French tourists retrace N.S. soldier's path to Vimy Ridge

CTV National News: Retracing a soldier's sacrifice Ahead of the 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge, a group of French tourists came to Nova Scotia to learn about a soldier. Todd Battis reports.

Most French tourists walk the cobble stone streets around Cape Breton’s Fortress of Louisbourg to retrace the footsteps of their ancestors who fought the British over what would become Canada. But one group has crossed the Atlantic to relive the journey of a young Nova Scotia coal miner who gave his life on one of the most famous battlefields of the First World War.

John Arsenault was killed in the battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917 -- one of more than 11,000 Canadians who died in France without a marked grave. He lied about his age in order to enlist with the 85th Nova Scotia Highlanders, and travelled to Europe aboard the Titanic’s sister-ship, RMS Olympic.

Like many who died in the Great War, Arsenault’s story was destined to be lost to history. But the group from France has made it their mission to preserve his memory by walking to his hometown of Cheticamp, N.S., meeting with his descendants on the way from Cape Breton in order to learn more about the man and the life in Canada he left behind.

“We visited the mine where he worked, and we visited the street where he lived with his mother,” Catherine Staniszewski of Odyssee de la Culture told CTV Atlantic on Monday.

The idea is to experience the war through the eyes of a single soldier, putting a human face on one of history’s deadliest conflicts.

“It’s very impressive to see the walk they are doing,” said Julie Cossette of Parks Canada.

After their stay in Nova Scotia, the delegation will retrace Arsenault’s route to Great Britain and France, where they will join members of his family for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in Givenchy-en-Gohelle.

While the French tourists may be following the footsteps of one man, they are making the pilgrimage to remember all of those who lost their lives in the snow-covered mud at Vimy.

“In France, we all appreciate the sacrifice your nation made in the First World War and it was important for us to do something to honour you,” said Staniszewski.

CTV National News will be broadcasting live from France on the morning of Sunday, April 9 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

With a report from CTV’s Atlantic Bureau Chief Todd Battis