995 |publisher=Simon Fraser University |location=Burnaby |url=http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/6687/b17448906.pdf |accessdate=22 May 2013 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Battlefield tourism: pilgrimage and the commemoration of the Great War in Britain, Australia and Canada, 1919–1939 |last=Lloyd |first=David |year=1998 |publisher=Berg Publishing |location=Oxford |isbn=1-85973-174-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Canada at Vimy |last=MacIntyre |first=Duncan E. |year=1967 |publisher=Peter Martin Associates |location=Toronto |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Moran |first=Heather |year=2007 |contribution=The Canadian Army Medical Corps at Vimy Ridge |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=139–154 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=Desmond |first2=Glenn |last2=Wright |title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1962 |publisher=Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location=Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=1 January 2007 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title="We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location=Ottawa |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy}}
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* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
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* {{cite book |title=Command or Control?: Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888–1918 |last=Samuels |first=Mart |year=1996 |publisher=Frank Cass |location=Portland |isbn=0-7146-4570-2 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Saunders |first=Nicholas |title=Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001 |journal=Antiquity |volume=76 |issue=291 |pages=101–108 |publisher=Portland Press |year=2002 |ref=Saunders}}
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{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)
* [http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/first-world-war/vimy-ridge/100-anniversary Veterans Affairs Canada - Vimy Ridge 100th anniversary]

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-13T15:11:52Z

Labattblueboy: /* Site */ no source provided for statement that all towns are visible, so statement removed

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial, only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=NHSC|designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|designation1_date=1996}}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a [[war memorial]] site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[Military history of Canada during World War I|First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First World War killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] eleven years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside the country, the other being the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]].

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, {{convert|8|km|mi|spell=in}} northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately {{convert|7|km|mi|spell=in}} in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point, and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under [[German Empire|German]] control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the [[Allies of World War I|Franco-British]] and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French [[Moroccan Division (France)|1st Moroccan Division]] briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The British [[XVII Corps (United Kingdom)|XVII Corps]] relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds|url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|format=PDF|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=21 August 1916|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British [[IV Corps (United Kingdom)|IV Corps]] stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under [[I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps|I Bavarian Reserve Corps]] commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Divisions captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the [[10th Canadian Infantry Brigade|10th Canadian Brigade]] attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German [[6th Army (German Empire)|Sixth Army]] suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[Prisoner of war#World War I|prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Gibbs|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF|title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans|newspaper=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|format=PDF|date=11 April 1917|accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}

==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone-walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, [[Bourlon Wood Memorial|Bourlon Wood]], [[Le Quesnel Memorial|Le Quesnel]], [[Dury Memorial|Dury]], and [[Courcelette Memorial|Courcelette]] in France and [[Saint Julien Memorial|St. Julien]], [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood)]], and [[Passchendaele Memorial|Passchendaele]] in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee|accessdate=12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement, and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials, and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings, and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web|title=Design Competition|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; the design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade|date=26 February 2002|url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|accessdate=4 January 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|archivedate=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half-finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then Paris, though he eventually set up a studio in [[London]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white [[marble]] for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget [[limestone]]—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927, and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres, and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web|title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle|work=VAC Canada Remembers|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=n.d.|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news|last=Picard|first=Andréa|title=Restoring Loss at Vimy|periodical=Canadian Architect|publication-date=May 2006|url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/|publisher=Business Information Group|accessdate=1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial|date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design, and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made [[pilgrimage]]s to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes, the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}}<ref name="Cook2017">{{cite book|author=Tim Cook|title=Vimy: The Battle and the Legend|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HWFeDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT258|year=2017|publisher=Penguin Canada|isbn=978-0-7352-3317-1|pages=258–261}}</ref> The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy|url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx|accessdate=4 January 2010|date=n.d.|publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag-covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft]]

On 26 July, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President [[Albert François Lebrun|Albert Lebrun]], and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Tim|date=2 April 2017|title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html|work=Toronto Star|location=Toronto|access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news|last=Foot|first=Richard|title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|publication-place=Vancouver|date=4 April 2007|page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]

In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated, [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier|journal=After the Battle|issue=109|publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd.|issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War, very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice, with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the 50th anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares|newspaper=Toronto Star|page=A3|first=Patrick|last=Doyle|date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/|title=Return To The Ridge|date=1 September 1997|magazine=Legion Magazine|first=Tom|last=MacGregor|publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle|publisher=Canadian Press|date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Valpy|title=Setting a legend in stone|url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|location=Toronto|date=7 April 2007|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being [[water damage]].<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode|title=|date=9 April 2007|series=National News|series-link=|first=Tom|last=Kennedy|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge took place at the memorial on 9 April 2017, coincidentally during the [[150th anniversary of Canada]]. Estimates before the event indicated that an audience of up to 30,000 would be present.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html|title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge|date=31 March 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|first=Alicja|last=Siekierska|accessdate=1 April 2017}}</ref> The Mayor of [[Arras]], Frédéric Leturque, thanked Canadians, as well as Australians and British, New Zealanders, and South Africans, for their role in the First World War battles in the area.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/04/09/justin-trudeau-in-france-to-mark-the-100th-anniversary-of-vimy-ridge-2/#.WOpNcfnyvX5| title=Canadian and French leaders pay homage to fallen soldiers at Vimy Ridge |author=The Canadian Press| date=9 April 2017| publisher=National Newswatch Inc| accessdate=7 April 2017}}</ref>

Attending dignitaries for Canada included [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[David Johnston]]; [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]]; [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]]; [[Prince Harry]]; and Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]. [[President of France|President]] [[François Hollande]] and [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Bernard Cazeneuve]] represented France.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39541940| title=Vimy Ridge: Royals commemorate defining WW1 battle| date=9 April 2017| publisher=BBC| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril| title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril| date=25 March 2017| accessdate=1 April 2017| publisher=Le Voix du Nord}}</ref> Elizabeth II issued a statement via the Governor General, remarking "[Canadians] fought courageously and with great ingenuity in winning the strategic high point of Vimy Ridge, though victory came at a heavy cost".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://gg.ca/document.aspx?id=16771&lan=eng| author=Elizabeth II| title=Message from Her Majesty The Queen on the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge| date=9 April 2017| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref>

Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste (France)|La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation| url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps| title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps| publisher=Ottawa Citizen| first=Bruce| last=Deachman| date=22 March 2016| accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete, are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three-walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately {{convert|8|km|abbr=on}} north of Arras, France, circled in a broken {{convert|16.5|km|abbr=on}} line by the small towns and communes of [[Vimy]] to the east, [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]] to the north, [[Souchez]] to the northwest, [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]] to the south and [[Thélus]] to the southeast. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the [[trench warfare|trench lines]] of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|title=Annual Report 2007–2008|format=PDF|year=2008|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|page=16|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|archivedate=14 June 2011}}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of thesite.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret|title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=22 March 2007|accessdate=14 November 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret|archivedate=13 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide, indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in [[laurel wreath|laurel]] and [[olive branch]]es carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize victory and peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France, and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large [[memorial cross|crosses]] adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments, and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'' by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list, and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web|title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925|location=Paris|publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926|language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx|publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office|title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine|trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division|date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the memorial, campaign battles are inscribed on the left- and right-hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919|publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation|page=10|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|archivedate=19 October 2014|df=dmy}}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[1st Foreign Regiment]] with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment|2nd Foreign Regiment]], both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom|trans-title=Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie|last=Trouillard|date=6 May 2015|publisher=France 24|language=french|url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger|title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger|publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère|trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion|language=french|date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Beaver|title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html|work=[[The Independent]]|date=14 August 1998|accessdate=26 April 2009|location=London}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|accessdate=10 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870|title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=25 November 2015|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/|publisher=Global News|date=14 May 2013|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france|title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France|first=Blair|last=Crawford|date=11 January 2017|accessdate=17 March 2017|publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment poster|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx|title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=2 April 2017|publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/|title=Mission|publisher=Vimy Foundation|accessdate=9 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen|last=Harris|newspaper=[[London Free Press]]|publisher=Sum Media Corp|title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets|date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne|last=Arsenault|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict, and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/|title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate)|date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010|publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue|issue=259|date=March 2011|first=Mick|last=Bister|publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Designing and Constructing|series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|date=5 May 2000|accessdate=8 January 2010|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Memorial, France|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|date=n.d.}}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian [[military awards and decorations|military]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news|title=New military medal to honour combat casualties|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264|date=29 August 2008|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit|url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm|date=January 2004|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Embassy of France in Canada}}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190|accessdate=6 May 2012|publisher=CTV|date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
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* {{cite book |title=Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning, and the First World War |last=Vance |first=Jonathan Franklin |year=1997 |publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver |isbn=0-7748-0600-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{citation |chapter=Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians ... From Africa to the Artois |first=Philippe |last=Vincent-Chaissac |publisher=L'Echo du Pas-de-Calais |title=They Came from Across the Globe |p=3 |chapter-url=http://memoire.pas-de-calais.com/images/_uk/pdf-nationalites/marocain.pdf |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Literature and Theology: New Interdisciplinary Spaces |year=2011 |editor-first=Heather |editor-last=Walton |publisher=Ashgate |contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Making Memory: Jewish and Christian Explorations in Monument, Narrative, and Liturgy |first=Alana |last=Vincent |year=2014 |publisher=James Clarke & Co |isbn=978-0-227-17431-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Byng of Vimy, General and Governor General |last=Williams |first=Jeffery |year=1983 |publisher=Secker & Warburg |location=London |isbn=0-436-57110-2 |ref=harv}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)
* [http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/first-world-war/vimy-ridge/100-anniversary Veterans Affairs Canada - Vimy Ridge 100th anniversary]

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-13T15:09:15Z

Labattblueboy: /* Site */ google maps is not an appropriate source

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial, only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=NHSC|designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|designation1_date=1996}}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a [[war memorial]] site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[Military history of Canada during World War I|First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First World War killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] eleven years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside the country, the other being the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]].

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, {{convert|8|km|mi|spell=in}} northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately {{convert|7|km|mi|spell=in}} in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point, and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under [[German Empire|German]] control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the [[Allies of World War I|Franco-British]] and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French [[Moroccan Division (France)|1st Moroccan Division]] briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The British [[XVII Corps (United Kingdom)|XVII Corps]] relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds|url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|format=PDF|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=21 August 1916|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British [[IV Corps (United Kingdom)|IV Corps]] stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under [[I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps|I Bavarian Reserve Corps]] commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Divisions captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the [[10th Canadian Infantry Brigade|10th Canadian Brigade]] attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German [[6th Army (German Empire)|Sixth Army]] suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[Prisoner of war#World War I|prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Gibbs|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF|title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans|newspaper=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|format=PDF|date=11 April 1917|accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}

==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone-walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, [[Bourlon Wood Memorial|Bourlon Wood]], [[Le Quesnel Memorial|Le Quesnel]], [[Dury Memorial|Dury]], and [[Courcelette Memorial|Courcelette]] in France and [[Saint Julien Memorial|St. Julien]], [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood)]], and [[Passchendaele Memorial|Passchendaele]] in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee|accessdate=12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement, and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials, and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings, and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web|title=Design Competition|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; the design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade|date=26 February 2002|url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|accessdate=4 January 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|archivedate=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half-finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then Paris, though he eventually set up a studio in [[London]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white [[marble]] for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget [[limestone]]—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927, and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres, and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web|title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle|work=VAC Canada Remembers|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=n.d.|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news|last=Picard|first=Andréa|title=Restoring Loss at Vimy|periodical=Canadian Architect|publication-date=May 2006|url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/|publisher=Business Information Group|accessdate=1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial|date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design, and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made [[pilgrimage]]s to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes, the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}}<ref name="Cook2017">{{cite book|author=Tim Cook|title=Vimy: The Battle and the Legend|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HWFeDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT258|year=2017|publisher=Penguin Canada|isbn=978-0-7352-3317-1|pages=258–261}}</ref> The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy|url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx|accessdate=4 January 2010|date=n.d.|publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag-covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft]]

On 26 July, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President [[Albert François Lebrun|Albert Lebrun]], and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Tim|date=2 April 2017|title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html|work=Toronto Star|location=Toronto|access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news|last=Foot|first=Richard|title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|publication-place=Vancouver|date=4 April 2007|page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]

In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated, [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier|journal=After the Battle|issue=109|publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd.|issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War, very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice, with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the 50th anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares|newspaper=Toronto Star|page=A3|first=Patrick|last=Doyle|date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/|title=Return To The Ridge|date=1 September 1997|magazine=Legion Magazine|first=Tom|last=MacGregor|publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle|publisher=Canadian Press|date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Valpy|title=Setting a legend in stone|url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|location=Toronto|date=7 April 2007|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being [[water damage]].<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode|title=|date=9 April 2007|series=National News|series-link=|first=Tom|last=Kennedy|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge took place at the memorial on 9 April 2017, coincidentally during the [[150th anniversary of Canada]]. Estimates before the event indicated that an audience of up to 30,000 would be present.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html|title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge|date=31 March 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|first=Alicja|last=Siekierska|accessdate=1 April 2017}}</ref> The Mayor of [[Arras]], Frédéric Leturque, thanked Canadians, as well as Australians and British, New Zealanders, and South Africans, for their role in the First World War battles in the area.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/04/09/justin-trudeau-in-france-to-mark-the-100th-anniversary-of-vimy-ridge-2/#.WOpNcfnyvX5| title=Canadian and French leaders pay homage to fallen soldiers at Vimy Ridge |author=The Canadian Press| date=9 April 2017| publisher=National Newswatch Inc| accessdate=7 April 2017}}</ref>

Attending dignitaries for Canada included [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[David Johnston]]; [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]]; [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]]; [[Prince Harry]]; and Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]. [[President of France|President]] [[François Hollande]] and [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Bernard Cazeneuve]] represented France.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39541940| title=Vimy Ridge: Royals commemorate defining WW1 battle| date=9 April 2017| publisher=BBC| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril| title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril| date=25 March 2017| accessdate=1 April 2017| publisher=Le Voix du Nord}}</ref> Elizabeth II issued a statement via the Governor General, remarking "[Canadians] fought courageously and with great ingenuity in winning the strategic high point of Vimy Ridge, though victory came at a heavy cost".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://gg.ca/document.aspx?id=16771&lan=eng| author=Elizabeth II| title=Message from Her Majesty The Queen on the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge| date=9 April 2017| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref>

Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste (France)|La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation| url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps| title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps| publisher=Ottawa Citizen| first=Bruce| last=Deachman| date=22 March 2016| accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete, are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three-walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately {{convert|8|km|abbr=on}} north of Arras, France, circled in a broken {{convert|16.5|km|abbr=on}} line by the small towns and communes of [[Vimy]] to the east, [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]] to the north, [[Souchez]] to the northwest, [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]] to the south and [[Thélus]] to the southeast – all visible from the elevation of the Memorial. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the [[trench warfare|trench lines]] of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|title=Annual Report 2007–2008|format=PDF|year=2008|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|page=16|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|archivedate=14 June 2011}}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of thesite.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret|title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=22 March 2007|accessdate=14 November 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret|archivedate=13 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide, indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in [[laurel wreath|laurel]] and [[olive branch]]es carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize victory and peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France, and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large [[memorial cross|crosses]] adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments, and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'' by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list, and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web|title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925|location=Paris|publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926|language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx|publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office|title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine|trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division|date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the memorial, campaign battles are inscribed on the left- and right-hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919|publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation|page=10|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|archivedate=19 October 2014|df=dmy}}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[1st Foreign Regiment]] with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment|2nd Foreign Regiment]], both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom|trans-title=Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie|last=Trouillard|date=6 May 2015|publisher=France 24|language=french|url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger|title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger|publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère|trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion|language=french|date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Beaver|title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html|work=[[The Independent]]|date=14 August 1998|accessdate=26 April 2009|location=London}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|accessdate=10 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870|title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=25 November 2015|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/|publisher=Global News|date=14 May 2013|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france|title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France|first=Blair|last=Crawford|date=11 January 2017|accessdate=17 March 2017|publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment poster|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx|title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=2 April 2017|publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/|title=Mission|publisher=Vimy Foundation|accessdate=9 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen|last=Harris|newspaper=[[London Free Press]]|publisher=Sum Media Corp|title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets|date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne|last=Arsenault|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict, and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/|title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate)|date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010|publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue|issue=259|date=March 2011|first=Mick|last=Bister|publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Designing and Constructing|series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|date=5 May 2000|accessdate=8 January 2010|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Memorial, France|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|date=n.d.}}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian [[military awards and decorations|military]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news|title=New military medal to honour combat casualties|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264|date=29 August 2008|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit|url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm|date=January 2004|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Embassy of France in Canada}}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190|accessdate=6 May 2012|publisher=CTV|date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book |title=The Silent General: A Biography of Haig's Trusted Great War Comrade-in-Arms |last=Farr |first=Don |year=2007 |publisher=Helion & Company Limited |location=Solihull |isbn=978-1-874622-99-4 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Godefroy |first=Andrew |authorlink=Andrew Godefroy |year=2007 |contribution=The German Army at Vimy Ridge |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=225–238 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Hayes |first=Geoffrey |year=2007 |contribution=The 3rd Canadian Division: Forgotten Victory |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=193–210 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Canada at War, 1914–1918: A Record of Heroism and Achievement |last=Hopkins |first=J. Castell |year=1919 |publisher=Canadian Annual Review |location=Toronto |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Hucker |first=Jacqueline |year=2007 |contribution=The Meaning and Significance of the Vimy Monument |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=279–290 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Hucker |first=Jacqueline |title=Vimy: A Monument for the Modern World |pages=39–48 |journal=Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |volume=33 |issue=1 |publisher=Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |date=2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Humphries |first=Mark Osborne |year=2007 |contribution='Old Wine in New Bottles': A Comparison of British and Canadian Preparations for the Battle of Arras |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=65–85 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Inglis |first=Dave |title=Vimy Ridge: 1917–1992, A Canadian Myth over Seventy Five Years |year=1995 |publisher=Simon Fraser University |location=Burnaby |url=http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/6687/b17448906.pdf |accessdate=22 May 2013 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Battlefield tourism: pilgrimage and the commemoration of the Great War in Britain, Australia and Canada, 1919–1939 |last=Lloyd |first=David |year=1998 |publisher=Berg Publishing |location=Oxford |isbn=1-85973-174-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Canada at Vimy |last=MacIntyre |first=Duncan E. |year=1967 |publisher=Peter Martin Associates |location=Toronto |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Moran |first=Heather |year=2007 |contribution=The Canadian Army Medical Corps at Vimy Ridge |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=139–154 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=Desmond |first2=Glenn |last2=Wright |title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1962 |publisher=Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location=Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=1 January 2007 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title="We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location=Ottawa |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy}}
* {{cite book |title=ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide |last=Pedersen |first=Peter |year=2012 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |location=New York |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Prost |first=Antoine |year=1997 |contribution=Monuments to the Dead |editor-last=Nora |editor-first=Pierre |editor2-last=Kritzman |editor2-first=Lawrence |editor3-last=Goldhammer |editor3-first=Arthur |title=Realms of memory: the construction of the French past |publication-place=New York |publisher=Columbia University Press |pages=307–332 |isbn=0-231-10634-3 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Geology and Warfare: Examples of the Influence of Terrain and Geologists on Military Operations |last1=Rose |first1=Edward |first2=Paul |last2=Nathanail |year=2000 |publisher=Geological Society |location=London |isbn=0-85052-463-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Command or Control?: Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888–1918 |last=Samuels |first=Mart |year=1996 |publisher=Frank Cass |location=Portland |isbn=0-7146-4570-2 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Saunders |first=Nicholas |title=Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001 |journal=Antiquity |volume=76 |issue=291 |pages=101–108 |publisher=Portland Press |year=2002 |ref=Saunders}}
* {{cite book |title=The German Army on Vimy Ridge 1914–1917 |last=Sheldon |first=Jack |year=2008 |publisher=Pen & Sword Military |location=Barnsley (UK) |isbn=978-1-84415-680-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Simkins |first1=Peter |last2=Jukes |first2=Geoffrey |last3=Hickey |first3=Michael |title=The First World War: The Western Front, 1917–1918 |year=2002 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84176-348-4 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Smith |first=Julian |title=Restoring Vimy: The Challenges of Confronting Emerging Modernism |pages=49–56 |journal=Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |volume=33 |issue=1 |publisher=Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |date=2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |first=Denise |last=Thomson |title=National Sorrow, National Pride: Commemoration of War in Canada, 1918–1945 |journal=Journal of Canadian Studies |date=Winter 1995–1996 |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=5–27 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=The European powers in the First World War: an encyclopedia |editor-last=Tucker |editor-first=Spencer |year=1996 |publisher=Garland Publishing |location=New York |isbn=0-8153-0399-8 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Vimy Ridge 1917: Byng's Canadians Triumph at Arras |last=Turner |first=Alexander |year=2005 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=London |isbn=1-84176-871-5 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning, and the First World War |last=Vance |first=Jonathan Franklin |year=1997 |publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver |isbn=0-7748-0600-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{citation |chapter=Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians ... From Africa to the Artois |first=Philippe |last=Vincent-Chaissac |publisher=L'Echo du Pas-de-Calais |title=They Came from Across the Globe |p=3 |chapter-url=http://memoire.pas-de-calais.com/images/_uk/pdf-nationalites/marocain.pdf |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Literature and Theology: New Interdisciplinary Spaces |year=2011 |editor-first=Heather |editor-last=Walton |publisher=Ashgate |contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Making Memory: Jewish and Christian Explorations in Monument, Narrative, and Liturgy |first=Alana |last=Vincent |year=2014 |publisher=James Clarke & Co |isbn=978-0-227-17431-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Byng of Vimy, General and Governor General |last=Williams |first=Jeffery |year=1983 |publisher=Secker & Warburg |location=London |isbn=0-436-57110-2 |ref=harv}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)
* [http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/first-world-war/vimy-ridge/100-anniversary Veterans Affairs Canada - Vimy Ridge 100th anniversary]

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-13T15:04:53Z

Labattblueboy: Undid revision 774835433 by Jmg38 (talk) not per source employed

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial, only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=NHSC|designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|designation1_date=1996}}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a [[war memorial]] site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[Military history of Canada during World War I|First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First World War killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] eleven years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside the country, the other being the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]].

