100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge

Vimy exhibit filled with heartfelt memories of those who served

Historian Tim Cook stands in mock trenches on display at the Canadian War Museum’s Vimy Ridge exhibit in Ottawa on Monday.

For the 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge, the battle considered the ‘birth of the nation,’ Canadian War Museum opens a new display

It’s the little things that break the heart.

Like the tiny teddy bear that 10-year-old Aileen Rogers gave her father to keep him company when he headed off to war. Only the bear made it home.

The four hand-sewn Maple Leaves that were in the window of the Adie family home in St. Catharines, Ont. – a leaf for each son that sailed for Europe – only one to return.

The goggles Lieutenant Harold Arthur Sydney Molyneux wore into battle, perhaps cracked and broken as so many others were when Canadian soldiers ripped off their eye protection because they could not see through the mustard gas well enough to protect their comrades.

And the wooden cross that was found in a garage in New Brunswick, snapped off at the base, once a proper stone was laid to mark where Private John Ash fell during the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

The shattered goggles and broken cross are part of a new exhibition, Vimy – Beyond the Battle, that will open to the public on April 6 and run through Nov. 12 at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

April 9, of course, marks the 100th year since the battle that is widely considered “the birth of the nation” took place. The day will be marked in France by a ceremony at the famous memorial that will be attended by Princes Charles, Andrew and Harry, Governor-General David Johnston, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – and as many as 25,000 Canadians, most of them students.

For those who cannot go, there is the war museum and its powerful presentation of the First World War, with particular emphasis on Vimy.


Workers put the final touches on the new display at the museum on Monday. The exhibit includes maquettes built by sculptor Walter Allward for the massive Vimy Ridge monument in France.

The new display includes the maquettes built by sculptor Walter Allward for the massive monument in France that honours the 61,000 Canadians who served and died in the Great War. It has letters welcomed home by families as well as letters dreaded by families – those saying their son, brother, father had been “killed in action.”

One display allows visitors to see their own “silhouette” walking through the battlefield, surrounded by chaos, explosions and unbelievable carnage.

There is a simple but profoundly moving Wall of Lights that holds a lighted square for each of the 3,598 Canadian soldiers who died at Vimy, the lights flickering as you pass by, the entire wall lit up if the room fills with visitors.

There is, as well, remarkable footage of the pilgrimage to see the memorial that took place on July 26, 1936, when five ocean liners left Montreal with more than 6,200 Canadians, most of them veterans. The film is a remarkable record of that journey, from families together on the ship to King Edward VIII carefully doffing his top hat as he thanks Canadian widows for their great sacrifice.

“They were looking for closure,” says Dr. Melanie Morin-Pelletier, curator of the exhibition. From the look on their faces, they appear to have found it.


Historian Melanie Morin-Pelletier stands next to an interactive display at the Canadian War Museum. Each light commemorates one of the 3,598 Canadian soldiers killed at the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Vimy has become a huge symbol today – it’s even on the back of the $20 bill – but it wasn’t always so.

Tim Cook, a historian at the Canadian War Museum, has written a best-selling book, Vimy: The Battle and the Legend, which looks at the long evolution of Vimy from the horrific battle of 1917 to the revered national symbol of 2017.

Dr. Cook’s book examines the “history of an idea” and he argues that “Vimy is not a straight trajectory of becoming part of our Canadian consciousness.

“Vimy is an important battle – but it doesn’t win the war. The birth of the nation didn’t come on 9th of April 1917.”

And yet it was, all the same, a pivotal moment. “The French had failed to capture this ridge four or five times, all major offensives,” Dr. Cook says. “So there is a lot of pride here, that Canada had done something that France was not able to do.”

The battle involved the four Canadian divisions attacking together for the first time and the success garnered newspaper coverage across the British Empire. Canada’s contribution was duly noted.

There was, however, no immediate demand for such a monument. Memorials were essentially local, cenotaphs going up in thousands of communities across the country.

“No one’s calling Vimy the ‘birth of a nation’ in 1918 or 1919,” Dr. Cook says.

Veterans were not demanding anything special, though they were certainly not amused when the Americans, who entered the war in 1917, began to credit themselves with “winning” the Great War.


Cook views Ghost of Vimy Ridge, painted by Captain William Fredrick Longstaff.

When talk in Canada finally did turn to a special monument in Europe, the first recommendation was that it be erected at Hill 62 in the Ypres Salient, where the Battle of Mount Sorrel had been fought in June, 1916.

Finally, however, Vimy Ridge was chosen, largely because the ridge was so noticeable from such a distance. And the monument was to represent all Canadian soldiers who had fought and died in Europe, not just those who had fallen at Vimy.

