At Place Vimy in Montreal’s Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighbourhood, a small wreath-laying ceremony marked Vimy Ridge Day and commemorated the bloody battle that began 109 years ago. The Battle at Vimy Ridge lasted four days, with Canadian soldiers making their way up the ridge through gunfire, sleet, and muddy conditions. The Canadians’ stunning victory came at a devastating cost, said Chris Shanon, chair of the Vimy Foundation. “The total losses during that time were the largest losses, at any, conflict in our history, so let’s remember that,” he said. More than 3,500 Canadians died during the battle, and 7,000 were wounded. Shannon would like more Canadians to take time to learn about what happened at Vimy Ridge. “We are becoming, as people stare into their phones and focus on the moment, a society without memory,” he said. “And I think the study of history is very important for people.” Today, the foundation teaches that history through its educational programs at the Vimy Memorial in France. CEGEP student Chloe Guan went to Vimy Ridge with the foundation two years ago and said more young people should take part. “I think we should base our understanding of the future on things that happened previously,” she said. A number of politicians came out to the ceremony including Veterans Affairs minister Jill McKnight. “Remembering the service and sacrifice of Canadians that serve Canada is incredibly important to be acknowledging both during Remembrance Day and Veterans Week but throughout the year,” she said. While the battle happened long before Shannon was born, he said Vimy always hits close to home. “I think about my grandfather, Wilfred J. Fagan, who was a gunner. He was at Vimy, he survived and he was also at Ypres and was gassed,” he said. “I do this in his honour.”