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, {{convert|8|km|mi|spell=in}} northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately {{convert|7|km|mi|spell=in}} in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point, and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under [[German Empire|German]] control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the [[Allies of World War I|Franco-British]] and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French [[Moroccan Division (France)|1st Moroccan Division]] briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The British [[XVII Corps (United Kingdom)|XVII Corps]] relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds|url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|format=PDF|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=21 August 1916|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British [[IV Corps (United Kingdom)|IV Corps]] stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under [[I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps|I Bavarian Reserve Corps]] commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Divisions captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the [[10th Canadian Infantry Brigade|10th Canadian Brigade]] attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German [[6th Army (German Empire)|Sixth Army]] suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[Prisoner of war#World War I|prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Gibbs|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF|title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans|newspaper=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|format=PDF|date=11 April 1917|accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}

==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone-walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, [[Bourlon Wood Memorial|Bourlon Wood]], [[Le Quesnel Memorial|Le Quesnel]], [[Dury Memorial|Dury]], and [[Courcelette Memorial|Courcelette]] in France and [[Saint Julien Memorial|St. Julien]], [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood)]], and [[Passchendaele Memorial|Passchendaele]] in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee|accessdate=12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement, and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials, and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings, and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web|title=Design Competition|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; the design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade|date=26 February 2002|url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|accessdate=4 January 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|archivedate=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half-finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then Paris, though he eventually set up a studio in [[London]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white [[marble]] for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget [[limestone]]—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927, and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres, and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web|title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle|work=VAC Canada Remembers|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=n.d.|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news|last=Picard|first=Andréa|title=Restoring Loss at Vimy|periodical=Canadian Architect|publication-date=May 2006|url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/|publisher=Business Information Group|accessdate=1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial|date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design, and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made [[pilgrimage]]s to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes, the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}}<ref name="Cook2017">{{cite book|author=Tim Cook|title=Vimy: The Battle and the Legend|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HWFeDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT258|year=2017|publisher=Penguin Canada|isbn=978-0-7352-3317-1|pages=258–261}}</ref> The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy|url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx|accessdate=4 January 2010|date=n.d.|publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag-covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft]]

On 26 July, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President [[Albert François Lebrun|Albert Lebrun]], and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Tim|date=2 April 2017|title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html|work=Toronto Star|location=Toronto|access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news|last=Foot|first=Richard|title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|publication-place=Vancouver|date=4 April 2007|page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]

In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated, [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier|journal=After the Battle|issue=109|publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd.|issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War, very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice, with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the 50th anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares|newspaper=Toronto Star|page=A3|first=Patrick|last=Doyle|date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/|title=Return To The Ridge|date=1 September 1997|magazine=Legion Magazine|first=Tom|last=MacGregor|publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle|publisher=Canadian Press|date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Valpy|title=Setting a legend in stone|url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|location=Toronto|date=7 April 2007|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being [[water damage]].<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode|title=|date=9 April 2007|series=National News|series-link=|first=Tom|last=Kennedy|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge took place at the memorial on 9 April 2017, coincidentally during the [[150th anniversary of Canada]]. Estimates before the event indicated that an audience of up to 30,000 would be present.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html|title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge|date=31 March 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|first=Alicja|last=Siekierska|accessdate=1 April 2017}}</ref> The Mayor of [[Arras]], Frédéric Leturque, thanked Canadians, as well as Australians and British, New Zealanders, and South Africans, for their role in the First World War battles in the area.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/04/09/justin-trudeau-in-france-to-mark-the-100th-anniversary-of-vimy-ridge-2/#.WOpNcfnyvX5| title=Canadian and French leaders pay homage to fallen soldiers at Vimy Ridge |author=The Canadian Press| date=9 April 2017| publisher=National Newswatch Inc| accessdate=7 April 2017}}</ref>

Attending dignitaries for Canada included [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[David Johnston]]; [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]]; [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]]; [[Prince Harry]]; and Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]. [[President of France|President]] [[François Hollande]] and [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Bernard Cazeneuve]] represented France.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39541940| title=Vimy Ridge: Royals commemorate defining WW1 battle| date=9 April 2017| publisher=BBC| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril| title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril| date=25 March 2017| accessdate=1 April 2017| publisher=Le Voix du Nord}}</ref> Elizabeth II issued a statement via the Governor General, remarking "[Canadians] fought courageously and with great ingenuity in winning the strategic high point of Vimy Ridge, though victory came at a heavy cost".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://gg.ca/document.aspx?id=16771&lan=eng| author=Elizabeth II| title=Message from Her Majesty The Queen on the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge| date=9 April 2017| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref>

Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste (France)|La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation| url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps| title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps| publisher=Ottawa Citizen| first=Bruce| last=Deachman| date=22 March 2016| accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete, are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three-walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately {{convert|8|km|abbr=on}} north of Arras, France, circled in a broken {{convert|16.5|km|abbr=on}} line by the small towns and communes of [[Vimy]] to the east, [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]] to the north, [[Souchez]] to the northwest, [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]] to the south and [[Thélus]] to the southeast – all visible from the elevation of the Memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Neuville-Saint-Vaast,+France/50.3550864,2.7603299/@50.3744198,2.7570629,14z/data=!4m34!4m33!1m30!1m1!1s0x47dd384b01eb6f13:0xc06ce78123b81518!2m2!1d2.760256!2d50.355234!3m4!1m2!1d2.7423402!2d50.3895646!3s0x47dd39835be75c0f:0xb4fb11288a99edfa!3m4!1m2!1d2.7735048!2d50.3902647!3s0x47dd39f064d6638d:0x62cd96dfb9a79284!3m4!1m2!1d2.7806896!2d50.3897869!3s0x47dd39fc8938cfbd:0x9d4179a6175502df!3m4!1m2!1d2.8089243!2d50.3740149!3s0x47dd371519261def:0x7d53f4d8507d015d!3m4!1m2!1d2.8004182!2d50.3547441!3s0x47dd379e0f60bf1f:0x3b5a6383c2473bac!1m0!3e2?hl=en |title=Walking map: Vimy — Givenchy-en-Gohelle — Souchez — Neuville-Saint-Vaast — Thélus |work=[[Google Maps]] |accessdate=2017-04-10}}</ref> The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the [[trench warfare|trench lines]] of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|title=Annual Report 2007–2008|format=PDF|year=2008|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|page=16|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|archivedate=14 June 2011}}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret|title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=22 March 2007|accessdate=14 November 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret|archivedate=13 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide, indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in [[laurel wreath|laurel]] and [[olive branch]]es carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize victory and peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France, and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large [[memorial cross|crosses]] adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments, and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'' by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list, and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web|title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925|location=Paris|publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926|language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx|publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office|title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine|trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division|date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the memorial, campaign battles are inscribed on the left- and right-hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919|publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation|page=10|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|archivedate=19 October 2014|df=dmy}}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[1st Foreign Regiment]] with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment|2nd Foreign Regiment]], both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom|trans-title=Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie|last=Trouillard|date=6 May 2015|publisher=France 24|language=french|url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger|title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger|publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère|trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion|language=french|date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Beaver|title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html|work=[[The Independent]]|date=14 August 1998|accessdate=26 April 2009|location=London}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|accessdate=10 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870|title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=25 November 2015|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/|publisher=Global News|date=14 May 2013|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france|title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France|first=Blair|last=Crawford|date=11 January 2017|accessdate=17 March 2017|publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment poster|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx|title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=2 April 2017|publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/|title=Mission|publisher=Vimy Foundation|accessdate=9 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen|last=Harris|newspaper=[[London Free Press]]|publisher=Sum Media Corp|title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets|date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne|last=Arsenault|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict, and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/|title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate)|date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010|publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue|issue=259|date=March 2011|first=Mick|last=Bister|publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Designing and Constructing|series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|date=5 May 2000|accessdate=8 January 2010|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Memorial, France|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|date=n.d.}}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian [[military awards and decorations|military]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news|title=New military medal to honour combat casualties|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264|date=29 August 2008|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit|url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm|date=January 2004|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Embassy of France in Canada}}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190|accessdate=6 May 2012|publisher=CTV|date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book |title=Canada at Vimy |last=MacIntyre |first=Duncan E. |year=1967 |publisher=Peter Martin Associates |location=Toronto |ref=harv}}
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* {{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=Desmond |first2=Glenn |last2=Wright |title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1962 |publisher=Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location=Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=1 January 2007 |ref=harv}}
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{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)
* [http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/first-world-war/vimy-ridge/100-anniversary Veterans Affairs Canada - Vimy Ridge 100th anniversary]

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-10T16:13:22Z

Labattblueboy: Undid revision 774739249 by DonMenton (talk) no need for bc mentions. Section is the briefest possible explanation of battle

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial, only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=NHSC|designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|designation1_date=1996}}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a [[war memorial]] site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[Military history of Canada during World War I|First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First World War killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] eleven years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside the country.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point, and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under [[German Empire|German]] control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the [[Allies of World War I|Franco-British]] and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French [[Moroccan Division (France)|1st Moroccan Division]] briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The British [[XVII Corps (United Kingdom)|XVII Corps]] relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds|url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|format=PDF|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=21 August 1916|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British [[IV Corps (United Kingdom)|IV Corps]] stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under [[I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps|I Bavarian Reserve Corps]] commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Divisions captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the [[10th Canadian Infantry Brigade|10th Canadian Brigade]] attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German [[6th Army (German Empire)|Sixth Army]] suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[Prisoner of war#World War I|prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Gibbs|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF|title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans|newspaper=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|format=PDF|date=11 April 1917|accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
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==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone-walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, [[Bourlon Wood Memorial|Bourlon Wood]], [[Le Quesnel Memorial|Le Quesnel]], [[Dury Memorial|Dury]], and [[Courcelette Memorial|Courcelette]] in France and [[Saint Julien Memorial|St. Julien]], [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood)]], and [[Passchendaele Memorial|Passchendaele]] in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee|accessdate=12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement, and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials, and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings, and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web|title=Design Competition|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; the design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade|date=26 February 2002|url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|accessdate=4 January 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|archivedate=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half-finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then Paris, though he eventually set up a studio in [[London]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white [[marble]] for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget [[limestone]]—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927, and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres, and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web|title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle|work=VAC Canada Remembers|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=n.d.|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news|last=Picard|first=Andréa|title=Restoring Loss at Vimy|periodical=Canadian Architect|publication-date=May 2006|url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/|publisher=Business Information Group|accessdate=1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial|date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design, and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
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===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made [[pilgrimage]]s to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes, the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}}<ref name="Cook2017">{{cite book|author=Tim Cook|title=Vimy: The Battle and the Legend|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HWFeDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT258|year=2017|publisher=Penguin Canada|isbn=978-0-7352-3317-1|pages=258–261}}</ref> The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy|url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx|accessdate=4 January 2010|date=n.d.|publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag-covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft]]

On 26 July, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President [[Albert François Lebrun|Albert Lebrun]], and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Tim|date=2 April 2017|title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html|work=Toronto Star|location=Toronto|access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news|last=Foot|first=Richard|title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|publication-place=Vancouver|date=4 April 2007|page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]

In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated, [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier|journal=After the Battle|issue=109|publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd.|issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War, very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice, with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the 50th anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares|newspaper=Toronto Star|page=A3|first=Patrick|last=Doyle|date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/|title=Return To The Ridge|date=1 September 1997|magazine=Legion Magazine|first=Tom|last=MacGregor|publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle|publisher=Canadian Press|date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Valpy|title=Setting a legend in stone|url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|location=Toronto|date=7 April 2007|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being [[water damage]].<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode|title=|date=9 April 2007|series=National News|series-link=|first=Tom|last=Kennedy|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge took place at the memorial on 9 April 2017, coincidentally during the [[150th anniversary of Canada]]. Estimates before the event indicated that an audience of up to 30,000 would be present.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html|title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge|date=31 March 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|first=Alicja|last=Siekierska|accessdate=1 April 2017}}</ref> The Mayor of [[Arras]], Frédéric Leturque, thanked Canadians, as well as Australians and British, New Zealanders, and South Africans, for their role in the First World War battles in the area.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/04/09/justin-trudeau-in-france-to-mark-the-100th-anniversary-of-vimy-ridge-2/#.WOpNcfnyvX5| title=Canadian and French leaders pay homage to fallen soldiers at Vimy Ridge |author=The Canadian Press| date=9 April 2017| publisher=National Newswatch Inc| accessdate=7 April 2017}}</ref>

Attending dignitaries for Canada included [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[David Johnston]]; [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]]; [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]]; [[Prince Harry]]; and Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]. [[President of France|President]] [[François Hollande]] and [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Bernard Cazeneuve]] represented France.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39541940| title=Vimy Ridge: Royals commemorate defining WW1 battle| date=9 April 2017| publisher=BBC| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril| title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril| date=25 March 2017| accessdate=1 April 2017| publisher=Le Voix du Nord}}</ref> Elizabeth II issued a statement via the Governor General, remarking "[Canadians] fought courageously and with great ingenuity in winning the strategic high point of Vimy Ridge, though victory came at a heavy cost".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://gg.ca/document.aspx?id=16771&lan=eng| author=Elizabeth II| title=Message from Her Majesty The Queen on the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge| date=9 April 2017| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref>

Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste (France)|La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation| url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps| title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps| publisher=Ottawa Citizen| first=Bruce| last=Deachman| date=22 March 2016| accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete, are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three-walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the [[trench warfare|trench lines]] of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|title=Annual Report 2007–2008|format=PDF|year=2008|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|page=16|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|archivedate=14 June 2011}}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret|title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=22 March 2007|accessdate=14 November 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret|archivedate=13 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide, indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in [[laurel wreath|laurel]] and [[olive branch]]es carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize victory and peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France, and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large [[memorial cross|crosses]] adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments, and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'' by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list, and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web|title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925|location=Paris|publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926|language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx|publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office|title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine|trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division|date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the memorial, campaign battles are inscribed on the left- and right-hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919|publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation|page=10|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|archivedate=19 October 2014|df=dmy}}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[1st Foreign Regiment]] with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment|2nd Foreign Regiment]], both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom|trans-title=Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie|last=Trouillard|date=6 May 2015|publisher=France 24|language=french|url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger|title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger|publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère|trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion|language=french|date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Beaver|title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html|work=[[The Independent]]|date=14 August 1998|accessdate=26 April 2009|location=London}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|accessdate=10 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870|title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=25 November 2015|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/|publisher=Global News|date=14 May 2013|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france|title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France|first=Blair|last=Crawford|date=11 January 2017|accessdate=17 March 2017|publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment poster|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx|title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=2 April 2017|publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/|title=Mission|publisher=Vimy Foundation|accessdate=9 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen|last=Harris|newspaper=[[London Free Press]]|publisher=Sum Media Corp|title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets|date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne|last=Arsenault|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict, and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/|title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate)|date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010|publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue|issue=259|date=March 2011|first=Mick|last=Bister|publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Designing and Constructing|series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|date=5 May 2000|accessdate=8 January 2010|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Memorial, France|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|date=n.d.}}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian [[military awards and decorations|military]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news|title=New military medal to honour combat casualties|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264|date=29 August 2008|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit|url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm|date=January 2004|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Embassy of France in Canada}}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190|accessdate=6 May 2012|publisher=CTV|date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
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* {{cite book |last=Moran |first=Heather |year=2007 |contribution=The Canadian Army Medical Corps at Vimy Ridge |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=139–154 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=Desmond |first2=Glenn |last2=Wright |title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1962 |publisher=Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location=Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=1 January 2007 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title="We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location=Ottawa |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy}}
* {{cite book |title=ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide |last=Pedersen |first=Peter |year=2012 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |location=New York |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Prost |first=Antoine |year=1997 |contribution=Monuments to the Dead |editor-last=Nora |editor-first=Pierre |editor2-last=Kritzman |editor2-first=Lawrence |editor3-last=Goldhammer |editor3-first=Arthur |title=Realms of memory: the construction of the French past |publication-place=New York |publisher=Columbia University Press |pages=307–332 |isbn=0-231-10634-3 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Geology and Warfare: Examples of the Influence of Terrain and Geologists on Military Operations |last1=Rose |first1=Edward |first2=Paul |last2=Nathanail |year=2000 |publisher=Geological Society |location=London |isbn=0-85052-463-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Command or Control?: Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888–1918 |last=Samuels |first=Mart |year=1996 |publisher=Frank Cass |location=Portland |isbn=0-7146-4570-2 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Saunders |first=Nicholas |title=Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001 |journal=Antiquity |volume=76 |issue=291 |pages=101–108 |publisher=Portland Press |year=2002 |ref=Saunders}}
* {{cite book |title=The German Army on Vimy Ridge 1914–1917 |last=Sheldon |first=Jack |year=2008 |publisher=Pen & Sword Military |location=Barnsley (UK) |isbn=978-1-84415-680-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Simkins |first1=Peter |last2=Jukes |first2=Geoffrey |last3=Hickey |first3=Michael |title=The First World War: The Western Front, 1917–1918 |year=2002 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84176-348-4 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Smith |first=Julian |title=Restoring Vimy: The Challenges of Confronting Emerging Modernism |pages=49–56 |journal=Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |volume=33 |issue=1 |publisher=Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |date=2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |first=Denise |last=Thomson |title=National Sorrow, National Pride: Commemoration of War in Canada, 1918–1945 |journal=Journal of Canadian Studies |date=Winter 1995–1996 |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=5–27 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=The European powers in the First World War: an encyclopedia |editor-last=Tucker |editor-first=Spencer |year=1996 |publisher=Garland Publishing |location=New York |isbn=0-8153-0399-8 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Vimy Ridge 1917: Byng's Canadians Triumph at Arras |last=Turner |first=Alexander |year=2005 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=London |isbn=1-84176-871-5 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning, and the First World War |last=Vance |first=Jonathan Franklin |year=1997 |publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver |isbn=0-7748-0600-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{citation |chapter=Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians ... From Africa to the Artois |first=Philippe |last=Vincent-Chaissac |publisher=L'Echo du Pas-de-Calais |title=They Came from Across the Globe |p=3 |chapter-url=http://memoire.pas-de-calais.com/images/_uk/pdf-nationalites/marocain.pdf |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Literature and Theology: New Interdisciplinary Spaces |year=2011 |editor-first=Heather |editor-last=Walton |publisher=Ashgate |contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Making Memory: Jewish and Christian Explorations in Monument, Narrative, and Liturgy |first=Alana |last=Vincent |year=2014 |publisher=James Clarke & Co |isbn=978-0-227-17431-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Byng of Vimy, General and Governor General |last=Williams |first=Jeffery |year=1983 |publisher=Secker & Warburg |location=London |isbn=0-436-57110-2 |ref=harv}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)
* [http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/first-world-war/vimy-ridge/100-anniversary Veterans Affairs Canada - Vimy Ridge 100th anniversary]

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-09T21:31:09Z

Labattblueboy: /* Centennial commemoration */ external media not free and not essential

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial, only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=NHSC|designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|designation1_date=1996}}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a [[war memorial]] site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[Military history of Canada during World War I|First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First World War killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] eleven years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside the country.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point, and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under [[German Empire|German]] control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the [[Allies of World War I|Franco-British]] and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French [[Moroccan Division (France)|1st Moroccan Division]] briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The British [[XVII Corps (United Kingdom)|XVII Corps]] relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds|url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|format=PDF|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=21 August 1916|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British [[IV Corps (United Kingdom)|IV Corps]] stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under [[I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps|I Bavarian Reserve Corps]] commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Divisions captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the [[10th Canadian Infantry Brigade|10th Canadian Brigade]] attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German [[6th Army (German Empire)|Sixth Army]] suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[Prisoner of war#World War I|prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Gibbs|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF|title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans|newspaper=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|format=PDF|date=11 April 1917|accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}

==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone-walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, [[Bourlon Wood Memorial|Bourlon Wood]], [[Le Quesnel Memorial|Le Quesnel]], [[Dury Memorial|Dury]], and [[Courcelette Memorial|Courcelette]] in France and [[Saint Julien Memorial|St. Julien]], [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood)]], and [[Passchendaele Memorial|Passchendaele]] in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee|accessdate=12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement, and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials, and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings, and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web|title=Design Competition|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; the design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade|date=26 February 2002|url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|accessdate=4 January 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|archivedate=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half-finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then Paris, though he eventually set up a studio in [[London]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white [[marble]] for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget [[limestone]]—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927, and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres, and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web|title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle|work=VAC Canada Remembers|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=n.d.|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news|last=Picard|first=Andréa|title=Restoring Loss at Vimy|periodical=Canadian Architect|publication-date=May 2006|url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/|publisher=Business Information Group|accessdate=1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial|date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design, and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made [[pilgrimage]]s to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes, the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}}<ref name="Cook2017">{{cite book|author=Tim Cook|title=Vimy: The Battle and the Legend|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HWFeDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT258|year=2017|publisher=Penguin Canada|isbn=978-0-7352-3317-1|pages=258–261}}</ref> The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy|url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx|accessdate=4 January 2010|date=n.d.|publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag-covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft]]

On 26 July, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President [[Albert François Lebrun|Albert Lebrun]], and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Tim|date=2 April 2017|title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html|work=Toronto Star|location=Toronto|access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news|last=Foot|first=Richard|title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|publication-place=Vancouver|date=4 April 2007|page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]

In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated, [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier|journal=After the Battle|issue=109|publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd.|issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War, very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice, with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the 50th anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares|newspaper=Toronto Star|page=A3|first=Patrick|last=Doyle|date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/|title=Return To The Ridge|date=1 September 1997|magazine=Legion Magazine|first=Tom|last=MacGregor|publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle|publisher=Canadian Press|date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Valpy|title=Setting a legend in stone|url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|location=Toronto|date=7 April 2007|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being [[water damage]].<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode|title=|date=9 April 2007|series=National News|series-link=|first=Tom|last=Kennedy|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge took place at the memorial on 9 April 2017, coincidentally during the [[150th anniversary of Canada]]. Estimates before the event indicated that an audience of up to 30,000 would be present.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html|title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge|date=31 March 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|first=Alicja|last=Siekierska|accessdate=1 April 2017}}</ref> The Mayor of [[Arras]], Frédéric Leturque, thanked Canadians, as well as Australians and British, New Zealanders, and South Africans, for their role in the First World War battles in the area.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/04/09/justin-trudeau-in-france-to-mark-the-100th-anniversary-of-vimy-ridge-2/#.WOpNcfnyvX5| title=Canadian and French leaders pay homage to fallen soldiers at Vimy Ridge |author=The Canadian Press| date=9 April 2017| publisher=National Newswatch Inc| accessdate=7 April 2017}}</ref>

Attending dignitaries for Canada included [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]] [[David Johnston]]; [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]]; [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]]; [[Prince Harry]]; and Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]]. [[President of France|President]] [[François Hollande]] and [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Bernard Cazeneuve]] represented France.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39541940| title=Vimy Ridge: Royals commemorate defining WW1 battle| date=9 April 2017| publisher=BBC| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril| title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril| date=25 March 2017| accessdate=1 April 2017| publisher=Le Voix du Nord}}</ref> Elizabeth II issued a statement via the Governor General, remarking "[Canadians] fought courageously and with great ingenuity in winning the strategic high point of Vimy Ridge, though victory came at a heavy cost".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://gg.ca/document.aspx?id=16771&lan=eng| author=Elizabeth II| title=Message from Her Majesty The Queen on the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge| date=9 April 2017| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| accessdate=9 April 2017}}</ref>

Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste (France)|La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation| url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps| title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps| publisher=Ottawa Citizen| first=Bruce| last=Deachman| date=22 March 2016| accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete, are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three-walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the [[trench warfare|trench lines]] of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|title=Annual Report 2007–2008|format=PDF|year=2008|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|page=16|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|archivedate=14 June 2011}}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret|title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=22 March 2007|accessdate=14 November 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret|archivedate=13 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide, indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in [[laurel wreath|laurel]] and [[olive branch]]es carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize victory and peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France, and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large [[memorial cross|crosses]] adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments, and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'' by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list, and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web|title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925|location=Paris|publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926|language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx|publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office|title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine|trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division|date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the memorial, campaign battles are inscribed on the left- and right-hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919|publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation|page=10|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|archivedate=19 October 2014|df=dmy}}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[1st Foreign Regiment]] with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment|2nd Foreign Regiment]], both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom|trans-title=Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie|last=Trouillard|date=6 May 2015|publisher=France 24|language=french|url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger|title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger|publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère|trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion|language=french|date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Beaver|title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html|work=[[The Independent]]|date=14 August 1998|accessdate=26 April 2009|location=London}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|accessdate=10 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870|title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=25 November 2015|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/|publisher=Global News|date=14 May 2013|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france|title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France|first=Blair|last=Crawford|date=11 January 2017|accessdate=17 March 2017|publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment poster|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx|title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=2 April 2017|publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/|title=Mission|publisher=Vimy Foundation|accessdate=9 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen|last=Harris|newspaper=[[London Free Press]]|publisher=Sum Media Corp|title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets|date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne|last=Arsenault|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict, and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/|title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate)|date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010|publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue|issue=259|date=March 2011|first=Mick|last=Bister|publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Designing and Constructing|series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|date=5 May 2000|accessdate=8 January 2010|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Memorial, France|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|date=n.d.}}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian [[military awards and decorations|military]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news|title=New military medal to honour combat casualties|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264|date=29 August 2008|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit|url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm|date=January 2004|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Embassy of France in Canada}}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190|accessdate=6 May 2012|publisher=CTV|date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
* {{cite book |title=Beneath Flanders Fields: The Tunnellers' War 1914–1918 |last1=Barton |first1=Peter |last2=Doyle |first2=Peter |last3=Vandewalle |first3=Johan |year=2004 |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |location=Montreal & Kingston |isbn=0-7735-2949-7 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Bell |first1=Lynne |last2=Bousfield |first2=Arthur |last3=Toffoli |first3=Gary |title=Queen and Consort:Elizabeth and Philip – 60 Years of Marriage |publisher=Dundurn Press |year=2007 |location=Toronto |isbn=978-1-55002-725-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Boire |first=Michael |title=The Underground War: Military Mining Operations in support of the attack on Vimy Ridge, 9 April 1917 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=15–24 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Boire%20-%20The%20Underground%20War.pdf |accessdate=2 January 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091040/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Boire%20-%20The%20Underground%20War.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy-all}}
* {{cite book |last=Boire |first=Michael |year=2007 |contribution=The Battlefield before the Canadians, 1914–1916 |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=51–61 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Bolling |first=Gordon |contribution=Acts of (Re-)Construction: Traces of Germany in Jane Urquhart's Novel the Stone Carvers |pages=295–318 |title=Refractions of Germany in Canadian Literature and Culture |editor1-last=Antor |editor1-first=Heinz |editor2-last=Brown |editor2-first=Sylvia |editor3-last=Considine |editor3-first=John |editor4-last=Stierstorfer |editor4-first=Klaus |year=2003 |publisher=de Gruyter |location=Berlin |isbn=978-3-11-017666-7 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Borestad |first=Lane |title=Walter Allward: Sculptor and Architect of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |pages=23–38 |journal=Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |volume=33 |issue=1 |publisher=Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |date=2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |first=Laura |last=Brandon |contribution=Canvas of War |title=Canada and the Great War: Western Front Association Papers |editor-last=Busch |editor-first=Briton Cooper |year=2003 |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |location=Montreal |isbn=0-7735-2570-X |ref=harv |pages=203–215}}
* {{cite book |title=Art or Memorial? : The Forgotten History of Canada's War Art |last=Brandon |first=Laura |year=2006 |publisher=University of Calgary Press |location=Calgary |isbn=1-55238-178-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Brown |first=Eric |last2=Cook |first2=Tim |title=The 1936 Vimy Pilgrimage |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=33–54 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 2011 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Campbell |first=David |year=2007 |contribution=The 2nd Canadian Division: A 'Most Spectacular Battle' |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=171–192 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |last=Cavell |first=Richard |editor-last=Sugars |editor-first=Cynthia |title=Remembering Canada: The Politics of Cultural Memory |encyclopedia=The Oxford Handbook of Canadian Literature |year=2015 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-994186-5 |pages=64–79 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Cook |first=Tim |year=2007 |contribution=The Gunners of Vimy Ridge: 'We are Hammering Fritz to Pieces' |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=105–124 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Race, Empire and First World War Writing |first=Santanu |last=Das |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-521-50984-8 |year=2011 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Doughty |first=Robert A. |title=Pyrrhic Victory: French Strategy and Operation in the Great War |year=2005 | publisher=Belknap Press |publication-place=Cambridge and London |isbn=0-674-01880-X |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Duffy |first=Denis |title=Complexity and contradiction in Canadian public sculpture: the case of Walter Allward |journal=American Review of Canadian Studies |volume=38 |issue=2 |pages=189–206 |publisher=Routledge |date=2008 |doi=10.1080/02722010809481708 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Durflinger |first=Serge |year=2007 |contribution=Safeguarding Sanctity: Canada and the Vimy Memorial during the Second World War |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=291–305 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Evans |first=Suzanne |date=9 February 2007 |title=Mothers of Heroes, Mothers of Martyrs: World War I and the Politics of Grief |location=Montreal |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |isbn=0773531882 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country |last=Fabijančić |first=Tony |year=2003 |publisher=University of Alberta |isbn=0-88864-397-7 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=The Silent General: A Biography of Haig's Trusted Great War Comrade-in-Arms |last=Farr |first=Don |year=2007 |publisher=Helion & Company Limited |location=Solihull |isbn=978-1-874622-99-4 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Godefroy |first=Andrew |authorlink=Andrew Godefroy |year=2007 |contribution=The German Army at Vimy Ridge |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=225–238 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Hayes |first=Geoffrey |year=2007 |contribution=The 3rd Canadian Division: Forgotten Victory |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=193–210 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Canada at War, 1914–1918: A Record of Heroism and Achievement |last=Hopkins |first=J. Castell |year=1919 |publisher=Canadian Annual Review |location=Toronto |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Hucker |first=Jacqueline |year=2007 |contribution=The Meaning and Significance of the Vimy Monument |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=279–290 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Hucker |first=Jacqueline |title=Vimy: A Monument for the Modern World |pages=39–48 |journal=Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |volume=33 |issue=1 |publisher=Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |date=2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Humphries |first=Mark Osborne |year=2007 |contribution='Old Wine in New Bottles': A Comparison of British and Canadian Preparations for the Battle of Arras |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=65–85 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Inglis |first=Dave |title=Vimy Ridge: 1917–1992, A Canadian Myth over Seventy Five Years |year=1995 |publisher=Simon Fraser University |location=Burnaby |url=http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/6687/b17448906.pdf |accessdate=22 May 2013 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Battlefield tourism: pilgrimage and the commemoration of the Great War in Britain, Australia and Canada, 1919–1939 |last=Lloyd |first=David |year=1998 |publisher=Berg Publishing |location=Oxford |isbn=1-85973-174-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Canada at Vimy |last=MacIntyre |first=Duncan E. |year=1967 |publisher=Peter Martin Associates |location=Toronto |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Moran |first=Heather |year=2007 |contribution=The Canadian Army Medical Corps at Vimy Ridge |editor-last=Hayes |editor-first=Geoffrey |editor2-last=Iarocci |editor2-first=Andrew |editor3-last=Bechthold |editor3-first=Mike |title=Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment |publication-place=Waterloo |publisher=Wilfrid Laurier University Press |pages=139–154 |isbn=0-88920-508-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=Desmond |first2=Glenn |last2=Wright |title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1962 |publisher=Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location=Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=1 January 2007 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title="We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location=Ottawa |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy}}
* {{cite book |title=ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide |last=Pedersen |first=Peter |year=2012 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |location=New York |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last=Prost |first=Antoine |year=1997 |contribution=Monuments to the Dead |editor-last=Nora |editor-first=Pierre |editor2-last=Kritzman |editor2-first=Lawrence |editor3-last=Goldhammer |editor3-first=Arthur |title=Realms of memory: the construction of the French past |publication-place=New York |publisher=Columbia University Press |pages=307–332 |isbn=0-231-10634-3 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Geology and Warfare: Examples of the Influence of Terrain and Geologists on Military Operations |last1=Rose |first1=Edward |first2=Paul |last2=Nathanail |year=2000 |publisher=Geological Society |location=London |isbn=0-85052-463-6 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Command or Control?: Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888–1918 |last=Samuels |first=Mart |year=1996 |publisher=Frank Cass |location=Portland |isbn=0-7146-4570-2 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Saunders |first=Nicholas |title=Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001 |journal=Antiquity |volume=76 |issue=291 |pages=101–108 |publisher=Portland Press |year=2002 |ref=Saunders}}
* {{cite book |title=The German Army on Vimy Ridge 1914–1917 |last=Sheldon |first=Jack |year=2008 |publisher=Pen & Sword Military |location=Barnsley (UK) |isbn=978-1-84415-680-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Simkins |first1=Peter |last2=Jukes |first2=Geoffrey |last3=Hickey |first3=Michael |title=The First World War: The Western Front, 1917–1918 |year=2002 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84176-348-4 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Smith |first=Julian |title=Restoring Vimy: The Challenges of Confronting Emerging Modernism |pages=49–56 |journal=Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |volume=33 |issue=1 |publisher=Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada |date=2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |first=Denise |last=Thomson |title=National Sorrow, National Pride: Commemoration of War in Canada, 1918–1945 |journal=Journal of Canadian Studies |date=Winter 1995–1996 |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=5–27 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=The European powers in the First World War: an encyclopedia |editor-last=Tucker |editor-first=Spencer |year=1996 |publisher=Garland Publishing |location=New York |isbn=0-8153-0399-8 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Vimy Ridge 1917: Byng's Canadians Triumph at Arras |last=Turner |first=Alexander |year=2005 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=London |isbn=1-84176-871-5 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning, and the First World War |last=Vance |first=Jonathan Franklin |year=1997 |publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver |isbn=0-7748-0600-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{citation |chapter=Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians ... From Africa to the Artois |first=Philippe |last=Vincent-Chaissac |publisher=L'Echo du Pas-de-Calais |title=They Came from Across the Globe |p=3 |chapter-url=http://memoire.pas-de-calais.com/images/_uk/pdf-nationalites/marocain.pdf |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Literature and Theology: New Interdisciplinary Spaces |year=2011 |editor-first=Heather |editor-last=Walton |publisher=Ashgate |contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Making Memory: Jewish and Christian Explorations in Monument, Narrative, and Liturgy |first=Alana |last=Vincent |year=2014 |publisher=James Clarke & Co |isbn=978-0-227-17431-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Byng of Vimy, General and Governor General |last=Williams |first=Jeffery |year=1983 |publisher=Secker & Warburg |location=London |isbn=0-436-57110-2 |ref=harv}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-08T22:13:58Z

