VICTORY AT VIMY RIDGE
Ralph McTashe
The Canadians have done the impossible. After four days of fighting, Canadian soldiers have finally taken the German fortress of Vimy Ridge.
Vimy Ridge is a key link in the German Hindenburg line. From Vimy you can get a good vantage point of surrounding territory. Obviously it is heavily guarded. Vimy has three surrounding trenches, concrete gun placements and deep protective dug-out shelters.
There have been other, less successful, attacks on Vimy by Allies Forces. The French made an unsuccessful three-pronged attack. The British were able to set foot in Vimy, but it was soon recaptured by the Germans. Many thought that it couldn’t be done. "I certainly knew that it couldn’t be done," said General Sir Douglas Haig "It was simply to fortified and well guarded,".
However, just to prove them wrong, the Canadians defeated the Germans at Vimy. General Byng, leader of the Canadian forces, used a strategy called "Leap-Frogging" that carefully combined attentive preparation, precise timing and great accuracy on part of the Canadian gunners.
Needless to say, the Canadians are pretty happy. Life at Vimy isn’t all celebration. Over 10'600 people died in the attack. "I lost ten friends in that battle," says Private Kyle Johnson. "Mat was going to marry my sister. What am I going to tell her?"
There does seem to be a growing feeling of nationalism among the Canucks. "If you Brits feel like packing up, we can take it from here," jokes Lieutenant O’Toole. "We could probably take Berlin in the next month or so,".
Despite the troops feelings, General Byng believe’s it is best to wait. "We lost a lot of good men out there," he says. "I think that its best for us to strengthen our hold here,".
Ralph McTashe
The Canadians have done the impossible. After four days of fighting, Canadian soldiers have finally taken the German fortress of Vimy Ridge.
Vimy Ridge is a key link in the German Hindenburg line. From Vimy you can get a good vantage point of surrounding territory. Obviously it is heavily guarded. Vimy has three surrounding trenches, concrete gun placements and deep protective dug-out shelters.
There have been other, less successful, attacks on Vimy by Allies Forces. The French made an unsuccessful three-pronged attack. The British were able to set foot in Vimy, but it was soon recaptured by the Germans. Many thought that it couldn’t be done. "I certainly knew that it couldn’t be done," said General Sir Douglas Haig "It was simply to fortified and well guarded,".
However, just to prove them wrong, the Canadians defeated the Germans at Vimy. General Byng, leader of the Canadian forces, used a strategy called "Leap-Frogging" that carefully combined attentive preparation, precise timing and great accuracy on part of the Canadian gunners.
Needless to say, the Canadians are pretty happy. Life at Vimy isn’t all celebration. Over 10'600 people died in the attack. "I lost ten friends in that battle," says Private Kyle Johnson. "Mat was going to marry my sister. What am I going to tell her?"
There does seem to be a growing feeling of nationalism among the Canucks. "If you Brits feel like packing up, we can take it from here," jokes Lieutenant O’Toole. "We could probably take Berlin in the next month or so,".
Despite the troops feelings, General Byng believe’s it is best to wait. "We lost a lot of good men out there," he says. "I think that its best for us to strengthen our hold here,".
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