O Canada, we stand on guard for thee
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| Canadians in the Trenches Somewhere on the Western Front |
There are two astonishing details about the contribution of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the Great War. The first is Canada's enormous per capita casualty count. From 1915 to 1918, a nation of barely 7,000,000 citizens lost 67,000 killed and 173,000 wounded. The second concerns the sheer number of battles in which Canadian units played a positive and sometimes decisive role. The list includes:
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| Canadian Machine Gunners, Vimy Ridge |
- Neuve Chapelle
- Second Battle of Ypres
- Festubert and Givenchy
- Battle of St. Eloi, Mont Sorrel, Hill 62
- Battle of the Somme, Courcelette
- Vimy Ridge
- Hill 70, Lens
- Passchendaele
- Battle of Amiens
- Second Battle of Cambrai
- Return to Mons
Besides their legendary victory at Vimy Ridge, Canadian forces saved the day at Ypres in 1915 by plugging the gap in the Allied line with their attack from Kitchener Wood, and they played a prominent and effective role in the great turn-around battle at Amiens on 8 August 1918.
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| Canadian Forces Advancing During Battle of Amiens |
Why this statement? "... and they actually played the most prominent and effective role in the great turn-around battle at Amiens on 8 August 1918." The Australians had 5 Div and Canada 4. Aus. advanced 7 miles and Can. 8 the first day. Aus. suffered less casualties than Canad did the first day. The attack concept developed and approved was the Monash Plan after Sir John Monash, the Australian Corps Commander. He was knighted by King George V for his leadership in this battle. Seems the Aussies diserve at least equal credit for this battle's success.
ReplyDeleteI think you've got a point there and that was bad editing on my part. I'll modify the text as I should have written it originally. by the way, stay tuned I've got an article coming up soon about the Australian effort at Pozieres.
DeleteYes, high casualties per capita for the Canadians but well below the Kiwi numbers. From a population of about 1.1 million, 100,000 New Zealanders served during WW1. Casualties were 18,000 dead, 41,000 wounded.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the casualty rate for the Newfoundlanders?
ReplyDeleteWhat was the casualty rate for the Newfoundlanders?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.heritage.nf.ca/first-world-war/articles/nl-in-the-first-world-war.php
DeleteA notable feature of the Canadian forces' development during WWI into one of the most battle-effective contingents on the Western Front was that they had to overcome two great initial hurdles (though the first was perhaps not unique): (i) the pre-war Canadian army was tiny, ill-trained and ill-equipped; (ii) Sam Hughes
ReplyDelete