Labattblueboy: Undid revision 774501576 by Peter K Burian (talk) keep the lead concise.

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial, only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=NHSC|designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|designation1_date=1996}}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a [[war memorial]] site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[Military history of Canada during World War I|First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First World War killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] eleven years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point, and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under [[German Empire|German]] control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the [[Allies of World War I|Franco-British]] and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French [[Moroccan Division (France)|1st Moroccan Division]] briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The British [[XVII Corps (United Kingdom)|XVII Corps]] relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds|url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|format=PDF|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=21 August 1916|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British [[IV Corps (United Kingdom)|IV Corps]] stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under [[I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps|I Bavarian Reserve Corps]] commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Divisions captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the [[10th Canadian Infantry Brigade|10th Canadian Brigade]] attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German [[6th Army (German Empire)|Sixth Army]] suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[Prisoner of war#World War I|prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Gibbs|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF|title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans|newspaper=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|format=PDF|date=11 April 1917|accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}

==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone-walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, [[Bourlon Wood Memorial|Bourlon Wood]], [[Le Quesnel Memorial|Le Quesnel]], [[Dury Memorial|Dury]], and [[Courcelette Memorial|Courcelette]] in France and [[Saint Julien Memorial|St. Julien]], [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood)]], and [[Passchendaele Memorial|Passchendaele]] in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee|accessdate=12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement, and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials, and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings, and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web|title=Design Competition|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade|date=26 February 2002|url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|accessdate=4 January 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|archivedate=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half-finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then Paris, though he eventually set up a studio in [[London]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white [[marble]] for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget [[limestone]]—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927, and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres, and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web|title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle|work=VAC Canada Remembers|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=n.d.|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news|last=Picard|first=Andréa|title=Restoring Loss at Vimy|periodical=Canadian Architect|publication-date=May 2006|url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/|publisher=Business Information Group|accessdate=1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial|date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design, and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made [[pilgrimage]]s to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes, the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy|url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx|accessdate=4 January 2010|date=n.d.|publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag-covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft]]

On 26 July, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President [[Albert François Lebrun|Albert Lebrun]], and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Tim|date=2 April 2017|title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html|work=Toronto Star|location=Toronto|access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news|last=Foot|first=Richard|title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|publication-place=Vancouver|date=4 April 2007|page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]

In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated, [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier|journal=After the Battle|issue=109|publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd.|issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War, very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice, with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the 50th anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares|newspaper=Toronto Star|page=A3|first=Patrick|last=Doyle|date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/|title=Return To The Ridge|date=1 September 1997|magazine=Legion Magazine|first=Tom|last=MacGregor|publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle|publisher=Canadian Press|date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Valpy|title=Setting a legend in stone|url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|location=Toronto|date=7 April 2007|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being [[water damage]].<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode|title=|date=9 April 2007|series=National News|series-link=|first=Tom|last=Kennedy|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial is scheduled to take place on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html|title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge|date=31 March 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|first=Alicja|last=Siekierska|accessdate=1 April 2017}}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of Canada]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom]], [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], the President of France [[François Hollande]], and the Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge|title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge|author=|date=24 March 2017|website=Prime Minister of Canada|publisher=Government of Canada|access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril|title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril|date=25 March 2017|accessdate=1 April 2017|publisher=Le Voix du Nord}}</ref> Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps|title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps|publisher=Ottawa Citizen|first=Bruce|last=Deachman|date=22 March 2016|accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete, are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three-walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the [[trench warfare|trench lines]] of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|title=Annual Report 2007–2008|format=PDF|year=2008|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|page=16|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|archivedate=14 June 2011}}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret|title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=22 March 2007|accessdate=14 November 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret|archivedate=13 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide, indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in [[laurel wreath|laurel]] and [[olive branch]]es carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize victory and peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France, and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large [[memorial cross|crosses]] adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments, and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'' by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list, and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web|title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925|location=Paris|publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926|language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx|publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office|title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine|trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division|date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the memorial, campaign battles are inscribed on the left- and right-hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919|publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation|page=10|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|archivedate=19 October 2014|df=dmy}}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[1st Foreign Regiment]] with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment|2nd Foreign Regiment]], both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom|trans-title=Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie|last=Trouillard|date=6 May 2015|publisher=France 24|language=french|url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger|title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger|publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère|trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion|language=french|date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Beaver|title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html|work=[[The Independent]]|date=14 August 1998|accessdate=26 April 2009|location=London}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|accessdate=10 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870|title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=25 November 2015|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/|publisher=Global News|date=14 May 2013|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france|title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France|first=Blair|last=Crawford|date=11 January 2017|accessdate=17 March 2017|publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx|title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=2 April 2017|publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/|title=Mission|publisher=Vimy Foundation|accessdate=9 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen|last=Harris|newspaper=[[London Free Press]]|publisher=Sum Media Corp|title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets|date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne|last=Arsenault|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict, and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/|title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate)|date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010|publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue|issue=259|date=March 2011|first=Mick|last=Bister|publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Designing and Constructing|series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|date=5 May 2000|accessdate=8 January 2010|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Memorial, France|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|date=n.d.}}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian [[military awards and decorations|military]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news|title=New military medal to honour combat casualties|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264|date=29 August 2008|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit|url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm|date=January 2004|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Embassy of France in Canada}}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190|accessdate=6 May 2012|publisher=CTV|date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book |title=Canada at Vimy |last=MacIntyre |first=Duncan E. |year=1967 |publisher=Peter Martin Associates |location=Toronto |ref=harv}}
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* {{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=Desmond |first2=Glenn |last2=Wright |title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1962 |publisher=Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location=Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=1 January 2007 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title="We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location=Ottawa |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy}}
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* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}
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* {{cite journal |last=Saunders |first=Nicholas |title=Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001 |journal=Antiquity |volume=76 |issue=291 |pages=101–108 |publisher=Portland Press |year=2002 |ref=Saunders}}
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{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-08T21:27:12Z

Labattblueboy: Mining (military) instead of land mine

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial, only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list|embed=yes|designation1=NHSC|designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|designation1_date=1996}}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a [[war memorial]] site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[Military history of Canada during World War I|First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First World War killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] eleven years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point, and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under [[German Empire|German]] control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the [[Allies of World War I|Franco-British]] and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French [[Moroccan Division (France)|1st Moroccan Division]] briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The British [[XVII Corps (United Kingdom)|XVII Corps]] relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news|title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds|url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|format=PDF|publisher=The New York Times Company|date=21 August 1916|accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British [[IV Corps (United Kingdom)|IV Corps]] stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under [[I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps|I Bavarian Reserve Corps]] commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Divisions captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the [[10th Canadian Infantry Brigade|10th Canadian Brigade]] attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German [[6th Army (German Empire)|Sixth Army]] suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[Prisoner of war#World War I|prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news|first=Philip|last=Gibbs|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF|title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans|newspaper=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Company|format=PDF|date=11 April 1917|accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}

==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone-walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, [[Bourlon Wood Memorial|Bourlon Wood]], [[Le Quesnel Memorial|Le Quesnel]], [[Dury Memorial|Dury]], and [[Courcelette Memorial|Courcelette]] in France and [[Saint Julien Memorial|St. Julien]], [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood)]], and [[Passchendaele Memorial|Passchendaele]] in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee|accessdate=12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement, and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials, and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings, and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web|title=Design Competition|publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada|date=25 March 2007|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade|date=26 February 2002|url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|accessdate=4 January 2008|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661|archivedate=21 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half-finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then Paris, though he eventually set up a studio in [[London]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white [[marble]] for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget [[limestone]]—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927, and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres, and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web|title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle|work=VAC Canada Remembers|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=n.d.|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news|last=Picard|first=Andréa|title=Restoring Loss at Vimy|periodical=Canadian Architect|publication-date=May 2006|url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/|publisher=Business Information Group|accessdate=1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial|date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design, and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made [[pilgrimage]]s to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes, the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy|url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx|accessdate=4 January 2010|date=n.d.|publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag-covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft]]

On 26 July, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President [[Albert François Lebrun|Albert Lebrun]], and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Tim|date=2 April 2017|title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html|work=Toronto Star|location=Toronto|access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news|last=Foot|first=Richard|title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own|newspaper=The Vancouver Sun|publication-place=Vancouver|date=4 April 2007|page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]

In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda|Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated, [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier|journal=After the Battle|issue=109|publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd.|issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War, very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice, with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the 50th anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares|newspaper=Toronto Star|page=A3|first=Patrick|last=Doyle|date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/|title=Return To The Ridge|date=1 September 1997|magazine=Legion Magazine|first=Tom|last=MacGregor|publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle|publisher=Canadian Press|date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=Valpy|title=Setting a legend in stone|url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|location=Toronto|date=7 April 2007|accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being [[water damage]].<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode|title=|date=9 April 2007|series=National News|series-link=|first=Tom|last=Kennedy|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial is scheduled to take place on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html|title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge|date=31 March 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|first=Alicja|last=Siekierska|accessdate=1 April 2017}}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of Canada]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom]], [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], the President of France [[François Hollande]], and the Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge|title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge|author=|date=24 March 2017|website=Prime Minister of Canada|publisher=Government of Canada|access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril|title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril|date=25 March 2017|accessdate=1 April 2017|publisher=Le Voix du Nord}}</ref> Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps|title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps|publisher=Ottawa Citizen|first=Bruce|last=Deachman|date=22 March 2016|accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete, are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three-walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the [[trench warfare|trench lines]] of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried [[unexploded ordnance|unexploded munitions]] make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|title=Annual Report 2007–2008|format=PDF|year=2008|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|page=16|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf|archivedate=14 June 2011}}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST|title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret|title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=22 March 2007|accessdate=14 November 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret|archivedate=13 November 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr|accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide, indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in [[laurel wreath|laurel]] and [[olive branch]]es carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize victory and peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France, and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large [[memorial cross|crosses]] adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments, and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'' by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list, and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web|title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925|location=Paris|publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926|language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx|publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office|title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine|trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division|date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the memorial, campaign battles are inscribed on the left- and right-hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919|publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation|page=10|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf|archivedate=19 October 2014|df=dmy}}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[1st Foreign Regiment]] with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment|2nd Foreign Regiment]], both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom|trans-title=Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie|last=Trouillard|date=6 May 2015|publisher=France 24|language=french|url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger|title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger|publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère|trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion|language=french|date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news|first=Paul|last=Beaver|title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html|work=[[The Independent]]|date=14 August 1998|accessdate=26 April 2009|location=London}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|accessdate=10 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870|title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|date=25 November 2015|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/|publisher=Global News|date=14 May 2013|accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france|title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France|first=Blair|last=Crawford|date=11 January 2017|accessdate=17 March 2017|publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx|title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada|date=9 September 2000|accessdate=2 April 2017|publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/|title=Mission|publisher=Vimy Foundation|accessdate=9 February 2016|date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen|last=Harris|newspaper=[[London Free Press]]|publisher=Sum Media Corp|title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets|date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne|last=Arsenault|url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict, and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/|title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate)|date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010|publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue|issue=259|date=March 2011|first=Mick|last=Bister|publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory|title=Designing and Constructing|series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|date=5 May 2000|accessdate=8 January 2010|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Vimy Memorial, France|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company|date=n.d.}}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian [[military awards and decorations|military]] [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news|title=New military medal to honour combat casualties|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264|date=29 August 2008|accessdate=7 January 2010|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit|url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm|date=January 2004|accessdate=10 January 2010|publisher=Embassy of France in Canada}}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190|accessdate=6 May 2012|publisher=CTV|date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book |title=Canada at Vimy |last=MacIntyre |first=Duncan E. |year=1967 |publisher=Peter Martin Associates |location=Toronto |ref=harv}}
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* {{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=Desmond |first2=Glenn |last2=Wright |title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1962 |publisher=Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location=Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=1 January 2007 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title="We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last=Nicholson |first=Gerald W. L. |year=1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location=Ottawa |ref=harv}}
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* {{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}
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{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-08T15:07:44Z

Labattblueboy: /* Second World War */ no room for two images and starting a section with a left justified image causes problems

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France.
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list |embed=yes |designation1=NHSC |designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |designation1_date=1996 }}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a memorial site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[Trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and unexploded munitions still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] 11 years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under German control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the Franco-British and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French 1st Moroccan Division briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The [[United Kingdom|British]] XVII Corps relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds |url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF |newspaper=[[New York Times]]|format=PDF |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=21 August 1916 |accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British IV Corps stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[Barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Division captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the 10th Canadian Brigade attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news| first=Philip |last=Gibbs |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF |title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans |newspaper=New York Times |publisher=The New York Times Company |format=PDF |date=11 April 1917 |accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}
==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, Bourlon Wood, Le Quesnel, Dury, and Courcelette in France and St. Julien, Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), and Passchendaele in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web | title = Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee | accessdate =12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web | title = Design Competition | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition | accessdate =22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background.]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of the Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information |publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade |date=26 February 2002 |url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |accessdate=4 January 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |archivedate=21 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the Spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then [[Paris]], though Allward eventually set up a studio in [[London]], [[England]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white marble for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget limestone—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927 and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web | title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts | url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle | work=VAC Canada Remembers | publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada | date=n.d. | accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news | last=Picard | first=Andréa | title=Restoring Loss at Vimy |periodical =Canadian Architect | publication-date=May 2006 | url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/ |publisher=Business Information Group |accessdate =1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory | title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
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===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made pilgrimages to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July 1936, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy |url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx |accessdate=4 January 2010 |date=n.d. |publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft.]]

On 26 July 1936, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President [[Albert François Lebrun|Albert Lebrun]], and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Cook |first=Tim |date=2 April 2017 |title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html |work=Toronto Star |location=Toronto |access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]], it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII, who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news| last=Foot| first=Richard| title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own| newspaper=The Vancouver Sun| publication-place=Vancouver | date=4 April 2007| page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]

In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out, in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier |journal=After the Battle |issue=109 |publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd. |issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares |newspaper=Toronto Star |page=A3 |first=Patrick |last=Doyle |date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/ |title=Return To The Ridge |date=1 September 1997 |magazine=Legion Magazine |first=Tom |last=MacGregor |publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle |publisher=Canadian Press |date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Valpy | title=Setting a legend in stone |url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/ |work=[[Globe and Mail]] |location=Toronto |date=7 April 2007 |accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being water damage.<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode |title= |date=9 April 2007 |series=National News |series-link= |first=Tom |last=Kennedy |network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial is scheduled to take place on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html |title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge |date=31 March 2017 |publisher=Toronto Star |first=Alicja |last=Siekierska |accessdate=1 April 2017 }}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of Canada]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom]], [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], the President of France [[François Hollande]], and the Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge |title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge |author= |date=24 March 2017 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril |title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril |date=25 March 2017 |accessdate=1 April 2017 |publisher=Le Voix du Nord }}</ref> Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps |title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |first=Bruce |last=Deachman |date=22 March 2016 |accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the trench lines of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried unexploded munitions make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007–2008 |format=PDF |year=2008 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |page=16 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |archivedate=14 June 2011 }}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast| accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=22 March 2007 |accessdate=14 November 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret |archivedate=13 November 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project| url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr |accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in laurel and olive branches carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name.]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large crosses adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'', by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]], [[Italy]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web| title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada }}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925 |location= Paris |publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926 |language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx |publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office |title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine |trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division |date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the Memorial, Campaign battles are inscribed on the left and right hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919 |publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation |page=10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |archivedate=19 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom | trans-title = Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie |last=Trouillard |date=6 May 2015 |publisher=France 24 |language=french |url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger |title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger |publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère |trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion |language=french |date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[Bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Beaver |title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 August 1998 |accessdate=26 April 2009 |location=[[London]]}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |accessdate=10 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=25 November 2015 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/ |publisher=Global News |date=14 May 2013 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france |title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France |first=Blair |last=Crawford |date=11 January 2017 |accessdate=17 March 2017 |publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx | title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |date=9 September 2000 |accessdate=2 April 2017 |publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/ | title=Mission |publisher=Vimy Foundation |accessdate=9 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen |last=Harris |newspaper=[[London Free Press]]| publisher=Sum Media Corp |title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets |date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne |last=Arsenault |url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/ |title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate) |date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue |issue=259 |date=March 2011 |first=Mick |last=Bister |publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Designing and Constructing |series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |date= 5 May 2000 |accessdate=8 January 2010 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Vimy Memorial, France |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |date=n.d. }}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian military [[Military awards and decorations|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news |title=New military medal to honour combat casualties |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264 |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web| title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit |url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |date=January 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Embassy of France in Canada }}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web| title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190 |accessdate=6 May 2012 |publisher=CTV |date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
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* {{cite book | last1=Morton | first1=Desmond | first2=Glenn | last2=Wright | title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 | publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1962 |publisher= Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location= Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf | format=PDF |accessdate =1 January 2007| ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= "We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location= Ottawa|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal|last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy }}
*{{cite book |title= ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide |last= Pedersen |first=Peter | year= 2012 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location= New YOrk|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Prost |first = Antoine| year = 1997 | contribution = Monuments to the Dead | editor-last = Nora | editor-first = Pierre | editor2-last = Kritzman | editor2-first = Lawrence | editor3-last = Goldhammer | editor3-first = Arthur | title = Realms of memory: the construction of the French past | publication-place = New York | publisher = Columbia University Press | pages =307–332| isbn = 0-231-10634-3|ref=harv}}
*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936|journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Geology and Warfare: Examples of the Influence of Terrain and Geologists on Military Operations |last1=Rose |first1= Edward |first2=Paul |last2=Nathanail |year= 2000 |publisher= Geological Society |location= London |isbn=0-85052-463-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= Command or Control?: Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888–1918 |last=Samuels |first=Mart |year=1996| publisher=Frank Cass |location=Portland |isbn=0-7146-4570-2|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Saunders |first = Nicholas| title =Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001| journal = Antiquity | volume = 76 | issue = 291 | pages = 101–108| publisher = Portland Press| year = 2002 |ref=Saunders}}
* {{cite book|title= The German Army on Vimy Ridge 1914–1917|last= Sheldon| first= Jack|year= 2008|publisher= Pen & Sword Military|location= Barnsley (UK)| isbn = 978-1-84415-680-1|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Simkins |first1=Peter |last2=Jukes |first2=Geoffrey |last3=Hickey |first3=Michael |title=The First World War: The Western Front, 1917–1918 |year=2002 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84176-348-4|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Smith |first = Julian |title=Restoring Vimy: The Challenges of Confronting Emerging Modernism |pages=49–56 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal| first=Denise | last=Thomson |title=National Sorrow, National Pride: Commemoration of War in Canada, 1918–1945 |journal=Journal of Canadian Studies |date=Winter 1995–1996 |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=5–27|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= The European powers in the First World War: an encyclopedia| editor-last = Tucker| editor-first = Spencer| year=1996| publisher= Garland Publishing|location=New York|isbn=0-8153-0399-8|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= Vimy Ridge 1917: Byng's Canadians Triumph at Arras |last=Turner |first=Alexander| year=2005| publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=London |isbn=1-84176-871-5|ref=harv }}
* {{cite book| title= Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning, and the First World War |last=Vance |first=Jonathan Franklin |year=1997| publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver |isbn=0-7748-0600-1|ref=harv}}
* {{citation|chapter=Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians ... From Africa to the Artois |first=Philippe |last=Vincent-Chaissac |publisher=L'Echo du Pas-de-Calais |title=They Came from Across the Globe |p=3 |chapter-url=http://memoire.pas-de-calais.com/images/_uk/pdf-nationalites/marocain.pdf |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Literature and Theology: New Interdisciplinary Spaces |year=2011 |editor-first=Heather |editor-last=Walton |publisher=Ashgate |
contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Making Memory: Jewish and Christian Explorations in Monument, Narrative, and Liturgy |first=Alana |last=Vincent |year=2014 |publisher=James Clarke & Co |isbn=978-0-227-17431-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|title= Byng of Vimy, General and Governor General|last= Williams|first= Jeffery|year= 1983|publisher= Secker & Warburg|location= London| isbn = 0-436-57110-2|ref=harv}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-08T15:00:35Z

Labattblueboy:

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France.
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list |embed=yes |designation1=NHSC |designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |designation1_date=1996 }}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a memorial site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[Trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and unexploded munitions still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] 11 years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under German control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the Franco-British and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French 1st Moroccan Division briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The [[United Kingdom|British]] XVII Corps relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds |url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF |newspaper=[[New York Times]]|format=PDF |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=21 August 1916 |accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British IV Corps stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[Barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Division captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the 10th Canadian Brigade attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news| first=Philip |last=Gibbs |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF |title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans |newspaper=New York Times |publisher=The New York Times Company |format=PDF |date=11 April 1917 |accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}
==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, Bourlon Wood, Le Quesnel, Dury, and Courcelette in France and St. Julien, Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), and Passchendaele in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web | title = Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee | accessdate =12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web | title = Design Competition | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition | accessdate =22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background.]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of the Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information |publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade |date=26 February 2002 |url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |accessdate=4 January 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |archivedate=21 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the Spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then [[Paris]], though Allward eventually set up a studio in [[London]], [[England]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white marble for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget limestone—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927 and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web | title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts | url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle | work=VAC Canada Remembers | publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada | date=n.d. | accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news | last=Picard | first=Andréa | title=Restoring Loss at Vimy |periodical =Canadian Architect | publication-date=May 2006 | url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/ |publisher=Business Information Group |accessdate =1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory | title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made pilgrimages to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July 1936, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy |url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx |accessdate=4 January 2010 |date=n.d. |publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft.]]

On 26 July 1936, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President Albert Lebrun, and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Cook |first=Tim |date=2 April 2017 |title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html |work=Toronto Star |location=Toronto |access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126}} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII, who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news| last=Foot| first=Richard| title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own| newspaper=The Vancouver Sun| publication-place=Vancouver | date=4 April 2007| page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]
[[File:Field Marshal Montgomery reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944. BU763.jpg|thumb|left|[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]] reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944.]]
In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out, in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier |journal=After the Battle |issue=109 |publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd. |issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares |newspaper=Toronto Star |page=A3 |first=Patrick |last=Doyle |date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/ |title=Return To The Ridge |date=1 September 1997 |magazine=Legion Magazine |first=Tom |last=MacGregor |publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle |publisher=Canadian Press |date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Valpy | title=Setting a legend in stone |url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/ |work=[[Globe and Mail]] |location=Toronto |date=7 April 2007 |accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being water damage.<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode |title= |date=9 April 2007 |series=National News |series-link= |first=Tom |last=Kennedy |network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial is scheduled to take place on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html |title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge |date=31 March 2017 |publisher=Toronto Star |first=Alicja |last=Siekierska |accessdate=1 April 2017 }}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of Canada]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom]], [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], the President of France [[François Hollande]], and the Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge |title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge |author= |date=24 March 2017 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril |title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril |date=25 March 2017 |accessdate=1 April 2017 |publisher=Le Voix du Nord }}</ref> Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps |title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |first=Bruce |last=Deachman |date=22 March 2016 |accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the trench lines of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried unexploded munitions make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007–2008 |format=PDF |year=2008 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |page=16 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |archivedate=14 June 2011 }}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast| accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=22 March 2007 |accessdate=14 November 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret |archivedate=13 November 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project| url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr |accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in laurel and olive branches carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name.]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large crosses adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'', by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]], [[Italy]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web| title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada }}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925 |location= Paris |publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926 |language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx |publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office |title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine |trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division |date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the Memorial, Campaign battles are inscribed on the left and right hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919 |publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation |page=10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |archivedate=19 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom | trans-title = Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie |last=Trouillard |date=6 May 2015 |publisher=France 24 |language=french |url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger |title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger |publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère |trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion |language=french |date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[Bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Beaver |title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 August 1998 |accessdate=26 April 2009 |location=[[London]]}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |accessdate=10 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=25 November 2015 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/ |publisher=Global News |date=14 May 2013 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france |title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France |first=Blair |last=Crawford |date=11 January 2017 |accessdate=17 March 2017 |publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx | title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |date=9 September 2000 |accessdate=2 April 2017 |publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/ | title=Mission |publisher=Vimy Foundation |accessdate=9 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen |last=Harris |newspaper=[[London Free Press]]| publisher=Sum Media Corp |title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets |date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne |last=Arsenault |url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/ |title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate) |date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue |issue=259 |date=March 2011 |first=Mick |last=Bister |publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Designing and Constructing |series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |date= 5 May 2000 |accessdate=8 January 2010 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Vimy Memorial, France |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |date=n.d. }}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian military [[Military awards and decorations|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news |title=New military medal to honour combat casualties |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264 |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web| title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit |url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |date=January 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Embassy of France in Canada }}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web| title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190 |accessdate=6 May 2012 |publisher=CTV |date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
* {{cite book |title= Beneath Flanders Fields: The Tunnellers' War 1914–1918 |last1= Barton | first1=Peter |last2= Doyle |first2=Peter |last3=Vandewalle |first3=Johan |year= 2004 |publisher= McGill-Queen's University Press|location= Montreal & Kingston | isbn = 0-7735-2949-7|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| last1=Bell| first1=Lynne| last2=Bousfield |first2=Arthur |last3=Toffoli |first3=Gary| title=Queen and Consort:Elizabeth and Philip – 60 Years of Marriage| publisher=Dundurn Press| year=2007| location=Toronto| isbn=978-1-55002-725-9|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal|last=Boire |first=Michael |title=The Underground War: Military Mining Operations in support of the attack on Vimy Ridge, 9 April 1917 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=15–24 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Boire%20-%20The%20Underground%20War.pdf |accessdate=2 January 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091040/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Boire%20-%20The%20Underground%20War.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy-all }}
* {{cite book |last = Boire |first = Michael| year = 2007 | contribution = The Battlefield before the Canadians, 1914–1916 | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =51–61 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Bolling |first = Gordon |contribution=Acts of (Re-)Construction: Traces of Germany in Jane Urquhart's Novel the Stone Carvers|pages=295–318 | title= Refractions of Germany in Canadian Literature and Culture |editor1-last=Antor |editor1-first = Heinz | editor2-last = Brown | editor2-first = Sylvia | editor3-last = Considine | editor3-first = John | editor4-last = Stierstorfer | editor4-first = Klaus |year= 2003 |publisher= de Gruyter|location= Berlin | isbn = 978-3-11-017666-7|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Borestad |first = Lane |title=Walter Allward: Sculptor and Architect of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |pages=23–38 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| first=Laura |last=Brandon |contribution=Canvas of War |title= Canada and the Great War: Western Front Association Papers |editor-last=Busch |editor-first=Briton Cooper |year=2003| publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |location=Montreal |isbn=0-7735-2570-X|ref=harv |pages =203–215}}
* {{cite book| title= Art or Memorial? : The Forgotten History of Canada's War Art|last=Brandon |first=Laura |year=2006 | publisher=University of Calgary Press |location=Calgary |isbn=1-55238-178-1|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Brown |first = Eric |last2=Cook |first2=Tim | title = The 1936 Vimy Pilgrimage | journal = Canadian Military History | volume = 20 | issue = 2 | pages = 33–54| publisher = Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies | date = Spring 2011 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book | last = Campbell | first = David | year = 2007 | contribution = The 2nd Canadian Division: A 'Most Spectacular Battle' | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =171–192 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite encyclopedia | last = Cavell | first = Richard | editor-last = Sugars | editor-first = Cynthia | title = Remembering Canada: The Politics of Cultural Memory | encyclopedia = The Oxford Handbook of Canadian Literature | year = 2015 | publisher = Oxford University Press | isbn = 978-0-19-994186-5 | pages = 64–79 | ref=harv}}
* {{cite book | last = Cook | first = Tim | year = 2007 | contribution = The Gunners of Vimy Ridge: 'We are Hammering Fritz to Pieces' | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike | title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =105–124 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|title=Race, Empire and First World War Writing |first=Santanu |last=Das |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-521-50984-8 |year=2011 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| last=Doughty| first=Robert A.| title=Pyrrhic Victory: French Strategy and Operation in the Great War|year=2005| publisher=Belknap Press|publication-place =Cambridge and London|isbn=0-674-01880-X|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Duffy |first = Denis| title = Complexity and contradiction in Canadian public sculpture: the case of Walter Allward | journal = American Review of Canadian Studies | volume = 38 | issue = 2 | pages = 189–206| publisher = Routledge | date =2008 |doi = 10.1080/02722010809481708|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Durflinger |first = Serge| year = 2007 | contribution = Safeguarding Sanctity: Canada and the Vimy Memorial during the Second World War| editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =291–305 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
*{{cite book |last=Evans |first=Suzanne |date=9 February 2007 |title=Mothers of Heroes, Mothers of Martyrs: World War I and the Politics of Grief|location=Montreal |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |isbn=0773531882 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country |last=Fabijančić |first= Tony |year= 2003 |publisher= University of Alberta |isbn=0-88864-397-7 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=The Silent General: A Biography of Haig's Trusted Great War Comrade-in-Arms |last=Farr |first= Don |year= 2007 |publisher= Helion & Company Limited |location= Solihull |isbn=978-1-874622-99-4|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Godefroy |first = Andrew| authorlink=Andrew Godefroy| year = 2007 | contribution = The German Army at Vimy Ridge | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =225–238 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Hayes |first = Geoffrey| year = 2007 | contribution = The 3rd Canadian Division: Forgotten Victory | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =193–210 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|title= Canada at War, 1914–1918: A Record of Heroism and Achievement|last= Hopkins|first= J. Castell|year= 1919|publisher= Canadian Annual Review|location= Toronto|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Hucker |first = Jacqueline|year = 2007 | contribution = The Meaning and Significance of the Vimy Monument | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =279–290 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Hucker |first = Jacqueline |title=Vimy: A Monument for the Modern World |pages=39–48 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last = Humphries|first = Mark Osborne| year = 2007| contribution = 'Old Wine in New Bottles': A Comparison of British and Canadian Preparations for the Battle of Arras| editor-last = Hayes| editor-first = Geoffrey| editor2-last = Iarocci| editor2-first = Andrew| editor3-last = Bechthold| editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment| publication-place = Waterloo| publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press| pages =65–85| isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last= Inglis|first= Dave| title = Vimy Ridge: 1917–1992, A Canadian Myth over Seventy Five Years| year = 1995| publisher=Simon Fraser University| location=Burnaby|url =http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/6687/b17448906.pdf| accessdate =22 May 2013|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Battlefield tourism: pilgrimage and the commemoration of the Great War in Britain, Australia and Canada, 1919–1939 |last=Lloyd |first= David |year= 1998 |publisher= Berg Publishing |location= Oxford |isbn=1-85973-174-0|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Canada at Vimy |last=MacIntyre |first= Duncan E. |year= 1967 |publisher= Peter Martin Associates |location= Toronto|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Moran |first = Heather| year = 2007 | contribution = The Canadian Army Medical Corps at Vimy Ridge | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =139–154 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book | last1=Morton | first1=Desmond | first2=Glenn | last2=Wright | title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 | publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1962 |publisher= Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location= Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf | format=PDF |accessdate =1 January 2007| ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= "We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location= Ottawa|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal|last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy }}
*{{cite book |title= ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide |last= Pedersen |first=Peter | year= 2012 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location= New YOrk|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Prost |first = Antoine| year = 1997 | contribution = Monuments to the Dead | editor-last = Nora | editor-first = Pierre | editor2-last = Kritzman | editor2-first = Lawrence | editor3-last = Goldhammer | editor3-first = Arthur | title = Realms of memory: the construction of the French past | publication-place = New York | publisher = Columbia University Press | pages =307–332| isbn = 0-231-10634-3|ref=harv}}
*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936|journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Geology and Warfare: Examples of the Influence of Terrain and Geologists on Military Operations |last1=Rose |first1= Edward |first2=Paul |last2=Nathanail |year= 2000 |publisher= Geological Society |location= London |isbn=0-85052-463-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= Command or Control?: Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888–1918 |last=Samuels |first=Mart |year=1996| publisher=Frank Cass |location=Portland |isbn=0-7146-4570-2|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Saunders |first = Nicholas| title =Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001| journal = Antiquity | volume = 76 | issue = 291 | pages = 101–108| publisher = Portland Press| year = 2002 |ref=Saunders}}
* {{cite book|title= The German Army on Vimy Ridge 1914–1917|last= Sheldon| first= Jack|year= 2008|publisher= Pen & Sword Military|location= Barnsley (UK)| isbn = 978-1-84415-680-1|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Simkins |first1=Peter |last2=Jukes |first2=Geoffrey |last3=Hickey |first3=Michael |title=The First World War: The Western Front, 1917–1918 |year=2002 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84176-348-4|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Smith |first = Julian |title=Restoring Vimy: The Challenges of Confronting Emerging Modernism |pages=49–56 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal| first=Denise | last=Thomson |title=National Sorrow, National Pride: Commemoration of War in Canada, 1918–1945 |journal=Journal of Canadian Studies |date=Winter 1995–1996 |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=5–27|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= The European powers in the First World War: an encyclopedia| editor-last = Tucker| editor-first = Spencer| year=1996| publisher= Garland Publishing|location=New York|isbn=0-8153-0399-8|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= Vimy Ridge 1917: Byng's Canadians Triumph at Arras |last=Turner |first=Alexander| year=2005| publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=London |isbn=1-84176-871-5|ref=harv }}
* {{cite book| title= Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning, and the First World War |last=Vance |first=Jonathan Franklin |year=1997| publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver |isbn=0-7748-0600-1|ref=harv}}
* {{citation|chapter=Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians ... From Africa to the Artois |first=Philippe |last=Vincent-Chaissac |publisher=L'Echo du Pas-de-Calais |title=They Came from Across the Globe |p=3 |chapter-url=http://memoire.pas-de-calais.com/images/_uk/pdf-nationalites/marocain.pdf |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Literature and Theology: New Interdisciplinary Spaces |year=2011 |editor-first=Heather |editor-last=Walton |publisher=Ashgate |
contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Making Memory: Jewish and Christian Explorations in Monument, Narrative, and Liturgy |first=Alana |last=Vincent |year=2014 |publisher=James Clarke & Co |isbn=978-0-227-17431-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|title= Byng of Vimy, General and Governor General|last= Williams|first= Jeffery|year= 1983|publisher= Secker & Warburg|location= London| isbn = 0-436-57110-2|ref=harv}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-08T14:50:28Z

Labattblueboy: ref work

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France.
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list |embed=yes |designation1=NHSC |designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |designation1_date=1996 }}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a memorial site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[Trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and unexploded munitions still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] 11 years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under German control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the Franco-British and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French 1st Moroccan Division briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The [[United Kingdom|British]] XVII Corps relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds |url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF |newspaper=[[New York Times]]|format=PDF |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=21 August 1916 |accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British IV Corps stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[Barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Division captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the 10th Canadian Brigade attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news| first=Philip |last=Gibbs |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF |title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans |newspaper=New York Times |publisher=The New York Times Company |format=PDF |date=11 April 1917 |accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}
==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, Bourlon Wood, Le Quesnel, Dury, and Courcelette in France and St. Julien, Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), and Passchendaele in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web | title = Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee | accessdate =12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web | title = Design Competition | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition | accessdate =22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background.]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of the Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information |publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade |date=26 February 2002 |url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |accessdate=4 January 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |archivedate=21 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the Spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then [[Paris]], though Allward eventually set up a studio in [[London]], [[England]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white marble for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget limestone—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927 and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web | title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts | url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle | work=VAC Canada Remembers | publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada | date=n.d. | accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news | last=Picard | first=Andréa | title=Restoring Loss at Vimy |periodical =Canadian Architect | publication-date=May 2006 | url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/ |publisher=Business Information Group |accessdate =1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory | title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made pilgrimages to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July 1936, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy |url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx |accessdate=4 January 2010 |date=n.d. |publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft.]]

On 26 July 1936, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President Albert Lebrun, and a crowd of over 50,000 attended the event.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|pp=37-38}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Cook |first=Tim |date=2 April 2017 |title=The event that recast the Battle of Vimy Ridge |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/04/02/the-event-that-recast-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge.html |work=Toronto Star |location=Toronto |access-date=8 April 2017}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|2007|p=126} Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII, who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news| last=Foot| first=Richard| title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own| newspaper=The Vancouver Sun| publication-place=Vancouver | date=4 April 2007| page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]
[[File:Field Marshal Montgomery reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944. BU763.jpg|thumb|left|[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]] reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944.]]
In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out, in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier |journal=After the Battle |issue=109 |publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd. |issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares |newspaper=Toronto Star |page=A3 |first=Patrick |last=Doyle |date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/ |title=Return To The Ridge |date=1 September 1997 |magazine=Legion Magazine |first=Tom |last=MacGregor |publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle |publisher=Canadian Press |date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Valpy | title=Setting a legend in stone |url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/ |work=[[Globe and Mail]] |location=Toronto |date=7 April 2007 |accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being water damage.<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode |title= |date=9 April 2007 |series=National News |series-link= |first=Tom |last=Kennedy |network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial is scheduled to take place on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html |title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge |date=31 March 2017 |publisher=Toronto Star |first=Alicja |last=Siekierska |accessdate=1 April 2017 }}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of Canada]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom]], [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], the President of France [[François Hollande]], and the Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge |title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge |author= |date=24 March 2017 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril |title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril |date=25 March 2017 |accessdate=1 April 2017 |publisher=Le Voix du Nord }}</ref> Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps |title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |first=Bruce |last=Deachman |date=22 March 2016 |accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the trench lines of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried unexploded munitions make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007–2008 |format=PDF |year=2008 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |page=16 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |archivedate=14 June 2011 }}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast| accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=22 March 2007 |accessdate=14 November 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret |archivedate=13 November 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project| url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr |accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in laurel and olive branches carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name.]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large crosses adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'', by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]], [[Italy]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web| title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada }}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925 |location= Paris |publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926 |language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx |publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office |title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine |trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division |date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the Memorial, Campaign battles are inscribed on the left and right hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919 |publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation |page=10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |archivedate=19 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom | trans-title = Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie |last=Trouillard |date=6 May 2015 |publisher=France 24 |language=french |url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger |title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger |publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère |trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion |language=french |date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[Bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Beaver |title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 August 1998 |accessdate=26 April 2009 |location=[[London]]}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |accessdate=10 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=25 November 2015 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/ |publisher=Global News |date=14 May 2013 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france |title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France |first=Blair |last=Crawford |date=11 January 2017 |accessdate=17 March 2017 |publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx | title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |date=9 September 2000 |accessdate=2 April 2017 |publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/ | title=Mission |publisher=Vimy Foundation |accessdate=9 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen |last=Harris |newspaper=[[London Free Press]]| publisher=Sum Media Corp |title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets |date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne |last=Arsenault |url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/ |title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate) |date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue |issue=259 |date=March 2011 |first=Mick |last=Bister |publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Designing and Constructing |series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |date= 5 May 2000 |accessdate=8 January 2010 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Vimy Memorial, France |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |date=n.d. }}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian military [[Military awards and decorations|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news |title=New military medal to honour combat casualties |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264 |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web| title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit |url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |date=January 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Embassy of France in Canada }}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web| title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190 |accessdate=6 May 2012 |publisher=CTV |date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book | last1=Morton | first1=Desmond | first2=Glenn | last2=Wright | title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 | publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1962 |publisher= Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location= Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf | format=PDF |accessdate =1 January 2007| ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= "We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location= Ottawa|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal|last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy }}
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*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936|journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
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{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-08T11:31:41Z

Labattblueboy: /* Pilgrimage and unveiling */ link SS ''Antonia''

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France.
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list |embed=yes |designation1=NHSC |designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |designation1_date=1996 }}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a memorial site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[Trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and unexploded munitions still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] 11 years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under German control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the Franco-British and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French 1st Moroccan Division briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The [[United Kingdom|British]] XVII Corps relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds |url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF |newspaper=[[New York Times]]|format=PDF |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=21 August 1916 |accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British IV Corps stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[Barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Division captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the 10th Canadian Brigade attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news| first=Philip |last=Gibbs |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF |title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans |newspaper=New York Times |publisher=The New York Times Company |format=PDF |date=11 April 1917 |accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}
==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, Bourlon Wood, Le Quesnel, Dury, and Courcelette in France and St. Julien, Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), and Passchendaele in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web | title = Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee | accessdate =12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web | title = Design Competition | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition | accessdate =22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background.]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of the Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information |publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade |date=26 February 2002 |url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |accessdate=4 January 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |archivedate=21 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the Spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then [[Paris]], though Allward eventually set up a studio in [[London]], [[England]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white marble for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget limestone—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927 and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web | title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts | url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle | work=VAC Canada Remembers | publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada | date=n.d. | accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news | last=Picard | first=Andréa | title=Restoring Loss at Vimy |periodical =Canadian Architect | publication-date=May 2006 | url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/ |publisher=Business Information Group |accessdate =1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory | title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made pilgrimages to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July 1936, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, [[RMS Antonia|SS ''Antonia'']], [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy |url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx |accessdate=4 January 2010 |date=n.d. |publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft.]]

On 26 July 1936, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President Albert Lebrun, and over 50,000 Canadian, British, and French veterans and their families attended the event.<ref name="Fast Facts"/> Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII, who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news| last=Foot| first=Richard| title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own| newspaper=The Vancouver Sun| publication-place=Vancouver | date=4 April 2007| page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]
[[File:Field Marshal Montgomery reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944. BU763.jpg|thumb|left|[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]] reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944.]]
In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out, in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier |journal=After the Battle |issue=109 |publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd. |issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares |newspaper=Toronto Star |page=A3 |first=Patrick |last=Doyle |date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/ |title=Return To The Ridge |date=1 September 1997 |magazine=Legion Magazine |first=Tom |last=MacGregor |publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle |publisher=Canadian Press |date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Valpy | title=Setting a legend in stone |url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/ |work=[[Globe and Mail]] |location=Toronto |date=7 April 2007 |accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being water damage.<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode |title= |date=9 April 2007 |series=National News |series-link= |first=Tom |last=Kennedy |network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial is scheduled to take place on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html |title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge |date=31 March 2017 |publisher=Toronto Star |first=Alicja |last=Siekierska |accessdate=1 April 2017 }}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of Canada]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom]], [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], the President of France [[François Hollande]], and the Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge |title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge |author= |date=24 March 2017 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril |title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril |date=25 March 2017 |accessdate=1 April 2017 |publisher=Le Voix du Nord }}</ref> Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps |title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |first=Bruce |last=Deachman |date=22 March 2016 |accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the trench lines of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried unexploded munitions make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007–2008 |format=PDF |year=2008 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |page=16 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |archivedate=14 June 2011 }}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast| accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=22 March 2007 |accessdate=14 November 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret |archivedate=13 November 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project| url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr |accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in laurel and olive branches carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name.]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large crosses adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'', by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]], [[Italy]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web| title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada }}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925 |location= Paris |publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926 |language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx |publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office |title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine |trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division |date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the Memorial, Campaign battles are inscribed on the left and right hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919 |publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation |page=10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |archivedate=19 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom | trans-title = Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie |last=Trouillard |date=6 May 2015 |publisher=France 24 |language=french |url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger |title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger |publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère |trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion |language=french |date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[Bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Beaver |title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 August 1998 |accessdate=26 April 2009 |location=[[London]]}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |accessdate=10 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=25 November 2015 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/ |publisher=Global News |date=14 May 2013 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france |title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France |first=Blair |last=Crawford |date=11 January 2017 |accessdate=17 March 2017 |publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx | title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |date=9 September 2000 |accessdate=2 April 2017 |publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/ | title=Mission |publisher=Vimy Foundation |accessdate=9 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen |last=Harris |newspaper=[[London Free Press]]| publisher=Sum Media Corp |title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets |date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne |last=Arsenault |url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/ |title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate) |date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue |issue=259 |date=March 2011 |first=Mick |last=Bister |publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Designing and Constructing |series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |date= 5 May 2000 |accessdate=8 January 2010 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Vimy Memorial, France |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |date=n.d. }}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian military [[Military awards and decorations|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news |title=New military medal to honour combat casualties |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264 |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web| title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit |url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |date=January 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Embassy of France in Canada }}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web| title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190 |accessdate=6 May 2012 |publisher=CTV |date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book| last1=Bell| first1=Lynne| last2=Bousfield |first2=Arthur |last3=Toffoli |first3=Gary| title=Queen and Consort:Elizabeth and Philip – 60 Years of Marriage| publisher=Dundurn Press| year=2007| location=Toronto| isbn=978-1-55002-725-9|ref=harv}}
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* {{cite book |last = Boire |first = Michael| year = 2007 | contribution = The Battlefield before the Canadians, 1914–1916 | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =51–61 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Bolling |first = Gordon |contribution=Acts of (Re-)Construction: Traces of Germany in Jane Urquhart's Novel the Stone Carvers|pages=295–318 | title= Refractions of Germany in Canadian Literature and Culture |editor1-last=Antor |editor1-first = Heinz | editor2-last = Brown | editor2-first = Sylvia | editor3-last = Considine | editor3-first = John | editor4-last = Stierstorfer | editor4-first = Klaus |year= 2003 |publisher= de Gruyter|location= Berlin | isbn = 978-3-11-017666-7|ref=harv}}
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* {{cite book |last = Hayes |first = Geoffrey| year = 2007 | contribution = The 3rd Canadian Division: Forgotten Victory | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =193–210 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|title= Canada at War, 1914–1918: A Record of Heroism and Achievement|last= Hopkins|first= J. Castell|year= 1919|publisher= Canadian Annual Review|location= Toronto|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Hucker |first = Jacqueline|year = 2007 | contribution = The Meaning and Significance of the Vimy Monument | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =279–290 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Hucker |first = Jacqueline |title=Vimy: A Monument for the Modern World |pages=39–48 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last = Humphries|first = Mark Osborne| year = 2007| contribution = 'Old Wine in New Bottles': A Comparison of British and Canadian Preparations for the Battle of Arras| editor-last = Hayes| editor-first = Geoffrey| editor2-last = Iarocci| editor2-first = Andrew| editor3-last = Bechthold| editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment| publication-place = Waterloo| publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press| pages =65–85| isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last= Inglis|first= Dave| title = Vimy Ridge: 1917–1992, A Canadian Myth over Seventy Five Years| year = 1995| publisher=Simon Fraser University| location=Burnaby|url =http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/6687/b17448906.pdf| accessdate =22 May 2013|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Battlefield tourism: pilgrimage and the commemoration of the Great War in Britain, Australia and Canada, 1919–1939 |last=Lloyd |first= David |year= 1998 |publisher= Berg Publishing |location= Oxford |isbn=1-85973-174-0|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Canada at Vimy |last=MacIntyre |first= Duncan E. |year= 1967 |publisher= Peter Martin Associates |location= Toronto|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Moran |first = Heather| year = 2007 | contribution = The Canadian Army Medical Corps at Vimy Ridge | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =139–154 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book | last1=Morton | first1=Desmond | first2=Glenn | last2=Wright | title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 | publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1962 |publisher= Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location= Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf | format=PDF |accessdate =1 January 2007| ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= "We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location= Ottawa|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal|last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy }}
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*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936|journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
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* {{cite journal |last = Saunders |first = Nicholas| title =Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001| journal = Antiquity | volume = 76 | issue = 291 | pages = 101–108| publisher = Portland Press| year = 2002 |ref=Saunders}}
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{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-07T10:20:19Z

Labattblueboy: resolve on talk page first

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France.
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list |embed=yes |designation1=NHSC |designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |designation1_date=1996 }}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a memorial site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[Trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and unexploded munitions still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] 11 years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under German control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the Franco-British and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French 1st Moroccan Division briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The [[United Kingdom|British]] XVII Corps relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds |url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF |newspaper=[[New York Times]]|format=PDF |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=21 August 1916 |accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British IV Corps stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[Barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Division captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the 10th Canadian Brigade attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news| first=Philip |last=Gibbs |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF |title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans |newspaper=New York Times |publisher=The New York Times Company |format=PDF |date=11 April 1917 |accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}
==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, Bourlon Wood, Le Quesnel, Dury, and Courcelette in France and St. Julien, Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), and Passchendaele in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web | title = Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee | accessdate =12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web | title = Design Competition | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition | accessdate =22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background.]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of the Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information |publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade |date=26 February 2002 |url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |accessdate=4 January 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |archivedate=21 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the Spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then [[Paris]], though Allward eventually set up a studio in [[London]], [[England]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white marble for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget limestone—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927 and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web | title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts | url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle | work=VAC Canada Remembers | publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada | date=n.d. | accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news | last=Picard | first=Andréa | title=Restoring Loss at Vimy |periodical =Canadian Architect | publication-date=May 2006 | url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/ |publisher=Business Information Group |accessdate =1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory | title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made pilgrimages to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July 1936, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, SS ''Antonia'', [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy |url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx |accessdate=4 January 2010 |date=n.d. |publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft.]]

On 26 July 1936, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President Albert Lebrun, and over 50,000 Canadian, British, and French veterans and their families attended the event.<ref name="Fast Facts"/> Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII, who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news| last=Foot| first=Richard| title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own| newspaper=The Vancouver Sun| publication-place=Vancouver | date=4 April 2007| page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]
[[File:Field Marshal Montgomery reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944. BU763.jpg|thumb|left|[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]] reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944.]]
In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out, in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier |journal=After the Battle |issue=109 |publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd. |issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares |newspaper=Toronto Star |page=A3 |first=Patrick |last=Doyle |date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/ |title=Return To The Ridge |date=1 September 1997 |magazine=Legion Magazine |first=Tom |last=MacGregor |publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle |publisher=Canadian Press |date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Valpy | title=Setting a legend in stone |url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/ |work=[[Globe and Mail]] |location=Toronto |date=7 April 2007 |accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being water damage.<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode |title= |date=9 April 2007 |series=National News |series-link= |first=Tom |last=Kennedy |network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial is scheduled to take place on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html |title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge |date=31 March 2017 |publisher=Toronto Star |first=Alicja |last=Siekierska |accessdate=1 April 2017 }}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of Canada]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom]], [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], the President of France [[François Hollande]], and the Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge |title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge |author= |date=24 March 2017 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril |title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril |date=25 March 2017 |accessdate=1 April 2017 |publisher=Le Voix du Nord }}</ref> Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps |title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |first=Bruce |last=Deachman |date=22 March 2016 |accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the trench lines of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried unexploded munitions make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007–2008 |format=PDF |year=2008 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |page=16 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |archivedate=14 June 2011 }}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast| accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=22 March 2007 |accessdate=14 November 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret |archivedate=13 November 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project| url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr |accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in laurel and olive branches carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name.]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large crosses adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'', by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]], [[Italy]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web| title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada }}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925 |location= Paris |publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926 |language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx |publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office |title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine |trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division |date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the Memorial, Campaign battles are inscribed on the left and right hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919 |publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation |page=10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |archivedate=19 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom | trans-title = Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie |last=Trouillard |date=6 May 2015 |publisher=France 24 |language=french |url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger |title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger |publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère |trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion |language=french |date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[Bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Beaver |title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 August 1998 |accessdate=26 April 2009 |location=[[London]]}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |accessdate=10 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=25 November 2015 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/ |publisher=Global News |date=14 May 2013 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france |title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France |first=Blair |last=Crawford |date=11 January 2017 |accessdate=17 March 2017 |publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx | title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |date=9 September 2000 |accessdate=2 April 2017 |publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/ | title=Mission |publisher=Vimy Foundation |accessdate=9 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen |last=Harris |newspaper=[[London Free Press]]| publisher=Sum Media Corp |title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets |date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne |last=Arsenault |url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/ |title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate) |date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue |issue=259 |date=March 2011 |first=Mick |last=Bister |publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Designing and Constructing |series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |date= 5 May 2000 |accessdate=8 January 2010 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Vimy Memorial, France |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |date=n.d. }}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian military [[Military awards and decorations|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news |title=New military medal to honour combat casualties |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264 |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web| title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit |url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |date=January 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Embassy of France in Canada }}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web| title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190 |accessdate=6 May 2012 |publisher=CTV |date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
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{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-07T09:32:23Z

Labattblueboy: Undid revision 774268354 by Yoho2001 (talk) WP:BRD discussion to be started to talk page

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France.
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list |embed=yes |designation1=NHSC |designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |designation1_date=1996 }}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a memorial site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[Trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and unexploded munitions still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] 11 years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under German control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the Franco-British and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French 1st Moroccan Division briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The [[United Kingdom|British]] XVII Corps relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds |url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF |newspaper=[[New York Times]]|format=PDF |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=21 August 1916 |accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British IV Corps stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[Barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Division captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the 10th Canadian Brigade attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news| first=Philip |last=Gibbs |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF |title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans |newspaper=New York Times |publisher=The New York Times Company |format=PDF |date=11 April 1917 |accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}
==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, Bourlon Wood, Le Quesnel, Dury, and Courcelette in France and St. Julien, Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), and Passchendaele in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web | title = Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee | accessdate =12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web | title = Design Competition | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition | accessdate =22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background.]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of the Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information |publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade |date=26 February 2002 |url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |accessdate=4 January 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |archivedate=21 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the Spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then [[Paris]], though Allward eventually set up a studio in [[London]], [[England]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white marble for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget limestone—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927 and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web | title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts | url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle | work=VAC Canada Remembers | publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada | date=n.d. | accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news | last=Picard | first=Andréa | title=Restoring Loss at Vimy |periodical =Canadian Architect | publication-date=May 2006 | url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/ |publisher=Business Information Group |accessdate =1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory | title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made pilgrimages to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July 1936, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, SS ''Antonia'', [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy |url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx |accessdate=4 January 2010 |date=n.d. |publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft.]]

On 26 July 1936, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President Albert Lebrun, and over 50,000 Canadian, British, and French veterans and their families attended the event.<ref name="Fast Facts"/> Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII, who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news| last=Foot| first=Richard| title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own| newspaper=The Vancouver Sun| publication-place=Vancouver | date=4 April 2007| page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]
[[File:Field Marshal Montgomery reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944. BU763.jpg|thumb|left|[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]] reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944.]]
In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out, in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier |journal=After the Battle |issue=109 |publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd. |issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares |newspaper=Toronto Star |page=A3 |first=Patrick |last=Doyle |date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/ |title=Return To The Ridge |date=1 September 1997 |magazine=Legion Magazine |first=Tom |last=MacGregor |publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle |publisher=Canadian Press |date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Valpy | title=Setting a legend in stone |url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/ |work=[[Globe and Mail]] |location=Toronto |date=7 April 2007 |accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being water damage.<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode |title= |date=9 April 2007 |series=National News |series-link= |first=Tom |last=Kennedy |network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial is scheduled to take place on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html |title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge |date=31 March 2017 |publisher=Toronto Star |first=Alicja |last=Siekierska |accessdate=1 April 2017 }}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of Canada]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom]], [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], the President of France [[François Hollande]], and the Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge |title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge |author= |date=24 March 2017 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril |title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril |date=25 March 2017 |accessdate=1 April 2017 |publisher=Le Voix du Nord }}</ref> Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps |title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |first=Bruce |last=Deachman |date=22 March 2016 |accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the trench lines of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried unexploded munitions make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007–2008 |format=PDF |year=2008 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |page=16 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |archivedate=14 June 2011 }}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast| accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=22 March 2007 |accessdate=14 November 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret |archivedate=13 November 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project| url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr |accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in laurel and olive branches carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name.]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large crosses adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'', by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]], [[Italy]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web| title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada }}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925 |location= Paris |publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926 |language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx |publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office |title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine |trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division |date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the Memorial, Campaign battles are inscribed on the left and right hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919 |publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation |page=10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |archivedate=19 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom | trans-title = Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie |last=Trouillard |date=6 May 2015 |publisher=France 24 |language=french |url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger |title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger |publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère |trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion |language=french |date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[Bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Beaver |title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 August 1998 |accessdate=26 April 2009 |location=[[London]]}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |accessdate=10 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=25 November 2015 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/ |publisher=Global News |date=14 May 2013 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france |title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France |first=Blair |last=Crawford |date=11 January 2017 |accessdate=17 March 2017 |publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx | title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |date=9 September 2000 |accessdate=2 April 2017 |publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/ | title=Mission |publisher=Vimy Foundation |accessdate=9 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen |last=Harris |newspaper=[[London Free Press]]| publisher=Sum Media Corp |title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets |date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne |last=Arsenault |url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/ |title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate) |date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue |issue=259 |date=March 2011 |first=Mick |last=Bister |publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Designing and Constructing |series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |date= 5 May 2000 |accessdate=8 January 2010 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Vimy Memorial, France |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |date=n.d. }}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian military [[Military awards and decorations|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news |title=New military medal to honour combat casualties |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264 |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web| title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit |url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |date=January 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Embassy of France in Canada }}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web| title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190 |accessdate=6 May 2012 |publisher=CTV |date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book |title= Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1962 |publisher= Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location= Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf | format=PDF |accessdate =1 January 2007| ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= "We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location= Ottawa|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal|last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy }}
*{{cite book |title= ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide |last= Pedersen |first=Peter | year= 2012 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location= New YOrk|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Prost |first = Antoine| year = 1997 | contribution = Monuments to the Dead | editor-last = Nora | editor-first = Pierre | editor2-last = Kritzman | editor2-first = Lawrence | editor3-last = Goldhammer | editor3-first = Arthur | title = Realms of memory: the construction of the French past | publication-place = New York | publisher = Columbia University Press | pages =307–332| isbn = 0-231-10634-3|ref=harv}}
*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936|journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Geology and Warfare: Examples of the Influence of Terrain and Geologists on Military Operations |last1=Rose |first1= Edward |first2=Paul |last2=Nathanail |year= 2000 |publisher= Geological Society |location= London |isbn=0-85052-463-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= Command or Control?: Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888–1918 |last=Samuels |first=Mart |year=1996| publisher=Frank Cass |location=Portland |isbn=0-7146-4570-2|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Saunders |first = Nicholas| title =Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001| journal = Antiquity | volume = 76 | issue = 291 | pages = 101–108| publisher = Portland Press| year = 2002 |ref=Saunders}}
* {{cite book|title= The German Army on Vimy Ridge 1914–1917|last= Sheldon| first= Jack|year= 2008|publisher= Pen & Sword Military|location= Barnsley (UK)| isbn = 978-1-84415-680-1|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Simkins |first1=Peter |last2=Jukes |first2=Geoffrey |last3=Hickey |first3=Michael |title=The First World War: The Western Front, 1917–1918 |year=2002 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84176-348-4|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Smith |first = Julian |title=Restoring Vimy: The Challenges of Confronting Emerging Modernism |pages=49–56 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal| first=Denise | last=Thomson |title=National Sorrow, National Pride: Commemoration of War in Canada, 1918–1945 |journal=Journal of Canadian Studies |date=Winter 1995–1996 |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=5–27|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= The European powers in the First World War: an encyclopedia| editor-last = Tucker| editor-first = Spencer| year=1996| publisher= Garland Publishing|location=New York|isbn=0-8153-0399-8|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= Vimy Ridge 1917: Byng's Canadians Triumph at Arras |last=Turner |first=Alexander| year=2005| publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=London |isbn=1-84176-871-5|ref=harv }}
* {{cite book| title= Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning, and the First World War |last=Vance |first=Jonathan Franklin |year=1997| publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver |isbn=0-7748-0600-1|ref=harv}}
* {{citation|chapter=Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians ... From Africa to the Artois |first=Philippe |last=Vincent-Chaissac |publisher=L'Echo du Pas-de-Calais |title=They Came from Across the Globe |p=3 |chapter-url=http://memoire.pas-de-calais.com/images/_uk/pdf-nationalites/marocain.pdf |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Literature and Theology: New Interdisciplinary Spaces |year=2011 |editor-first=Heather |editor-last=Walton |publisher=Ashgate |
contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Making Memory: Jewish and Christian Explorations in Monument, Narrative, and Liturgy |first=Alana |last=Vincent |year=2014 |publisher=James Clarke & Co |isbn=978-0-227-17431-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|title= Byng of Vimy, General and Governor General|last= Williams|first= Jeffery|year= 1983|publisher= Secker & Warburg|location= London| isbn = 0-436-57110-2|ref=harv}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-04T22:25:02Z

Labattblueboy: ce lead. I think this works better.

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France.
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list |embed=yes |designation1=NHSC |designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |designation1_date=1996 }}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a memorial site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[Trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and unexploded munitions still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] 11 years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and a crowd of over 50,000 people, including 6,200 attendees from Canada. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under German control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the Franco-British and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French 1st Moroccan Division briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The [[United Kingdom|British]] XVII Corps relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds |url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF |newspaper=[[New York Times]]|format=PDF |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=21 August 1916 |accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British IV Corps stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[Barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Division captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the 10th Canadian Brigade attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news| first=Philip |last=Gibbs |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF |title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans |newspaper=New York Times |publisher=The New York Times Company |format=PDF |date=11 April 1917 |accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}
==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, Bourlon Wood, Le Quesnel, Dury, and Courcelette in France and St. Julien, Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), and Passchendaele in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web | title = Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee | accessdate =12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web | title = Design Competition | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition | accessdate =22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background.]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of the Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information |publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade |date=26 February 2002 |url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |accessdate=4 January 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |archivedate=21 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the Spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then [[Paris]], though Allward eventually set up a studio in [[London]], [[England]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white marble for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget limestone—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927 and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web | title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts | url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle | work=VAC Canada Remembers | publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada | date=n.d. | accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news | last=Picard | first=Andréa | title=Restoring Loss at Vimy |periodical =Canadian Architect | publication-date=May 2006 | url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/ |publisher=Business Information Group |accessdate =1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory | title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made pilgrimages to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July 1936, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, SS ''Antonia'', [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy |url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx |accessdate=4 January 2010 |date=n.d. |publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft.]]

On 26 July 1936, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President Albert Lebrun, and over 50,000 Canadian, British, and French veterans and their families attended the event.<ref name="Fast Facts"/> Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII, who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news| last=Foot| first=Richard| title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own| newspaper=The Vancouver Sun| publication-place=Vancouver | date=4 April 2007| page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]
[[File:Field Marshal Montgomery reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944. BU763.jpg|thumb|left|[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]] reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944.]]
In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out, in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier |journal=After the Battle |issue=109 |publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd. |issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares |newspaper=Toronto Star |page=A3 |first=Patrick |last=Doyle |date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/ |title=Return To The Ridge |date=1 September 1997 |magazine=Legion Magazine |first=Tom |last=MacGregor |publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle |publisher=Canadian Press |date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Valpy | title=Setting a legend in stone |url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/ |work=[[Globe and Mail]] |location=Toronto |date=7 April 2007 |accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being water damage.<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode |title= |date=9 April 2007 |series=National News |series-link= |first=Tom |last=Kennedy |network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial is scheduled to take place on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html |title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge |date=31 March 2017 |publisher=Toronto Star |first=Alicja |last=Siekierska |accessdate=1 April 2017 }}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of Canada]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom]], [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], the President of France [[François Hollande]], and the Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge |title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge |author= |date=24 March 2017 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril |title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril |date=25 March 2017 |accessdate=1 April 2017 |publisher=Le Voix du Nord }}</ref> Two postage stamps are being released jointly by [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste]] featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorate the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps |title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |first=Bruce |last=Deachman |date=22 March 2016 |accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the trench lines of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried unexploded munitions make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007–2008 |format=PDF |year=2008 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |page=16 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |archivedate=14 June 2011 }}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast| accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=22 March 2007 |accessdate=14 November 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret |archivedate=13 November 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project| url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr |accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in laurel and olive branches carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name.]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large crosses adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'', by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]], [[Italy]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web| title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada }}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925 |location= Paris |publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926 |language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx |publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office |title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine |trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division |date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the Memorial, Campaign battles are inscribed on the left and right hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919 |publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation |page=10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |archivedate=19 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom | trans-title = Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie |last=Trouillard |date=6 May 2015 |publisher=France 24 |language=french |url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger |title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger |publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère |trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion |language=french |date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[Bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Beaver |title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 August 1998 |accessdate=26 April 2009 |location=[[London]]}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |accessdate=10 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=25 November 2015 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/ |publisher=Global News |date=14 May 2013 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france |title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France |first=Blair |last=Crawford |date=11 January 2017 |accessdate=17 March 2017 |publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx | title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |date=9 September 2000 |accessdate=2 April 2017 |publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/ | title=Mission |publisher=Vimy Foundation |accessdate=9 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen |last=Harris |newspaper=[[London Free Press]]| publisher=Sum Media Corp |title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets |date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne |last=Arsenault |url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/ |title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate) |date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue |issue=259 |date=March 2011 |first=Mick |last=Bister |publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Designing and Constructing |series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |date= 5 May 2000 |accessdate=8 January 2010 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Vimy Memorial, France |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |date=n.d. }}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian military [[Military awards and decorations|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news |title=New military medal to honour combat casualties |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264 |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web| title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit |url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |date=January 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Embassy of France in Canada }}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web| title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190 |accessdate=6 May 2012 |publisher=CTV |date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
* {{cite book |title= Beneath Flanders Fields: The Tunnellers' War 1914–1918 |last1= Barton | first1=Peter |last2= Doyle |first2=Peter |last3=Vandewalle |first3=Johan |year= 2004 |publisher= McGill-Queen's University Press|location= Montreal & Kingston | isbn = 0-7735-2949-7|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| last1=Bell| first1=Lynne| last2=Bousfield |first2=Arthur |last3=Toffoli |first3=Gary| title=Queen and Consort:Elizabeth and Philip – 60 Years of Marriage| publisher=Dundurn Press| year=2007| location=Toronto| isbn=978-1-55002-725-9|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal|last=Boire |first=Michael |title=The Underground War: Military Mining Operations in support of the attack on Vimy Ridge, 9 April 1917 |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=15–24 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Boire%20-%20The%20Underground%20War.pdf |accessdate=2 January 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091040/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Boire%20-%20The%20Underground%20War.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy-all }}
* {{cite book |last = Boire |first = Michael| year = 2007 | contribution = The Battlefield before the Canadians, 1914–1916 | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =51–61 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Bolling |first = Gordon |contribution=Acts of (Re-)Construction: Traces of Germany in Jane Urquhart's Novel the Stone Carvers|pages=295–318 | title= Refractions of Germany in Canadian Literature and Culture |editor1-last=Antor |editor1-first = Heinz | editor2-last = Brown | editor2-first = Sylvia | editor3-last = Considine | editor3-first = John | editor4-last = Stierstorfer | editor4-first = Klaus |year= 2003 |publisher= de Gruyter|location= Berlin | isbn = 978-3-11-017666-7|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Borestad |first = Lane |title=Walter Allward: Sculptor and Architect of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |pages=23–38 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| first=Laura |last=Brandon |contribution=Canvas of War |title= Canada and the Great War: Western Front Association Papers |editor-last=Busch |editor-first=Briton Cooper |year=2003| publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |location=Montreal |isbn=0-7735-2570-X|ref=harv |pages =203–215}}
* {{cite book| title= Art or Memorial? : The Forgotten History of Canada's War Art|last=Brandon |first=Laura |year=2006 | publisher=University of Calgary Press |location=Calgary |isbn=1-55238-178-1|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Brown |first = Eric |last2=Cook |first2=Tim | title = The 1936 Vimy Pilgrimage | journal = Canadian Military History | volume = 20 | issue = 2 | pages = 33–54| publisher = Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies | date = Spring 2011 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book | last = Campbell | first = David | year = 2007 | contribution = The 2nd Canadian Division: A 'Most Spectacular Battle' | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =171–192 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite encyclopedia | last = Cavell | first = Richard | editor-last = Sugars | editor-first = Cynthia | title = Remembering Canada: The Politics of Cultural Memory | encyclopedia = The Oxford Handbook of Canadian Literature | year = 2015 | publisher = Oxford University Press | isbn = 978-0-19-994186-5 | pages = 64–79 | ref=harv}}
* {{cite book | last = Cook | first = Tim | year = 2007 | contribution = The Gunners of Vimy Ridge: 'We are Hammering Fritz to Pieces' | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike | title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =105–124 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|title=Race, Empire and First World War Writing |first=Santanu |last=Das |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-521-50984-8 |year=2011 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| last=Doughty| first=Robert A.| title=Pyrrhic Victory: French Strategy and Operation in the Great War|year=2005| publisher=Belknap Press|publication-place =Cambridge and London|isbn=0-674-01880-X|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Duffy |first = Denis| title = Complexity and contradiction in Canadian public sculpture: the case of Walter Allward | journal = American Review of Canadian Studies | volume = 38 | issue = 2 | pages = 189–206| publisher = Routledge | date =2008 |doi = 10.1080/02722010809481708|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Durflinger |first = Serge| year = 2007 | contribution = Safeguarding Sanctity: Canada and the Vimy Memorial during the Second World War| editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =291–305 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Croatia: Travels in Undiscovered Country |last=Fabijančić |first= Tony |year= 2003 |publisher= University of Alberta |isbn=0-88864-397-7 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=The Silent General: A Biography of Haig's Trusted Great War Comrade-in-Arms |last=Farr |first= Don |year= 2007 |publisher= Helion & Company Limited |location= Solihull |isbn=978-1-874622-99-4|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Godefroy |first = Andrew| authorlink=Andrew Godefroy| year = 2007 | contribution = The German Army at Vimy Ridge | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =225–238 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Hayes |first = Geoffrey| year = 2007 | contribution = The 3rd Canadian Division: Forgotten Victory | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =193–210 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|title= Canada at War, 1914–1918: A Record of Heroism and Achievement|last= Hopkins|first= J. Castell|year= 1919|publisher= Canadian Annual Review|location= Toronto|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Hucker |first = Jacqueline|year = 2007 | contribution = The Meaning and Significance of the Vimy Monument | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =279–290 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Hucker |first = Jacqueline |title=Vimy: A Monument for the Modern World |pages=39–48 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last = Humphries|first = Mark Osborne| year = 2007| contribution = 'Old Wine in New Bottles': A Comparison of British and Canadian Preparations for the Battle of Arras| editor-last = Hayes| editor-first = Geoffrey| editor2-last = Iarocci| editor2-first = Andrew| editor3-last = Bechthold| editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment| publication-place = Waterloo| publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press| pages =65–85| isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last= Inglis|first= Dave| title = Vimy Ridge: 1917–1992, A Canadian Myth over Seventy Five Years| year = 1995| publisher=Simon Fraser University| location=Burnaby|url =http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/6687/b17448906.pdf| accessdate =22 May 2013|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Battlefield tourism: pilgrimage and the commemoration of the Great War in Britain, Australia and Canada, 1919–1939 |last=Lloyd |first= David |year= 1998 |publisher= Berg Publishing |location= Oxford |isbn=1-85973-174-0|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Canada at Vimy |last=MacIntyre |first= Duncan E. |year= 1967 |publisher= Peter Martin Associates |location= Toronto|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Moran |first = Heather| year = 2007 | contribution = The Canadian Army Medical Corps at Vimy Ridge | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =139–154 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book | last1=Morton | first1=Desmond | first2=Glenn | last2=Wright | title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 | publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1962 |publisher= Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location= Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf | format=PDF |accessdate =1 January 2007| ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= "We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location= Ottawa|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal|last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy }}
*{{cite book |title= ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide |last= Pedersen |first=Peter | year= 2012 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location= New YOrk|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Prost |first = Antoine| year = 1997 | contribution = Monuments to the Dead | editor-last = Nora | editor-first = Pierre | editor2-last = Kritzman | editor2-first = Lawrence | editor3-last = Goldhammer | editor3-first = Arthur | title = Realms of memory: the construction of the French past | publication-place = New York | publisher = Columbia University Press | pages =307–332| isbn = 0-231-10634-3|ref=harv}}
*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936|journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Geology and Warfare: Examples of the Influence of Terrain and Geologists on Military Operations |last1=Rose |first1= Edward |first2=Paul |last2=Nathanail |year= 2000 |publisher= Geological Society |location= London |isbn=0-85052-463-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= Command or Control?: Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888–1918 |last=Samuels |first=Mart |year=1996| publisher=Frank Cass |location=Portland |isbn=0-7146-4570-2|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Saunders |first = Nicholas| title =Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001| journal = Antiquity | volume = 76 | issue = 291 | pages = 101–108| publisher = Portland Press| year = 2002 |ref=Saunders}}
* {{cite book|title= The German Army on Vimy Ridge 1914–1917|last= Sheldon| first= Jack|year= 2008|publisher= Pen & Sword Military|location= Barnsley (UK)| isbn = 978-1-84415-680-1|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Simkins |first1=Peter |last2=Jukes |first2=Geoffrey |last3=Hickey |first3=Michael |title=The First World War: The Western Front, 1917–1918 |year=2002 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84176-348-4|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Smith |first = Julian |title=Restoring Vimy: The Challenges of Confronting Emerging Modernism |pages=49–56 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal| first=Denise | last=Thomson |title=National Sorrow, National Pride: Commemoration of War in Canada, 1918–1945 |journal=Journal of Canadian Studies |date=Winter 1995–1996 |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=5–27|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= The European powers in the First World War: an encyclopedia| editor-last = Tucker| editor-first = Spencer| year=1996| publisher= Garland Publishing|location=New York|isbn=0-8153-0399-8|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= Vimy Ridge 1917: Byng's Canadians Triumph at Arras |last=Turner |first=Alexander| year=2005| publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=London |isbn=1-84176-871-5|ref=harv }}
* {{cite book| title= Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning, and the First World War |last=Vance |first=Jonathan Franklin |year=1997| publisher=UBC Press |location=Vancouver |isbn=0-7748-0600-1|ref=harv}}
* {{citation|chapter=Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians ... From Africa to the Artois |first=Philippe |last=Vincent-Chaissac |publisher=L'Echo du Pas-de-Calais |title=They Came from Across the Globe |p=3 |chapter-url=http://memoire.pas-de-calais.com/images/_uk/pdf-nationalites/marocain.pdf |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Literature and Theology: New Interdisciplinary Spaces |year=2011 |editor-first=Heather |editor-last=Walton |publisher=Ashgate |
contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Making Memory: Jewish and Christian Explorations in Monument, Narrative, and Liturgy |first=Alana |last=Vincent |year=2014 |publisher=James Clarke & Co |isbn=978-0-227-17431-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|title= Byng of Vimy, General and Governor General|last= Williams|first= Jeffery|year= 1983|publisher= Secker & Warburg|location= London| isbn = 0-436-57110-2|ref=harv}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-04T17:27:51Z

Labattblueboy: Rescuing 3 sources and tagging 0 as dead. #IABot (v1.3beta4)

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France.
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list |embed=yes |designation1=NHSC |designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |designation1_date=1996 }}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a memorial site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[Trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and unexploded munitions still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] 11 years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and more than 50,000 Canadian and French veterans and their families. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under German control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the Franco-British and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French 1st Moroccan Division briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The [[United Kingdom|British]] XVII Corps relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds |url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF |newspaper=[[New York Times]]|format=PDF |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=21 August 1916 |accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British IV Corps stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[Barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Division captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the 10th Canadian Brigade attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news| first=Philip |last=Gibbs |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF |title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans |newspaper=New York Times |publisher=The New York Times Company |format=PDF |date=11 April 1917 |accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}
==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, Bourlon Wood, Le Quesnel, Dury, and Courcelette in France and St. Julien, Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), and Passchendaele in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web | title = Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee | accessdate =12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web | title = Design Competition | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition | accessdate =22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background.]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of the Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web|title=Canada Treaty Information |publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade |date=26 February 2002 |url=http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |accessdate=4 January 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055852/http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 |archivedate=21 September 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the Spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then [[Paris]], though Allward eventually set up a studio in [[London]], [[England]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white marble for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget limestone—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927 and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web | title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts | url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle | work=VAC Canada Remembers | publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada | date=n.d. | accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news | last=Picard | first=Andréa | title=Restoring Loss at Vimy |periodical =Canadian Architect | publication-date=May 2006 | url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/ |publisher=Business Information Group |accessdate =1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory | title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made pilgrimages to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July 1936, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, SS ''Antonia'', [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy |url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx |accessdate=4 January 2010 |date=n.d. |publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft.]]

On 26 July 1936, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President Albert Lebrun, and over 50,000 Canadian, British, and French veterans and their families attended the event.<ref name="Fast Facts"/> Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII, who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news| last=Foot| first=Richard| title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own| newspaper=The Vancouver Sun| publication-place=Vancouver | date=4 April 2007| page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]
[[File:Field Marshal Montgomery reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944. BU763.jpg|thumb|left|[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]] reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944.]]
In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out, in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier |journal=After the Battle |issue=109 |publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd. |issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares |newspaper=Toronto Star |page=A3 |first=Patrick |last=Doyle |date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/ |title=Return To The Ridge |date=1 September 1997 |magazine=Legion Magazine |first=Tom |last=MacGregor |publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle |publisher=Canadian Press |date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Valpy | title=Setting a legend in stone |url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/ |work=[[Globe and Mail]] |location=Toronto |date=7 April 2007 |accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being water damage.<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode |title= |date=9 April 2007 |series=National News |series-link= |first=Tom |last=Kennedy |network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial is scheduled to take place on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html |title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge |date=31 March 2017 |publisher=Toronto Star |first=Alicja |last=Siekierska |accessdate=1 April 2017 }}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of Canada]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom]], [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], the President of France [[François Hollande]], and the Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge |title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge |author= |date=24 March 2017 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril |title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril |date=25 March 2017 |accessdate=1 April 2017 |publisher=Le Voix du Nord }}</ref> [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste]] are jointly releasing two postage stamps featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorating the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps |title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |first=Bruce |last=Deachman |date=22 March 2016 |accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the trench lines of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried unexploded munitions make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007–2008 |format=PDF |year=2008 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |page=16 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |archivedate=14 June 2011 }}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast| accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=22 March 2007 |accessdate=14 November 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials%2Fww1mem%2Fvimy%2Finterpret |archivedate=13 November 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project| url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr |accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in laurel and olive branches carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name.]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large crosses adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'', by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]], [[Italy]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web| title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada }}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925 |location= Paris |publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926 |language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx |publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office |title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine |trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division |date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the Memorial, Campaign battles are inscribed on the left and right hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919 |publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation |page=10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |archivedate=19 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom | trans-title = Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie |last=Trouillard |date=6 May 2015 |publisher=France 24 |language=french |url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger |title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger |publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère |trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion |language=french |date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[Bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Beaver |title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 August 1998 |accessdate=26 April 2009 |location=[[London]]}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |accessdate=10 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=25 November 2015 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/ |publisher=Global News |date=14 May 2013 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france |title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France |first=Blair |last=Crawford |date=11 January 2017 |accessdate=17 March 2017 |publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx | title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |date=9 September 2000 |accessdate=2 April 2017 |publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/ | title=Mission |publisher=Vimy Foundation |accessdate=9 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen |last=Harris |newspaper=[[London Free Press]]| publisher=Sum Media Corp |title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets |date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne |last=Arsenault |url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/ |title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate) |date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue |issue=259 |date=March 2011 |first=Mick |last=Bister |publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Designing and Constructing |series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |date= 5 May 2000 |accessdate=8 January 2010 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Vimy Memorial, France |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |date=n.d. }}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian military [[Military awards and decorations|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news |title=New military medal to honour combat casualties |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264 |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web| title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit |url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |date=January 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Embassy of France in Canada }}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web| title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190 |accessdate=6 May 2012 |publisher=CTV |date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book |last = Hayes |first = Geoffrey| year = 2007 | contribution = The 3rd Canadian Division: Forgotten Victory | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =193–210 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
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* {{cite book |last = Hucker |first = Jacqueline|year = 2007 | contribution = The Meaning and Significance of the Vimy Monument | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =279–290 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Hucker |first = Jacqueline |title=Vimy: A Monument for the Modern World |pages=39–48 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
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* {{cite book | last1=Morton | first1=Desmond | first2=Glenn | last2=Wright | title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 | publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1962 |publisher= Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location= Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf | format=PDF |accessdate =1 January 2007| ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= "We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location= Ottawa|ref=harv}}
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*{{cite book |title= ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide |last= Pedersen |first=Peter | year= 2012 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location= New YOrk|ref=harv}}
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*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936|journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
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contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
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{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-04T17:18:27Z

Labattblueboy: /* Centennial commemoration */ dmy for dates, removed parenthesis, citations into proper templates, citation for only two stamps not six ce source, delete coin - no feature of memorial (this article is about the memorial after all)

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France.
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list |embed=yes |designation1=NHSC |designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |designation1_date=1996 }}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a memorial site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[Trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and unexploded munitions still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] 11 years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and more than 50,000 Canadian and French veterans and their families. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under German control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the Franco-British and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French 1st Moroccan Division briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The [[United Kingdom|British]] XVII Corps relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds |url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF |newspaper=[[New York Times]]|format=PDF |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=21 August 1916 |accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British IV Corps stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[Barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Division captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the 10th Canadian Brigade attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news| first=Philip |last=Gibbs |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF |title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans |newspaper=New York Times |publisher=The New York Times Company |format=PDF |date=11 April 1917 |accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}
==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, Bourlon Wood, Le Quesnel, Dury, and Courcelette in France and St. Julien, Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), and Passchendaele in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web | title = Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee | accessdate =12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web | title = Design Competition | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition | accessdate =22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background.]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of the Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web | title = Canada Treaty Information | publisher = Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade | date = 26 February 2002 | url = http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 | accessdate =4 January 2008}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the Spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then [[Paris]], though Allward eventually set up a studio in [[London]], [[England]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white marble for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget limestone—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927 and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web | title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts | url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle | work=VAC Canada Remembers | publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada | date=n.d. | accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news | last=Picard | first=Andréa | title=Restoring Loss at Vimy |periodical =Canadian Architect | publication-date=May 2006 | url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/ |publisher=Business Information Group |accessdate =1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory | title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made pilgrimages to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July 1936, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, SS ''Antonia'', [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy |url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx |accessdate=4 January 2010 |date=n.d. |publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft.]]

On 26 July 1936, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President Albert Lebrun, and over 50,000 Canadian, British, and French veterans and their families attended the event.<ref name="Fast Facts"/> Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII, who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news| last=Foot| first=Richard| title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own| newspaper=The Vancouver Sun| publication-place=Vancouver | date=4 April 2007| page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]
[[File:Field Marshal Montgomery reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944. BU763.jpg|thumb|left|[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]] reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944.]]
In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out, in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier |journal=After the Battle |issue=109 |publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd. |issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares |newspaper=Toronto Star |page=A3 |first=Patrick |last=Doyle |date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/ |title=Return To The Ridge |date=1 September 1997 |magazine=Legion Magazine |first=Tom |last=MacGregor |publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle |publisher=Canadian Press |date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Valpy | title=Setting a legend in stone |url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/ |work=[[Globe and Mail]] |location=Toronto |date=7 April 2007 |accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being water damage.<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode |title= |date=9 April 2007 |series=National News |series-link= |first=Tom |last=Kennedy |network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial is scheduled to take place on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html |title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge |date=31 March 2017 |publisher=Toronto Star |first=Alicja |last=Siekierska |accessdate=1 April 2017 }}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of Canada]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] as representative of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom]], [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], the President of France [[François Hollande]], and the Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge |title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge |author= |date=24 March 2017 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril |title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril |date=25 March 2017 |accessdate=1 April 2017 |publisher=Le Voix du Nord }}</ref> [[Canada Post]] and France's [[La Poste]] are jointly releasing two postage stamps featuring the memorial, one designed by each country, to commemorating the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.<ref>{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/governor-general-french-ambassador-unveil-vimy-centenary-memorial-stamps |title=Governor General, French ambassador unveil Vimy centenary memorial stamps |publisher=Ottawa Citizen |first=Bruce |last=Deachman |date=22 March 2016 |accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the trench lines of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried unexploded munitions make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007–2008 |format=PDF |year=2008 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |page=16 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |archivedate=14 June 2011 }}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast| accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=22 March 2007 |accessdate=14 November 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |archivedate=13 November 2007 }}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project| url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr |accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in laurel and olive branches carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name.]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large crosses adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'', by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]], [[Italy]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web| title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada }}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925 |location= Paris |publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926 |language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx |publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office |title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine |trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division |date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the Memorial, Campaign battles are inscribed on the left and right hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919 |publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation |page=10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |archivedate=19 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom | trans-title = Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie |last=Trouillard |date=6 May 2015 |publisher=France 24 |language=french |url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger |title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger |publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère |trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion |language=french |date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[Bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Beaver |title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 August 1998 |accessdate=26 April 2009 |location=[[London]]}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |accessdate=10 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=25 November 2015 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/ |publisher=Global News |date=14 May 2013 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france |title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France |first=Blair |last=Crawford |date=11 January 2017 |accessdate=17 March 2017 |publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx | title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |date=9 September 2000 |accessdate=2 April 2017 |publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/ | title=Mission |publisher=Vimy Foundation |accessdate=9 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen |last=Harris |newspaper=[[London Free Press]]| publisher=Sum Media Corp |title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets |date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne |last=Arsenault |url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/ |title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate) |date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue |issue=259 |date=March 2011 |first=Mick |last=Bister |publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Designing and Constructing |series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |date= 5 May 2000 |accessdate=8 January 2010 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Vimy Memorial, France |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |date=n.d. }}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian military [[Military awards and decorations|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news |title=New military medal to honour combat casualties |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264 |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web| title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit |url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |date=January 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Embassy of France in Canada }}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web| title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190 |accessdate=6 May 2012 |publisher=CTV |date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book |last = Bolling |first = Gordon |contribution=Acts of (Re-)Construction: Traces of Germany in Jane Urquhart's Novel the Stone Carvers|pages=295–318 | title= Refractions of Germany in Canadian Literature and Culture |editor1-last=Antor |editor1-first = Heinz | editor2-last = Brown | editor2-first = Sylvia | editor3-last = Considine | editor3-first = John | editor4-last = Stierstorfer | editor4-first = Klaus |year= 2003 |publisher= de Gruyter|location= Berlin | isbn = 978-3-11-017666-7|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Borestad |first = Lane |title=Walter Allward: Sculptor and Architect of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |pages=23–38 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
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* {{cite book |last = Hayes |first = Geoffrey| year = 2007 | contribution = The 3rd Canadian Division: Forgotten Victory | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =193–210 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|title= Canada at War, 1914–1918: A Record of Heroism and Achievement|last= Hopkins|first= J. Castell|year= 1919|publisher= Canadian Annual Review|location= Toronto|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Hucker |first = Jacqueline|year = 2007 | contribution = The Meaning and Significance of the Vimy Monument | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =279–290 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Hucker |first = Jacqueline |title=Vimy: A Monument for the Modern World |pages=39–48 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last = Humphries|first = Mark Osborne| year = 2007| contribution = 'Old Wine in New Bottles': A Comparison of British and Canadian Preparations for the Battle of Arras| editor-last = Hayes| editor-first = Geoffrey| editor2-last = Iarocci| editor2-first = Andrew| editor3-last = Bechthold| editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment| publication-place = Waterloo| publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press| pages =65–85| isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|last= Inglis|first= Dave| title = Vimy Ridge: 1917–1992, A Canadian Myth over Seventy Five Years| year = 1995| publisher=Simon Fraser University| location=Burnaby|url =http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/6687/b17448906.pdf| accessdate =22 May 2013|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Battlefield tourism: pilgrimage and the commemoration of the Great War in Britain, Australia and Canada, 1919–1939 |last=Lloyd |first= David |year= 1998 |publisher= Berg Publishing |location= Oxford |isbn=1-85973-174-0|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Canada at Vimy |last=MacIntyre |first= Duncan E. |year= 1967 |publisher= Peter Martin Associates |location= Toronto|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last = Moran |first = Heather| year = 2007 | contribution = The Canadian Army Medical Corps at Vimy Ridge | editor-last = Hayes | editor-first = Geoffrey | editor2-last = Iarocci | editor2-first = Andrew | editor3-last = Bechthold | editor3-first = Mike| title = Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment | publication-place = Waterloo | publisher = Wilfrid Laurier University Press | pages =139–154 | isbn = 0-88920-508-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book | last1=Morton | first1=Desmond | first2=Glenn | last2=Wright | title=Winning the Second Battle: Canadian Veterans and the Return to Civilian Life, 1915–1930 | publisher=University of Toronto Press |place=Toronto |year=1987 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War: Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914–1919 |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1962 |publisher= Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationary |location= Ottawa |url=http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CEF_e.pdf | format=PDF |accessdate =1 January 2007| ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title= "We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location= Ottawa|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal|last=Pierce |first=John |title=Constructing Memory: The Vimy Memorial |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=1 |issue=1–2 |pages=4–14 |publisher=Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies |date=Spring 1992 |url=http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |accessdate=2 February 2009 |format=PDF |ref=harv |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305091036/http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/cmh/back%20issues/CMH/volume%201/issue%201-2/Pierce%20-%20Constructing%20Memory%20-%20The%20Vimy%20Memorial.pdf |archivedate=5 March 2009 |df=dmy }}
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*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2007 |title="Not A Man Fell Out and the Party Marched Into Arras Singing": The Royal Guard and the Unveiling of the Vimy Memorial, 1936|journal=Canadian Military History |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=57–68 |ref=harv}}*{{cite journal |last=Reynolds |first=Ken |year=2008 |title=From Alberta to Avion: Private Herbert Peterson, 49th Battalion, CEF |journal=Canadian Military History |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=67–74 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |title=Geology and Warfare: Examples of the Influence of Terrain and Geologists on Military Operations |last1=Rose |first1= Edward |first2=Paul |last2=Nathanail |year= 2000 |publisher= Geological Society |location= London |isbn=0-85052-463-6|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= Command or Control?: Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888–1918 |last=Samuels |first=Mart |year=1996| publisher=Frank Cass |location=Portland |isbn=0-7146-4570-2|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Saunders |first = Nicholas| title =Excavating memories: archaeology and the Great War, 1914–2001| journal = Antiquity | volume = 76 | issue = 291 | pages = 101–108| publisher = Portland Press| year = 2002 |ref=Saunders}}
* {{cite book|title= The German Army on Vimy Ridge 1914–1917|last= Sheldon| first= Jack|year= 2008|publisher= Pen & Sword Military|location= Barnsley (UK)| isbn = 978-1-84415-680-1|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Simkins |first1=Peter |last2=Jukes |first2=Geoffrey |last3=Hickey |first3=Michael |title=The First World War: The Western Front, 1917–1918 |year=2002 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84176-348-4|ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal |last = Smith |first = Julian |title=Restoring Vimy: The Challenges of Confronting Emerging Modernism |pages=49–56 |journal = Journal of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | volume = 33 | issue = 1 | publisher = Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada | date = 2008 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite journal| first=Denise | last=Thomson |title=National Sorrow, National Pride: Commemoration of War in Canada, 1918–1945 |journal=Journal of Canadian Studies |date=Winter 1995–1996 |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=5–27|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book| title= The European powers in the First World War: an encyclopedia| editor-last = Tucker| editor-first = Spencer| year=1996| publisher= Garland Publishing|location=New York|isbn=0-8153-0399-8|ref=harv}}
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{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

2017-04-02T16:14:08Z

Labattblueboy: /* Memorial construction */ ce to include citation regarding plaster models being life sized

{{featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Memorial
|name = Canadian National Vimy Memorial Mémorial national du Canada à Vimy
|body = [[Veterans Affairs Canada]] [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image = Vimy Memorial - Allward design submission.jpg
|image_size = 300
|alt = A black and white drawing of a white limestone memorial built on the top of a hill. The memorial has a large front wall with rising steps on each end. Two large pylons of stone rise from a platform at the top of the wall.
|caption = Walter Allward's memorial design submission
|commemorates = First World War Canadian dead and missing, presumed dead, in France.
|unveiled = {{start date and age|1936|07|26|df=yes}} By King [[Edward VIII]]
|coordinates = {{coord|50.379444|2.773611|region:FR-HDF_type:landmark_scale:2500|format=dms|display=it}}
|nearest_town = [[Vimy]], [[Pas-de-Calais]], [[France]]
|designer = [[Walter Seymour Allward]]
|commemorated = 11,169{{refn|It is not possible to remove the names of those whose bodies have been discovered or identified since the construction of the memorial. As a result, several individuals are commemorated on both the memorial and by a headstone.{{sfn|Reynolds|2008|pp=57–68}} Although 11,285 names appear on the memorial only 11,169 are commemorated as missing.|group="Note"}}
|inscription = {{lang-en|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.}} {{lang-fr|À la vaillance de ses fils pendant la Grande Guerre et en mémoire de ses soixante mille morts, le peuple canadien a élevé ce monument.}}
|source = {{cwgc cemetery|87900}}
|embedded = {{Designation list |embed=yes |designation1=NHSC |designation1_offname=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |designation1_date=1996 }}
}}
The '''Canadian National Vimy Memorial''' is a memorial site in [[France]] dedicated to the memory of [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] members killed during the [[First World War]]. It also serves as the place of commemoration for First World War Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who have no known grave. The monument is the centrepiece of a {{convert|100|ha|acre|adj=on}} preserved battlefield park that encompasses a portion of the ground over which the [[Canadian Corps]] made their assault during the initial [[Battle of Vimy Ridge]] offensive of the [[Battle of Arras (1917)|Battle of Arras]].

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a cohesive formation, and it became a Canadian national symbol of achievement and sacrifice. France ceded to Canada perpetual use of a portion of land on Vimy Ridge on the understanding that Canada use the land to establish a battlefield park and memorial. Wartime tunnels, [[Trench warfare|trenches]], craters, and unexploded munitions still honeycomb the grounds of the site, which remains largely closed off for reasons of public safety. Along with preserved trench lines, several other memorials and cemeteries are contained within the park.

The project took designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] 11 years to see built. King [[Edward VIII]] unveiled it on 26 July 1936 in the presence of [[President of France|French President]] [[Albert Lebrun]] and more than 50,000 Canadian and French veterans and their families. Following an extensive multi-year restoration, Queen [[Elizabeth II]] re-dedicated the monument on 9 April 2007 at a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle. The site is maintained by [[Veterans Affairs Canada]]. The Vimy Memorial is one of only two [[National Historic Sites of Canada]] located outside of Canada.

==Background==

===Topography===
Vimy Ridge is a gradually rising [[escarpment]] on the western edge of the Douai Plains, eight kilometres northeast of [[Arras]]. The ridge gradually rises on its western side, dropping more quickly on the eastern side.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}} The ridge is approximately seven kilometres in length, {{convert|700|m|ft}} wide at its narrowest point and culminates at an elevation of {{convert|145|m|ft}} above [[sea level]], or {{convert|60|m|ft}} above the Douai Plains, providing a natural unobstructed view for tens of kilometres in all directions.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|loc=pp. 396–397, Fig. 14.3}}

===Early conflicts on site===
[[Image:VCRichardBasilBrandramJones.jpg|right|upright|thumb|[[Victoria Cross]] recipient Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones|Richard Jones]]|alt=Head and shoulders of a young British officer. He is Caucasian with brown hair that is parted to the right. He is wearing a military uniform with the Victoria Cross pinned to the left breast.]]
The ridge fell under German control in October 1914, during the [[Race to the Sea]], as the Franco-British and German forces continually attempted to outflank each other through northeastern France.{{sfn|Boire|2007|pp=52–53}} The [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]] attempted to dislodge the Germans from the region during the [[Second Battle of Artois]] in May 1915 by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]]. During the attack, the French 1st Moroccan Division briefly captured the height of the ridge, where the Vimy memorial is currently located, but was unable to hold it owing to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The French made another attempt during the [[Third Battle of Artois]] in September 1915, but were once again unsuccessful in capturing the top of the ridge.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=68}} The French suffered approximately 150,000 casualties in their attempts to gain control of Vimy Ridge and surrounding territory.{{sfn|Tucker|1996|p=8}}

The [[United Kingdom|British]] XVII Corps relieved the French Tenth Army from the sector in February 1916.{{sfn|Boire|1992|p=15}} On 21 May 1916, the German infantry attacked the British lines along a {{convert|1800|m|yd|adj=on}} front in an effort to force them from positions along the base of the ridge.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Germans captured several British-controlled tunnels and [[Mining (military)|mine]] craters before halting their advance and entrenching their positions.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{refn|The Germans grew uneasy about the proximity of the British positions to the top of the ridge, particularly after the increase in British tunnelling and counter mining activities.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=149}}|group="Note"}} Temporary Lieutenant [[Richard Basil Brandram Jones]] was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Broadmarsh Crater during the attack.<ref>{{cite news |title=Victoria Cross List Tells Heroic Deeds |url=https://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9504E7D81E3FE233A25752C2A96E9C946796D6CF |newspaper=[[New York Times]]|format=PDF |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=21 August 1916 |accessdate=17 September 2009}}</ref>{{refn|The Broadmarsh Crater remains visible and is located within the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial Park.|group="Note"}} British counter-attacks on 22 May did not manage to change the situation.{{sfn|Samuels|1996|pp=200–202}} The Canadian Corps relieved the British IV Corps stationed along the western slopes of Vimy Ridge in October 1916.{{sfn|Farr|2007|p=147}}

===Battle of Vimy Ridge===
{{main article|Battle of Vimy Ridge}}

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first instance in which all four Canadian divisions participated in a battle together, as a cohesive formation.{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=120}} The nature and size of the planned Canadian Corps assault necessitated support and resources beyond its normal operational capabilities.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=229}} Consequently, the British [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Division]] and supplementary artillery, engineer and labour units reinforced the four Canadian divisions already in place. The [[24th Division (United Kingdom)|24th British Division]] of [[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]] supported the Canadian Corps along its northern flank while the XVII Corps did so to the south.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=39}} The ad hoc {{lang|de|''Gruppe Vimy''}} formation, based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps commander {{lang|de|''General der Infanterie''}} [[Karl von Fasbender|Karl Ritter von Fasbender]], was the principal defending formation with three divisions responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps.{{sfn|Williams|1983|p=149}}

[[Image:Plan of Attack Vimy Ridge.jpg|thumb|left|upright|250px|The Canadian Corps plan of attack outlining the four objective lines – Black, Red, Blue, and Brown|alt=Diagram of the battle illustrating the positions for each of the Canadian Corps division and brigades. The map shows the westerly direction of the attack, up an over the topography of the ridge.]]
The attack began at 5:30 am on [[Easter Monday]], 9 April 1917. Light [[field gun]]s laid down a [[Barrage (artillery)|barrage]] that advanced in predetermined increments, often {{convert|91|m|yd}} every three minutes, while medium and heavy [[howitzer]]s established a series of standing barrages against known defensive systems further ahead.
{{sfn|Cook|2007|p=117}} The [[1st Canadian Division|1st]], [[2nd Canadian Division|2nd]], and [[3rd Canadian Division]]s quickly captured their first objectives.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The [[4th Canadian Division]] encountered a great deal of trouble during its advance and was unable to complete its first objective until some hours later.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=254}} The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Canadian Division captured their second objective by approximately 7:30 am.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=255}}{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Hayes|2007|p=200}} The failure of the 4th Canadian Division to capture the top of the ridge delayed further advances and forced the 3rd Canadian Division to expend resources establishing a defensive line to its north.{{sfn|Hayes|2007|pp=202–203}} Reserve units from the 4th Canadian Division renewed the attack on the German positions on the top of the ridge and eventually forced the German troops holding the southwestern portion of Hill 145 to withdraw.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}}{{refn|German records indicate that the defending German units withdrew because they had fully run out of ammunition, mortar rounds, and grenades.{{sfn|Sheldon|2008|p=309}}|group="Note"}}

On the morning of 10 April, Canadian Corps commander [[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Julian H.G. Byng, Viscount Byng of Vimy|Julian Byng]] moved up three fresh [[brigade]]s to support the continued advance.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=179}} The fresh units leapfrogged units already in place and captured the third objective line, including Hill 135 and the town of [[Thélus]], by 11:00 am.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|pp=179–181}} By 2:00 pm both the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions reported capturing their final objectives.{{sfn|Campbell|2007|p=182}} By this point the "Pimple", a heavily defended knoll west of the town of [[Givenchy-en-Gohelle]], was the only German position remaining on Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Godefroy|2007|p=220}} On 12 April, the 10th Canadian Brigade attacked and quickly overcame the hastily entrenched German troops, with the support of artillery and the 24th British Division.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} By nightfall on 12 April, the Canadian Corps was in firm control of the ridge.{{sfn|Nicholson|1962|p=263}} The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.{{sfn|Moran|2007|p=139}} The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties, and around 4,000 men became [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=Gibbs>{{cite news| first=Philip |last=Gibbs |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9904E2DE153AE433A25752C1A9629C946696D6CF |title=All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans |newspaper=New York Times |publisher=The New York Times Company |format=PDF |date=11 April 1917 |accessdate=14 November 2009}}</ref>

Although the battle is not generally considered Canada's greatest military achievement, the image of national unity and achievement imbued the battle with considerable national significance for Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=1}}{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=233}} According to Pierce, "the historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event that came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation."{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}} The idea that Canada's identity and nationhood were born out of the battle is an opinion that is widely held in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}}
{{-}}
==History==

===Selection===
{{see also|Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission}}
[[Image:Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission - Design Comp.jpg|thumb|right|Design competition submissions|alt=Approximately a dozen monument models sit on tables in a stone walled room.]]
In 1920, the Government of Canada announced that the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|Imperial War Graves Commission]] had awarded Canada eight sites—five in France and three in Belgium—on which to erect memorials.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}}{{refn|The eight sites were Vimy, Bourlon Wood, Le Quesnel, Dury, and Courcelette in France and St. Julien, Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood), and Passchendaele in Belgium.<ref name="VAC CBMC">{{cite web | title = Canadian Battlefields Memorials Committee | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/Memorials/can_battle_committee | accessdate =12 January 2008}}</ref>|group=Note}} Each site represented a significant Canadian engagement and the Canadian government initially decided that each battlefield be treated equally and commemorated with identical monuments.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=205}} In September 1920, the Canadian government formed the [[Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission]] to discuss the process and conditions for holding a memorial competition for the sites in Europe.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The commission held its first meeting on 26 November 1920 and during this meeting decided that the [[architectural design competition]] would be open to all Canadian architects, designers, sculptors, and artists.<ref name="VAC CBMC"/> The jury consisted of [[Charles Herbert Reilly]] representing the [[Royal Institute of British Architects]], [[Paul Philippe Cret]] representing the [[Société centrale des architectes français]] and [[Frank Darling (architect)|Frank Darling]] representing the [[Royal Architectural Institute of Canada]].{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Each jury member was a leader in the architectural field; Reilly was training students in design and development of war memorials and Cret had been selected by the United States to design national monuments in Europe.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Interested parties submitted 160 design drawings and the jury selected 17 submissions for consideration, commissioning each finalist to produce a plaster [[maquette]] of their respective design.<ref>{{cite web | title = Design Competition | publisher = Veteran Affairs Canada | date = 25 March 2007 | url = http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/sg/01_artwork/04_competition | accessdate =22 May 2013}}</ref> The jury recommended in a 10 September 1921 report to the commission that two of the designs be executed.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} In October 1921, the commission formally selected the submission of [[Toronto]] sculptor and designer [[Walter Seymour Allward]] as the winner of the competition; The design submitted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha was selected as runner-up.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The complexity of Allward's design precluded the possibility of duplicating the design at each site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}} The approach of selecting one primary memorial ran counter to the recommendation of Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission architectural advisor [[Percy Erskine Nobbs]], who had consistently expressed his preference for a series of smaller monuments.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}} The consensus went in Allward's favour, his design receiving both public and critical approval.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}{{refn|Critical approval included [[Group of Seven (artists)|Group of Seven]] artist [[A. Y. Jackson]] providing a supporting position in a letter published by [[Canadian Forum]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=32}}|group="Note"}} The commission revised its initial plans and decided to build two distinctive memorials—those of Allward and Clemesha—and six smaller identical memorials.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=67}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Design model.jpg|thumb|left|A design model of the memorial|alt=A white plaster design model of the Vimy Memorial from the front side, displayed against a black background.]]
At the outset, members of the commission debated where to build Allward's winning design.{{sfn|Vance|1997|p=66}} The jury's assessment was that Allward's submission was best suited to a "low hill rather than to a continuous and lofty bluff or cliff like Vimy Ridge".{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} The commission committee initially recommended placing the monument in Belgium on [[Hill 62 Memorial|Hill 62]], near the location of the [[Battle of Mont Sorrel]], as the site provided an imposing view.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=5}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=283}} This ran counter to the desires of the Prime Minister [[William Lyon Mackenzie King]] who, while speaking in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in May 1922, argued in favour of placing the memorial at Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} King's position received the unanimous support of the House and, in the end, the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred site.{{sfn|Vance|1997|pp=66–69}} The government announced its desire to acquire a more considerable tract of land along the ridge after the commission selected Vimy Ridge as the preferred location for Allward's design.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} In the interval between the 1st and 2nd session of the [[14th Canadian Parliament]], [[Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons]] [[Rodolphe Lemieux]] went to France to negotiate the acquisition of more land.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=61}} On 5 December 1922, Lemieux concluded an agreement with France in which France granted Canada "freely and for all time" the use of {{convert|100|ha|acre}} of land on Vimy Ridge, inclusive of Hill 145, in recognition of Canada's war effort.<ref name=DFAIT>{{cite web | title = Canada Treaty Information | publisher = Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade | date = 26 February 2002 | url = http://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=102661 | accessdate =4 January 2008}}</ref> The only condition placed on the donation was that Canada use the land to erect a monument commemorating Canadian soldiers killed during the First World War and assume the responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and the surrounding battlefield park.<ref name=DFAIT/>

===Memorial construction===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - Foundation construction.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Scaffolding surrounds a half finished concrete foundation. Dozens of metal steel poles rise from the foundation. A dozen workmen are visible and involved in various construction tasks.|Laying the foundation of the memorial]]

Following the competition, Allward spent the remainder of 1921 and the Spring of 1922 preparing for his move to Europe.{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} After selling his home and studio, Allward finally departed for Belgium on 6 June 1922{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}} and spent several months seeking a suitable studio in Belgium and then [[Paris]], though Allward eventually set up a studio in [[London]], [[England]].{{sfn|Borestad|2008|p=33}}

Allward had initially hoped to use white marble for the memorial's facing stone,{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} but Percy Nobbs suggested this would be a mistake because marble was unlikely to weather well in northern France and the memorial would have a "ghost like" appearance.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=42}} Allward undertook a tour of almost two years to find stone of the right colour, texture, and luminosity.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} He found it in the ruins of [[Diocletian's Palace]] at [[Split, Croatia]]; he observed that the palace had not weathered over the years, which Allward took as evidence of the stone's durability.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} His choice—Seget limestone—came from an ancient Roman quarry located near [[Seget]], [[Croatia]].{{sfn|Fabijančić|2003|p=127}} The difficulties with the quarrying process, coupled with complicated transportation logistics, delayed delivery of the limestone and thus construction of the memorial.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The first shipment did not arrive at the site until 1927 and the larger blocks, intended for the human figures, did not begin to arrive until 1931.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

On Allward's urging the Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission hired Oscar Faber, a Danish structural engineer, in 1924 to prepare foundation plans and provide general supervision of the foundation work.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=285}}{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Faber had recently designed the substructure for the [[Menin Gate]] at Ypres and he selected a design that employed cast-in-place reinforced concrete to which the facing stone would be bonded.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=43}} Major Unwin Simson served as the principal Canadian engineer during the construction of the memorial and oversaw much of the daily operations at the site.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}}{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Allward moved to Paris in 1925 to supervise construction and the carving of the sculptures.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} Construction commenced in 1925 and took eleven years to complete.<ref name="Fast Facts">{{cite web | title=The Battle of Vimy Ridge – Fast Facts | url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/battle | work=VAC Canada Remembers | publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada | date=n.d. | accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref> The Imperial War Graves Commission concurrently employed French and British veterans to carry out the necessary roadwork and site landscaping.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}}

While awaiting the first delivery of stone, Simson noticed that the battlefield landscape features were beginning to deteriorate.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Seeing an opportunity to not only preserve a portion of the battlefield but also keep his staff occupied, Simson decided to preserve a short section of trench line and make the Grange Subway more accessible.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Labourers rebuilt and preserved sections of sandbagged trench wall, on both the Canadian and German sides of the Grange crater group, in concrete.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} The workforce also built a new concrete entrance for the Grange Subway and, after excavating a portion of the tunnel system, installed electric lighting.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}

[[Image:Vimy Memorial - half finished statue and plaster models.jpg|left|thumb|Statue carving in progress|alt=The partially completed statue of a reclined woman sits to the right of a half sized model of the same statue. It appears the work is being conducted inside a temporary structure.]]
Allward chose a relatively new construction method for the monument: limestone bonded to a cast concrete frame. A foundation bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete, reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel, served as the support bed for the memorial. The memorial base and twin pylons contained almost 6,000 tonnes of Seget limestone.<ref name=Picard>{{cite news | last=Picard | first=Andréa | title=Restoring Loss at Vimy |periodical =Canadian Architect | publication-date=May 2006 | url=http://www.canadianarchitect.com/news/restoring-loss-at-vimy/1000204056/ |publisher=Business Information Group |accessdate =1 August 2009|ref=harv}}</ref> Sculptors carved the 20 approximately double life-sized human figures on site from large blocks of stone.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=9}} The carvers used half-size plaster models produced by Allward in his studio, now on display at the [[Canadian War Museum]], and an instrument called a [[pantograph]] to reproduce the figures at the proper scale.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=206}} The carvers conducted their work year-round inside temporary studios built around each figure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory | title=Design and Construction of the Vimy Ridge Memorial |date=12 August 1998|accessdate=22 May 2013 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The inclusion of the names of those killed in France with no known grave was not part of the original design and Allward was unhappy when the government asked him to include them.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{refn|The government was acting on behalf of a request by the Imperial War Graves Commission which was tasked with commemorating all killed and missing Commonwealth soldiers and was, as a result, prepared to share in the cost of the memorial.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}|group="Note"}} Allward argued that the inclusion of names was not part of the original commissioning.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} Through a letter to Canadian Battlefields Memorials Commission in October 1927, Allward indicated his intention to relegate the names of the missing to pavement stones around the monument.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}}{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} The collective dismay and uproar of the commission forced Allward to relent and incorporate the names of the missing on the memorial walls.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=197}} The task of inscribing the names did not begin until the early 1930s and employed a typeface that Allward designed for the monument.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}
{{-}}

===Pilgrimage and unveiling===
[[File:1936 Vimy pilgrimage passport.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Special passport issued by Canada for the 1936 Vimy pilgrimage|alt=A Passport with the Canadian coat of arms in the middle and text in both French and English identifying the book as a passport for the Vimy Pigrimage]]

In 1919, the year after the war ended, around 60,000 British tourists and mourners made pilgrimages to the Western Front.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The transatlantic voyage was longer and more expensive from Canada; many attempts to organize large pilgrimages failed, and journeys overseas were largely made individually or in small, unofficial groups.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The delegates of the 1928 national convention of the [[Canadian Legion]] passed a unanimous resolution asking that a pilgrimage be organized to the Western Front battlefields. A plan began to take form wherein the Legion aimed to coordinate the pilgrimage with the unveiling of the Vimy memorial, which at the time was expected to be completed in 1931 or 1932.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} Due to construction delays with the memorial, it was not until July 1934 that the Canadian Legion announced a pilgrimage to former battlefield sites in conjunction with the unveiling of the memorial. Although the exact date of the memorial unveiling was still not set, the Legion invited former service members to make tentative reservations with their headquarters in Ottawa.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=40}} The response from veterans and their families was enthusiastic—1,200 inquiries by November 1934.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} The Legion presumptuously announced that the memorial would be unveiled on [[Canada Day|Dominion Day]], 1 July 1936, even though the government still did not know when it would be completed.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

For event planning purposes the Legion and the government established areas for which each was responsible. The government was responsible for selection of the official delegation and the program for the official unveiling of the memorial. The Legion was responsible for the more challenging task of organizing the pilgrimage. For the Legion this included planning meals, accommodations and transportation for what was at the time the largest single peacetime movement of people from Canada to Europe.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=41}} The Legion took the position that the pilgrimage would be funded by its members without subsidies or financial aid from Canadian taxpayers, and by early 1935 they had established that the price of the 3½-week trip, inclusive of all meals, accommodation, health insurance, and sea and land transportation would be {{CAD|160}} per person (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|CA|160|1935|r=2}}}} as of 2016). Indirect assistance came in a number of forms. The government waived passport fees and made a special Vimy passport available to pilgrims at no extra cost.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=197}} The government and private sector also provided paid leave for their participating employees.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} It was not until April 1936 that the government was prepared to publicly commit to an unveiling date, 26 July 1936.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}} On 16 July 1936, the five transatlantic liners, escorted by {{HMCS|Champlain|1919|6}} and {{HMCS|Saguenay|D79|6}}, departed the [[Port of Montreal]] with approximately 6,200 passengers and arrived in [[Le Havre]] on 24 and 25 July.{{refn|The ships were {{SS|Montrose|1922|6}}, {{SS|Montcalm}}, SS ''Antonia'', [[RMS Ascania (1923)|SS ''Ascania'']] and [[RMS Empress of France (1928)|SS ''Duchess of Bedford'']].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2007|p=68}} The limited accommodation made it necessary for the Legion to lodge pilgrims in nine cities throughout northern France and Belgium and employ 235 buses to move the pilgrims between various locations.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=45}}
{{rquote|right|''It is an inspired expression in stone, chiselled by a skilful Canadian hand, of Canada's salute to her fallen sons.''|King Edward VIII referring to the memorial during his 1936 speech.<ref>{{cite web|title=John Mould Diaries : Return to Vimy |url=http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx |accessdate=4 January 2010 |date=n.d. |publisher=[[Archives of Ontario]]}}</ref>}}
[[File:HM King Edward VIII unveiling the figure of Canada on the Vimy Ridge Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|King [[Edward VIII]] unveiling the figure ''Canada Bereft'' on the Vimy Ridge Memorial|alt=A figure standing on flag covered stage located in from of the statue of Canada Bereft.]]

On 26 July 1936, the day of the ceremony, pilgrims spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the landscape of the memorial park before congregating at the monument. For the ceremony, sailors from HMCS ''Saguenay'' provided the [[guard of honour]]. Also present were The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band, French army engineers, and French-Moroccan cavalry who had fought on the site during the [[Second Battle of Artois]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself was broadcast live by the [[Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission]] over [[shortwave radio]], with facilities of the [[British Broadcasting Corporation]] transmitting the ceremony to Canada.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} Senior Canadian, British, and European officials, including French President Albert Lebrun, and over 50,000 Canadian, British, and French veterans and their families attended the event.<ref name="Fast Facts"/> Absent, though, was Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, it being well understood that he was generally not comfortable around veterans and felt it more appropriate for a war veteran in Cabinet to act as minister in attendance.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=42}}

Before the ceremony began, King [[Edward VIII]], present in his capacity as [[Monarchy of Canada|king of Canada]], inspected the guard of honour, was introduced to the honoured guests, and spent approximately half an hour speaking with veterans in the crowd.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} Two [[Royal Air Force]] and two [[French Air Force]] squadrons flew over the monument and dipped their wings in salute.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=46}} The ceremony itself began with prayers from chaplains representing the [[Church of England]], the [[United Church of Canada]], and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} [[Ernest Lapointe]], [[Minister of Justice (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Justice]], spoke first,{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}} followed by Edward VIII, who, in both French and English, thanked France for its generosity and assured those assembled that Canada would never forget its war missing and dead. The King then pulled the [[Union Flag|Royal Union Flag]] from the central figure of ''Canada Bereft'' and the military band played the [[Last Post]].{{sfn|Morton|Wright|1987|p=221}}{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=47}}{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=139}} The ceremony was one of the King's few official duties before he [[Edward VIII abdication crisis|abdicated the throne]].<ref name=Foot>{{Cite news| last=Foot| first=Richard| title=Vimy memorial had a turbulent history of its own| newspaper=The Vancouver Sun| publication-place=Vancouver | date=4 April 2007| page=A4}}</ref> The pilgrimage continued, and most participants toured [[Ypres]] before being taken to London to be hosted by the [[British Legion]].{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=51}} One-third of the pilgrims left from London for Canada on 1 August, while the majority returned to France as guests of the government for another week of touring before going home.{{sfn|Brown|Cook|2011|p=52}}

===Second World War===
[[File:Hitler touring Vimy Memorial in June 1940.jpg|thumb|upright|Hitler touring the Vimy Memorial in 1940|alt=A group of men dressed in Nazi German soldier, front and centre is Adolf Hitler, June 1940. The twin pylons of the memorial are clearly displayed in the background.]]
[[File:Field Marshal Montgomery reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944. BU763.jpg|thumb|left|[[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]] reads the inscription on a grave at the Canadian First World War memorial at Vimy Ridge, 8 September 1944.]]
In 1939, the increased threat of conflict with [[Nazi Germany]] amplified the Canadian government's level of concern for the general safety of the memorial. Canada could do little more than protect the sculptures and the bases of the pylons with sandbags and await developments. When war did break out, in September 1939, the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF) deployed to France and assumed responsibility for the Arras sector, which included Vimy.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=292}} In late May 1940, following the British [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] after the [[Battle of Arras (1940)|Battle of Arras]], the status and condition of the memorial became unknown to [[Allies of World War II|Allied forces]].{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=293}} The Germans took control of the site and held the site's caretaker, George Stubbs, in an [[Ilag]] internment camp for Allied civilians in [[Ilag#St.Denis|St. Denis]], France.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=300}} The rumoured destruction of the Vimy Memorial, either during the fighting or at the hands of the Germans, was widely reported in Canada and the United Kingdom.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=294}} The rumours led the German [[Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda]] to formally deny accusations that Germany had damaged or desecrated the memorial.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=297}} To demonstrate the memorial had not been desecrated [[Adolf Hitler]], who reportedly admired the memorial for its peaceful nature, was photographed by the press while personally touring it and the preserved trenches on 2 June 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Canadian Unknown Soldier |journal=After the Battle |issue=109 |publisher=Battle of Britain Intl. Ltd. |issn=0306-154X}}</ref> The undamaged state of the memorial was not confirmed until September 1944 when British troops of the 2nd Battalion, [[Welsh Guards]] of the [[Guards Armoured Division]] recaptured Vimy Ridge.{{sfn|Durflinger|2007|p=298}}

===Post-war years===
Immediately following the Second World War very little attention was paid to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the Vimy Memorial.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=76}} The ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'' and ''The Legionary'', the magazine of the [[Royal Canadian Legion]], were the only publications to note the 35th anniversary of the battle in 1952.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=79}} The 40th anniversary in 1957 received even less notice with only the ''[[Halifax Herald]]'' making any mention.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} Interest in commemoration remained low in the early 1960s but increased in 1967 with the fiftieth anniversary of the battle, paired with the [[Canadian Centennial]].{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=80}} A heavily attended ceremony at the memorial in April 1967 was broadcast live on television.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} Commemoration of the battle decreased once again throughout the 1970s and only returned in force with the 125th anniversary of [[Canadian Confederation]] and the widely covered 75th anniversary of the battle in 1992.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}} The 1992 ceremony at the memorial was attended by Canadian Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] and at least 5,000 people.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=92}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge 'sacrifice' forged unity PM declares |newspaper=Toronto Star |page=A3 |first=Patrick |last=Doyle |date=10 April 1992}}</ref>{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=107}} Subsequent smaller-scale ceremonies were held at the memorial in 1997 and 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://legionmagazine.com/en/1997/09/return-to-the-ridge/ |title=Return To The Ridge |date=1 September 1997 |magazine=Legion Magazine |first=Tom |last=MacGregor |publisher=Royal Canadian Legion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ceremony marks 85th anniversary of Vimy Ridge battle |publisher=Canadian Press |date=7 April 2002}}</ref>

===Restoration and rededication===
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - panel of names before restoration.jpg|thumb|right|A name panel on the memorial damaged by mineral deposits|alt=Names carved into a wall are covered in unidentified mineral deposits. Many of the names are no longer readable or are heavily distorted.]]

By the end of the century, the many repairs undertaken since the memorial's construction had left a patchwork of materials and colours, and a disconcerting pattern of damage from water intrusion at the joints.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} In May 2001, the Government of Canada announced the [[Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project]], a major [[Canadian dollar|C$]]30 million restoration project to restore Canada's memorial sites in France and Belgium, in order to maintain and present them in a respectful and dignified manner.<ref name=Valpy>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Valpy | title=Setting a legend in stone |url=http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070407.wvimymemorial0407/front/Front/Front/ |work=[[Globe and Mail]] |location=Toronto |date=7 April 2007 |accessdate=22 May 2013}}</ref>{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} In 2005, the Vimy memorial closed for major restoration work. Veterans Affairs Canada directed the restoration of the memorial in cooperation with other Canadian departments, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, consultants and specialists in military history.<ref name=Valpy/>

Time, wear, and severe weather conditions led to many identified problems, the single most pervasive being water damage.<ref name=Valpy/> In building a memorial made of cast concrete covered in stone, Allward had failed to take into account how these materials would shift over time.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} The builders and designer failed to incorporate sufficient space between the concrete and stones, which resulted in water infiltrating the structure{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} through its walls and platforms, dissolving lime in the concrete foundation and masonry.<ref name=Valpy/> As the water exited, it deposited the lime on exterior surfaces, obscuring many of the names inscribed thereon.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=288}} Poor drainage and water flows off the monument also caused significant deterioration of the platform, terrace, and stairs.<ref name=Valpy/> The restoration project intended to address the root causes of damage and included repairs to the stone, walkways, walls, terraces, stairs, and platforms.<ref name=Valpy/> In order to respect Allward's initial vision of a seamless structure, the restoration team were required to remove all foreign materials employed in patchwork repairs, replace damaged stones with material from the original quarry in Croatia, and correct all minor displacement of stones caused by the freeze-thaw activity.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=52}} Underlying structural flaws were also corrected.{{sfn|Smith|2008|p=53}}

Queen [[Elizabeth II]], escorted by [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]], rededicated the restored memorial on 9 April 2007 in a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the battle.{{sfn|Bell|Bousfield|Toffoli|2007|p=140}} Other senior Canadian officials, including Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]], and senior French representatives, [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]] [[Dominique de Villepin]] among them, attended the event, along with thousands of Canadian students, veterans of the [[Second World War]] and of more recent conflicts, and descendants of those who fought at Vimy.<ref name="CTV">{{Cite episode |title= |date=9 April 2007 |series=National News |series-link= |first=Tom |last=Kennedy |network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> The crowd attending the rededication ceremony was the largest crowd on the site since the 1936 dedication.<ref name="CTV"/>

===Centennial commemoration===
The centennial commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the memorial will be on 9 April 2017. The ceremony is anticipated to be attended by as many as 30,000 people.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/03/31/toronto-photographer-commemorates-vimy-100th.html |title=Toronto photographer to open exhibition to commemorate battle of Vimy Ridge |date=31 March 2017 |publisher=Toronto Star |first=Alicja |last=Siekierska |accessdate=1 April 2017 }}</ref> Attending dignitaries will include Canadian Prime Minister [[Justin Trudeau]], Governor General [[David Johnston]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales]] as representative of Queen Elizabeth, [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], [[Prince Harry]], President of France [[François Hollande]] and Prime Minister of France [[Bernard Cazeneuve]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2017/03/24/prime-minister-travel-france-100th-anniversary-battle-vimy-ridge |title=Prime Minister to travel to France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge |author= |date=24 March 2017 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/138040/article/2017-03-25/francois-hollande-et-bernard-cazeneuve-confirment-leur-venue-vimy-le-9-avril |title=François Hollande et Bernard Cazeneuve confirment leur venue à Vimy le 9 avril |date=25 March 2017 |accessdate=1 April 2017 |publisher=Le Voix du Nord }}</ref>

==Site==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial - German trenches, mortar emplacement.jpg|thumb|left|Trenches preserved in concrete|alt=Curved trench lines, preserved in concrete are surrounded by shell craters that are now covered in grass. In the immediate foreground, a small half-destroyer piece of artillery sits in a three walled position that is off of the main trench line.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site is located approximately eight kilometres north of Arras, France, near the towns of Vimy and [[Neuville-Saint-Vaast]]. The site is one of the few places on the former [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] where a visitor can see the trench lines of a First World War battlefield and the related terrain in a preserved natural state.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=216}}{{sfn|Lloyd|1998|p=120}} The total area of the site is {{convert|100|ha|acre}}, much of which is forested and off limits to visitors to ensure public safety. The site's rough terrain and buried unexploded munitions make the task of grass cutting too dangerous for human operators.<ref name=CWGC2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007–2008 |format=PDF |year=2008 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |page=16 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614233601/http://www.cwgc.org/admin/files/Annual%20Report%202007-08%20Part1.pdf |archivedate=14 June 2011 }}</ref> Instead, sheep graze the open meadows of the site.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=7}}

The site was established to honour the memory of the Canadian Corps, but it also contains other memorials. These are dedicated to the French Moroccan Division, [[Lions Club International]], and Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins. There are also two Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on site: [[Canadian Cemetery No. 2]] and [[Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2103985/CANADIAN%20CEMETERY%20NO.2,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast|accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/68402/GIVENCHY%20ROAD%20CANADIAN%20CEMETERY,%20NEUVILLE-ST.%20VAAST |title=CWGC :: Cemetery Details – Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-St. Vaast| accessdate=13 March 2009 |publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |date=n.d.}}</ref> Beyond being a popular location for battlefield tours, the site is also an important location in the burgeoning field of First World War [[battlefield archaeology]], because of its preserved and largely undisturbed state.<ref>[[#Saunders|Saunders]] pp. 101–108</ref> The site's interpretive centre helps visitors fully understand the Vimy Memorial, the preserved battlefield park, and the history of the Battle of Vimy within the context of Canada's participation in the First World War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |title=Interpretive Centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=22 March 2007 |accessdate=14 November 2009 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113094920/http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=memorials/ww1mem/vimy/interpret |archivedate=13 November 2007 }}</ref> The Canadian National Vimy Memorial and [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]] sites comprise close to 80 percent of conserved First World War battlefields in existence and between them receive over one million visitors each year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Canadian Battlefield Memorials Restoration Project| url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/cbmr |accessdate=13 March 2009|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=19 January 2007}}</ref>

===Vimy memorial===
[[File:Vimy Memorial (September 2010) cropped.jpg|thumb|Left-front view showing an entire aspect of the Memorial|alt=The Vimy memorial from the front facing side. The memorial is very wide indicative of being a photo from after the restoration.]]

Allward constructed the memorial on the vantage point of Hill 145, the highest point on the ridge.{{sfn|Brandon|2003|p=12}} The memorial contains many stylized features, including 20 human figures, which help the viewer in contemplating the structure as a whole. The front wall, normally mistaken for the rear, is {{convert|7.3|m|ft}} high and represents an impenetrable wall of defence.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} There is a group of figures at each end of the front wall, next to the base of the steps.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} The ''Breaking of the Sword'' is located at the southern corner of the front wall while ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'' is located at the northern corner.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} Collectively, the two groups are ''The Defenders'' and represent the ideals for which Canadians gave their lives during the war.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} There is a cannon barrel draped in laurel and olive branches carved into the wall above each group, to symbolize peace.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}}{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} In ''Breaking of the Sword'', three young men are present, one of whom is crouching and breaking his sword.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} This statue represents the defeat of militarism and the general desire for peace.{{sfn|Bolling|2003|p=310}} This grouping of figures is the most overt image to [[pacifism]] in the monument, the breaking of a sword being extremely uncommon in war memorials.{{sfn|Prost|1997|p=316}} The original plan for the sculpture included one figure crushing a German helmet with his foot.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} It was later decided to dismiss this feature because of its overtly militaristic imagery.{{sfn|Pierce|1992|p=6}} In ''Sympathy of the Canadians for the Helpless'', one man stands erect while three other figures, stricken by hunger or disease, are crouched and kneeling around him. The standing man represents Canada's sympathy for the weak and oppressed.{{sfn|MacIntyre|1967|p=156}}

The figure of a cloaked young woman stands on top and at the centre of the front wall and overlooks the Douai Plains. She has her head bowed, her eyes cast down, and her chin resting in one hand. Below her at ground level is a sarcophagus, bearing a [[Brodie helmet]] and a sword, and draped in laurel branches.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}} The saddened figure of ''Canada Bereft'', also known as ''Mother Canada'', is a [[national personification]] of the young nation of Canada, mourning her dead.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=282}}{{refn|Dancer turned model Edna Moynihan served as the model with the statue itself being carved by Italian Luigi Rigamonti.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}}|group="Note"}} The statue, a reference to traditional images of the {{lang|la|[[Mater Dolorosa]]}} and presented in a similar style to that of [[Michelangelo]]'s [[Pietà (Michelangelo)|Pietà]], faces eastward looking out to the dawn of the new day.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} Unlike the other statues on the monument, stonemasons carved ''Canada Bereft'' from a single 30 tonne block of stone.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The statue is the largest single piece in the monument and serves as a focal point.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} The area in front of the memorial was turned into a grassed space, which Allward referred to as the amphitheatre, that fanned out from the monument's front wall for a distance of {{convert|270|ft|m}} while the battle-damaged landscape around the sides and back of the monument were left untouched.{{sfn|Hucker|2008|p=46}}

[[File:Vimy Memorial - Layout.GIF|thumb|left|Layout map of the memorial|alt=A schematic diagram of the Vimy Memorial that shows the orientation of the memorial and the location of names based upon alphabetical order of family name.]]
The twin pylons rise to a height 30 metres above the memorial's stone platform; one bears the [[maple leaf]] for Canada and the other the [[fleur-de-lis]] for France and both symbolize the unity and sacrifice of the two countries.{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=10}} At the top of the pylons is a grouping of figures known collectively as the ''Chorus''.<ref name=Valpy/> The most senior figures represent ''Justice'' and ''Peace'';{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=13}} ''Peace'' stands with a torch upraised, making it the highest point in the region.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}} The pair is in a style similar to Allward's previously commissioned statues of ''Truth'' and ''Justice'', located outside the [[Supreme Court of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} The remainder of the ''Chorus'' is located directly below the senior figures: ''Faith'', ''Hope'' and ''Truth'' on the eastern pylon; and ''Honour'', ''Charity'' and ''Knowledge'' on the western pylon.{{sfn|Vincent|2011|p=59}} Around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain, and France. Large crosses adorn the outside of each pylon.{{sfn|Hopkins|1919|p=188}} The First World War battle honours of the Canadian regiments and a dedicatory message to Canada's war dead in both French and English are located at the base of the pylons. The ''Spirit of Sacrifice'' is located at the base between the two pylons.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In the display, a young dying soldier is gazing upward in a crucifixion-like pose, having thrown his torch to a comrade who holds it aloft behind him.{{sfn|Duffy|2008|p=194}} In a lightly veiled reference to the poem ''[[In Flanders Fields]]'', by [[John McCrae]], the torch is passed from one comrade to another in an effort to keep alive the memory of the war dead.{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=33}}

The Mourning Parents, one male and one female figure, are reclining on either side of the western steps on the reverse side of the monument. They represent the mourning mothers and fathers of the nation and are likely patterned on the four statues by Michelangelo on the [[Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence#Cappelle Medicee|Medici Tomb]] in [[Florence]], [[Italy]].{{sfn|Brandon|2006|p=12}} Inscribed on the outside wall of the monument are the names of the 11,285 Canadians killed in France whose final resting place is unknown.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=286}} Most Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials present names in a descending list format in a manner that permits the modification of panels as remains are found and identified. Allward instead sought to present the names as a seamless list and decided to do so by inscribing the names in continuous bands, across both vertical and horizontal seams, around the base of the monument.<ref name=Valpy/>{{sfn|Vincent|2014|p=99}} As a consequence, as remains were discovered it was not possible to remove commemorated names without interrupting the seamless list and as a consequence there are individuals who have a known grave but are commemorated on the memorial. The memorial contains the names of four posthumous Victoria Cross recipients; [[Robert Grierson Combe]], [[Frederick Hobson]], [[William Johnstone Milne]], and [[Robert Spall]].<ref name=VCs>{{cite web| title=Victoria Cross (VC) Recipients |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/orders-decorations/canadian-victoria-cross-recipients |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada }}</ref>

===Moroccan Division Memorial===
{{Main article|Moroccan Division (France)|Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion}}

[[Image:Vimy Ridge - Moroccan Division Memorial.jpg|thumb|right|The Moroccan Division Memorial|alt=White rectangular stone memorial. It is inscribed "AUX MORTS DE LA DIVISION MAROCAINE", with other dedicatory messages in French, and with one phrase in Arabic.]]
The Moroccan Division Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the French and Foreign members of the [[Moroccan Division (France)|Moroccan Division]], killed during the Second Battle of Artois in May 1915.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} The monument was raised by veterans of the division and inaugurated on 14 June 1925, having been built without planning permission.<ref name=France24/><ref>{{Citation|title=Inauguration du monument à la Division marocaine élevé à la cote 140, plateau de Vimy, route de Neuville-Saint-Vaast à Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), le 14 juin 1925 |location= Paris |publisher=Berger-Levrault|trans-title=Inauguration of the Moroccan Division raised on hill 140, Vimy Ridge, Road Neuville-Saint-Vaast in Givenchy-en-Gohelle (Pas de Calais), 14 June 1925|year=1926 |language=french}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tourism-lenslievin.co.uk/monument-aux-morts-de-la-division-marocaine/givenchy-en-gohelle/tabid/20656/offreid/47f2449b-2791-4864-8e41-7b4680260aa1/details.aspx |publisher=Lens-Liévin Tourist Information and Cultural Heritage Office |title=Monument aux morts de la division marocaine |trans-title=War memorial of the Moroccan division |date=n.d.}}</ref> Excluding the various commemorative plaques at the bottom front facade of the Memorial, Campaign battles are inscribed on the left and right hand side corner view of the memorial. The veterans of the division later funded the April 1987 installation of a marble plaque that identified the Moroccan Division as the only division where all subordinate units had been awarded the [[Legion of Honour]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |title=Forgotten Heroes North Africans and the Great War 1914–1919 |publisher=Forgotten Heroes 14–19 Foundation |page=10 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019160735/http://forgottenheroes.eu/EN_LR.pdf |archivedate=19 October 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

The Moroccan Division was initially raised as the [[Marching Division of Morocco]]. The division comprised units of varying origins and although the name would indicate otherwise, it did not in fact contain any units originating from [[Morocco]].{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}} [[Moroccans]] were part of the [[Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion]] which was formed from the merger of the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment with the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, both also part of the Moroccan Division Brigades. The division contained [[Tirailleur]]s and [[Zouave]]s, of principally [[Tunisia]]n and [[Algeria]]n origin, and most notably [[French Foreign Legion|Legionnaires]] from the [[2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment]] and the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment.{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}<ref name=France24>{{cite web|title=Grande Guerre : la Division marocaine qui n'avait de marocaine que le nom | trans-title = Great War: the Moroccan Division is Moroccan in name only|first=Stéphanie |last=Trouillard |date=6 May 2015 |publisher=France 24 |language=french |url=http://www.france24.com/fr/20150509-premiere-guerre-mondiale-division-marocaine-vimy-crete-tirailleurs-algeriens-tunisiens-legions-etrangeres-artois}}</ref> The French Legionnaires came, as attested to by a plaque installed on the memorial, from 52 different countries and included amongst them American, Polish, Russian, Italian, Greek, German, Czech, Swedish and Swiss volunteers, such as writer [[Blaise Cendrars]].{{sfn|Das|2011|p=316}}{{sfn|Vincent-Chaissac|p=33}}

In the battle, General [[Victor d'Urbal]], commander of the [[Tenth Army (France)|French Tenth Army]], sought to dislodge the Germans from the region by attacking their positions at Vimy Ridge and [[Notre Dame de Lorette]].{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} When the attack began on 9 May 1915, the French XXXIII Army Corps made significant territorial gains.{{sfn|Simkins|Jukes|Hickey|2002|p=48}} The Moroccan Division, which was part of the XXXIII Army Corps, quickly moved through the German defences and advanced {{convert|4|km|yd}} into German lines in two hours.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division managed to capture the height of the ridge, with small parties even reaching the far side of the ridge, before retreating due to a lack of reinforcements.{{sfn|Boire|2007|p=56}} Even after German counter-attacks, the division managed to hold a territorial gain of {{convert|2100|m|yd}}.{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=159}} The division did however suffer heavy casualties. Those killed in the battle and commemorated on the memorial include both of the division's brigade commanders, Colonels [[Gaston Cros]] and Louis Augustus Theodore Pein.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legionetrangere.fr/index.php/archives/79-infos-fsale/489-histoire-la-bataille-de-l-artois-du-9-mai-au-22-juin-1915-avec-l-attaque-du-2e-regiment-de-marche-du-1er-etranger |title=HISTOIRE : La bataille de l'Artois du 9 mai au 22 juin 1915 avec l'attaque du 2e Régiment de marche du 1er Etranger |publisher=Fédération des Sociétés d' Anciens de la Légion étrangère |trans-title=HISTORY: The Battle of Artois from 9 May to 22 June 1915 with the attack of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion |language=french |date=n.d.}}</ref>

===Grange Subway===
The First World War's Western Front included an extensive system of underground tunnels, subways, and dugouts. The Grange Subway is a tunnel system that is approximately {{convert|800|m|yd}} in length and once connected the reserve lines to the front line. This permitted soldiers to advance to the front quickly, securely, and unseen.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} A portion of this tunnel system is open to the public through regular guided tours provided by Canadian student guides.{{sfn|Turner|2005|p=90}}

The Arras-Vimy sector was conducive to tunnel excavation owing to the soft, porous yet extremely stable nature of the [[chalk]] underground.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} As a result, pronounced underground warfare had been a feature of the Vimy sector since 1915.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} In preparation for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, five British tunnelling companies excavated 12 subways along the Canadian Corps' front, the longest of which was {{convert|1.2|km|yd}} in length.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The tunnellers excavated the subways at a depth of 10 metres to ensure protection from large calibre howitzer shellfire.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}} The subways were often dug at a pace of four metres a day and were often two metres tall and one metre wide.{{sfn|Rose|Nathanail|2000|p=398}} This underground network often incorporated or included concealed light rail lines, hospitals, command posts, water reservoirs, ammunition stores, mortar and machine gun posts, and communication centres.{{sfn|Barton|Doyle|Vandewalle|2004|p=200}}

===Lieutenant-Colonel Mike Watkins memorial===
Near the Canadian side of the restored trenches is a small memorial plaque dedicated to [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] Mike Watkins [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]. Watkins was head of [[11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC|Explosive Ordnance Disposal]] at the Directorate of Land Service Ammunition, [[Royal Logistic Corps]], and a leading British [[Bomb disposal|explosive ordnance disposal]] expert.<ref name="Watkins obit">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Beaver |title=Obituary: Lt-Col Mike Watkins |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ltcol-mike-watkins-1171486.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=14 August 1998 |accessdate=26 April 2009 |location=[[London]]}}</ref> In August 1998, he died in a roof collapse near a tunnel entrance while undertaking a detailed investigative survey of the British tunnel system on the grounds of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/> Watkins was no stranger to the tunnel system at Vimy Ridge. Earlier the same year, he participated in the successful disarming of 3 tonnes of deteriorated [[ammonal]] explosives located under a road intersection on the site.<ref name="Watkins obit"/>

===Visitors' centre===
The site has a visitors' centre, staffed by Canadian student guides, which is open seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/vimy_contact |title=Visitor information |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |accessdate=10 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> During the memorial restoration, the original visitors' centre near the monument was closed and replaced with a temporary one, which remains in use today.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute/article/870 |title=New Visitor Education Centre For Vimy |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada |date=25 November 2015 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The visitors' centre is now near the preserved forward trench lines, close to many of the craters created by underground mining during the war and near the entrance of the Grange Subway.{{sfn|Pedersen|2012|loc=Chapter 7}} Construction of a new educational visitors' centre is expected to be completed by April 2017, in advance of the 100th anniversary of the battle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Vimy Ridge Memorial in France to get visitor centre |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/560616/vimy-ridge-memorial-to-get-visitor-centre/ |publisher=Global News |date=14 May 2013 |accessdate=10 February 2016}}</ref> The new {{CAD|10}} million visitor centre is a [[public-private partnership]] between government and the [[Vimy Foundation]].<ref name="blair">{{citation|url=http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/corporate-branding-will-be-subtle-and-tasteful-at-new-vimy-ridge-centre-in-france |title=Corporate branding will be 'subtle' and 'tasteful' at new Vimy Ridge centre in France |first=Blair |last=Crawford |date=11 January 2017 |accessdate=17 March 2017 |publisher=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref> In order to raise funds the Vimy Foundation granted naming rights in various halls of the visitor centre to sponsors, an approach which has met some level of controversy due to the site being a memorial park.<ref name="blair"/>

==Sociocultural influence==
[[Image:Vimy Memorial war recruitment poster.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The Vimy Memorial displayed in a Canadian [[World War II]] recruitment posters|alt=A white skeleton body holds alight a torch and the background the two white pillars of the Vimy memorial are displayed. the entire poster is displayed in white with a background of blue.]]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial site has considerable sociocultural significance for Canada. The idea that Canada's national identity and nationhood were born out of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is an opinion that is widely repeated in military and general histories of Canada.{{sfn|Inglis|1995|p=2}}{{sfn|Humphries|2007|p=66}} Historian Denise Thomson suggests that the construction of the Vimy memorial represents the culmination of an increasingly assertive nationalism that developed in Canada during the [[interwar period]].{{sfn|Thomson|1995–1996|pp=5–27}} Hucker suggests that the memorial transcends the Battle of Vimy Ridge and now serves as an enduring image of the whole First World War, while expressing the enormous impact of war in general,{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}} and also considers that the 2005 restoration project serves as evidence of a new generation's determination to remember Canada's contribution and sacrifice during the First World War.{{sfn|Hucker|2007|p=280}}

The [[Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada]] recognized the importance of the site by recommending its designation as one of the [[National Historic Sites of Canada]]; it was so designated in 1996, and is one of only two outside of Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/pages/vimyridge.aspx | title=Vimy Ridge National Historic Site of Canada |date=9 September 2000 |accessdate=2 April 2017 |publisher=Parks Canada}}</ref> The other is the [[Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial]], also in France. Remembrance has also taken other forms: the [[Vimy Foundation]], having been established to preserve and promote Canada's First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and [[Vimy Ridge Day]], to commemorate the deaths and casualties during the battle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/about/mission/ | title=Mission |publisher=Vimy Foundation |accessdate=9 February 2016 |date=n.d.}}</ref> Local Vimy resident Georges Devloo spent 13 years until his death in 2009 offering car rides to Canadian tourists to and from the memorial at no charge, as a way of paying tribute to the Canadians who fought at Vimy.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathleen |last=Harris |newspaper=[[London Free Press]]| publisher=Sum Media Corp |title='Grandpa of Vimy' gives rides for sweets |date=13 November 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Adrienne |last=Arsenault |url=http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |title=Au revoir to the grand-père of Vimy|accessdate=10 February 2009|date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

The memorial is not without its critics. Alana Vincent has argued that constituent parts of the monument are in conflict and as a result the message conveyed by the monument is not unified.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=58–60}} Visually, Vincent argues there is a dichotomy between the triumphant pose of the figures at the top of the pylons and the mourning posture of those figures at the base. Textually, she argues the inscription text celebrating the victory at the Battle of Vimy Ridge strikes a very different tone to the list of names of the missing at the base of the monument.{{sfn|Vincent|2014|pp=59–60}}

[[File:Ghosts_of_Vimy_Ridge.jpeg|thumb|left|''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'' by [[Will Longstaff]]]]
The memorial is regularly the subject or inspiration of other artistic projects. In 1931, [[Will Longstaff]] painted ''Ghosts of Vimy Ridge'', depicting ghosts of men from the Canadian Corps on Vimy Ridge surrounding the memorial, though the memorial was still several years away from completion.<ref name="longstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/menin/notes/ |title=Will Longstaff's Menin Gate at midnight (Ghosts of Menin Gate) |date=n.d.|accessdate=11 January 2010 |publisher=Australian War Memorial}}</ref> The memorial has been the subject of stamps in both France and Canada, including a French series in 1936 and a Canadian series on the 50th anniversary of the [[Armistice of 11 November 1918]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=The 1936 'Vimy Ridge' Issue |issue=259 |date=March 2011 |first=Mick |last=Bister |publisher=Journal of the France and Colonies Philatelic Society}}</ref> The Canadian ''[[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier|Unknown Soldier]]'' was selected from a cemetery in the vicinity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the design of the [[Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]] is based upon the stone sarcophagus at the base of the Vimy memorial.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/memorials/france/vimy/vmemory |title=Designing and Constructing |series=Tomb of the Unknown Soldier |date= 5 May 2000 |accessdate=8 January 2010 |publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada}}</ref> The [[Never Forgotten National Memorial]] was intended to be a {{convert|24|m|ft|adj=on}} statue inspired by the ''Canada Bereft'' statue on the memorial, before the project was cancelled in February 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Parks Canada backs out of controversial 'Mother Canada' war memorial project in Cape Breton|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/parks-canada-backs-out-of-controversial-mother-canada-war-memorial-project-in-cape-breton|accessdate=8 February 2016|work=National Post|date=5 February 2016}}</ref> A 2001 Canadian [[historical novel]] ''[[The Stone Carvers]]'' by [[Jane Urquhart]] involves the characters in the design and creation of the memorial.{{sfn|Cavell|2015|pp=68–69}} In 2007, the memorial was a short-listed selection for the [[Seven Wonders of Canada]].<ref>{{cite news| title=Vimy Memorial, France |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sevenwonders/wonder_vimy.html |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company |date=n.d. }}</ref> The [[Royal Canadian Mint]] released commemorative coins featuring the memorial on several occasions, including a 5 cent sterling silver coin in 2002 and a 30 dollar sterling silver coin in 2007. The [[Sacrifice Medal]], a Canadian military [[Military awards and decorations|decoration]] created in 2008, features the image of ''Mother Canada'' on the reverse side of the medal.<ref>{{cite news |title=New military medal to honour combat casualties |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-military-medal-to-honour-combat-casualties-1.770264 |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=7 January 2010 |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Company}}</ref> A permanent [[bas relief]] sculpted image of the memorial is presented in the gallery of the grand hall of the [[Embassy of France in Canada]] to symbolize the close relations between the two countries.<ref>{{cite web| title=Embassy of France in Canada, virtual visit |url=http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/gallery/genese/pages/vimy.htm |date=January 2004 |accessdate=10 January 2010 |publisher=Embassy of France in Canada }}</ref> The memorial is featured on the [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] of the [[Frontier Series]] Canadian polymer [[Canadian twenty-dollar bill|$20]] banknote, which was released by the [[Bank of Canada]] on 7 November 2012.<ref>{{cite web| title=Twenty Dollar Bill|url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-see-twin-towers-pornography-in-20-bill-design-1.806190 |accessdate=6 May 2012 |publisher=CTV |date=n.d.}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Canadian Armed Forces}}
* [[World War I memorials]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}
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* {{cite book |last = Bolling |first = Gordon |contribution=Acts of (Re-)Construction: Traces of Germany in Jane Urquhart's Novel the Stone Carvers|pages=295–318 | title= Refractions of Germany in Canadian Literature and Culture |editor1-last=Antor |editor1-first = Heinz | editor2-last = Brown | editor2-first = Sylvia | editor3-last = Considine | editor3-first = John | editor4-last = Stierstorfer | editor4-first = Klaus |year= 2003 |publisher= de Gruyter|location= Berlin | isbn = 978-3-11-017666-7|ref=harv}}
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* {{cite book |title= "We will remember ...": Overseas Memorials to Canada's War Dead |last= Nicholson |first= Gerald W. L. | year= 1973 |publisher=Minister of Veterans Affairs for Canada |location= Ottawa|ref=harv}}
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contribution=Two (and two, and two) Towers: Interdisciplinary, Borrowing and Limited Interpretation |first=Alana |last=Vincent |pages=55–66 |isbn=978-1-4094-0011-0 |ref=harv}}
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{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.vimyfoundation.ca/ The Vimy Foundation] – Canadian educational charity
* [http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/1936-vimy-ridge-memorial-unveiled Radio recording of King Edward VIII's speech at the dedication ceremony] from [[CBC Archives]]
* [https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/87900/VIMY%20MEMORIAL Vimy Memorial] and casualty records at [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
* {{Find a Grave cemetery|1119613}}
* [https://www.britishpathe.com/video/canadians-at-vimy-ridge Canadians at Vimy Ridge in 1940], news reel from [[British Pathé]]
* [http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/mould/vimy.aspx Return to Vimy], including video clip of the 1936 unveiling (Archives of Ontario)

{{Canadian First World War Memorials In Europe}}
{{NHSC}}
{{World War I War Memorials in France}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Canadian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]]
[[Category:World War I in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in the Pas-de-Calais]]
[[Category:National Historic Sites of Canada in France]]
[[Category:Canada–France relations]]
[[Category:Canada in World War I]]
[[Category:Works by Walter Seymour Allward]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]