It took 15 years for Mr. Allward to complete the monument and it took the 1936 pilgrimage to turn it into a symbol. “That,” Dr. Cook says, “is really the birth of the Vimy legend.”

And yet the symbol never fully stuck. Vimy’s importance faded again, especially by the early 1960s, when war was so unpopular with Canadians, who preferred to celebrate peacekeeping rather than remember conflict.

In 1967, however, the symbol rose high again as it was portrayed in so many picture books. Pivotal to that rise in import was a speech by Prime Minister Lester Pearson in which he said: “Vimy was more than a battle. It is a symbol of the coming of age of Canada as a nation, a nation which was brought to birth in emotion and feeling, and in a unity steeled in blood. May we always keep that feeling of togetherness and unity in this country.”

In years following there was Pierre Berton’s bestselling Vimy, a Historica minute on television and, in 2015, the decision to put the monument on the back of the $20 bill, replacing the Indigenous art of Bill Reid, which had replaced the loon.

By this point, Dr. Cook says, “Vimy really lodges in our consciousness.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ottawas-new-vimy-exhibit-filled-with-heartfelt-memories-of-those-whoserved/article34441667/

Minister of Veterans Affairs announces Government of Canada delegation to attend ceremonies in France to mark Vimy 100

OTTAWA, March 24, 2017 /CNW/ - The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs, today announced plans for an official Government of Canada delegation to travel to France to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The delegation includes Veterans representing Veterans' and Indigenous organizations, and regimental associations; youth from across Canada; special guests who have direct family ties to soldiers who fought in the First World War; and parliamentarians.

Key events will include a signature commemorative ceremony at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France on April 9. The delegation will also participate in wreath-laying ceremonies at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery; and attend a Last Post commemorative ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial, in Ypres, Belgium.

In Canada, commemorative events will be held on April 8 and 9 at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. An official delegation of Veterans, youth and government representatives will gather in Ottawa to participate in programming between April 6 and 9. The Government of Canada is also working closely with provincial and territorial governments to organize events across Canada.

Quote

"A century later, we continue to honour the service and sacrifice of the brave young men and women, at home and abroad, during the First World War. The four-day Battle of Vimy Ridge, which began early on April 9, 1917, was the first time all four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought together as one formation. The Canadian victory at Vimy Ridge is considered a historic moment that helped define Canada and the people we are today."
The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

Quick Facts  

As there are no longer any First World War Veterans alive, Veterans Affairs Canada invited each of the 40 military regimental associations whose regiments carry the Vimy 1917 Battle Honour to nominate one Veteran who has a personal connection to Vimy or the First World War.
Veterans Affairs Canada asked Encounters with Canada to nominate 26 youth to participate in the Government of Canada delegation. These youth, aged 16-19, represent all provinces and territories, have strong leadership skills and a keen sense of military history, and most have participated in Encounters with Canada's Canada Remembers or Vimy: Canada's Coming of Age theme week in the past two years.
Government of Canada partners, including members of the Department of National Defence, Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, will also travel to France to participate in commemorative events.
Approximately 10,000 Canadian youth travelling with tour groups are expected to attend the signature event on April 9.
More than 650,000 Canadians would serve in uniform by the end of the First World War. The conflict took a huge toll: more than 66,000 Canadians sacrificed their lives and 170,000 were wounded.
Canadians unable to travel to France are invited to experience the ceremony by watching the live broadcast on CBC Television, CBC News Network, Radio-Canada and RDI on April 9 (please visit Canada.ca/Vimy-100 for updates).
A number of other events will take place in France to mark the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-to-mark-100th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge-617034494.html

Tens of thousands expected to gather at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France to mark Vimy 100

March 24, 2017

Canada's First World War story presented in a sombre artistic performance

OTTAWA, March 24, 2017 /CNW/ - On Sunday, April 9, the Government of Canada will host a signature commemorative ceremony at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, in France, to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the First World War.

Well-known Canadian actors and musicians, in the presence of dignitaries, Veterans, members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and thousands of Canadian youth, will participate in an historically inspired, artistic ceremony that pays homage to the sacrifices and achievements of all those who participated in the Battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917.

The hour and a half ceremony will feature musical performances, commemorative elements such as a moment of silence and wreath laying; and historical content to highlight the significance of the First World War for Canada and the importance of passing the torch of remembrance to the youth of today. The ceremony will also include a replica biplane flypast over the Canadian National Vimy Memorial by a team of dedicated volunteer pilots and builders known as Vimy Flight.

The storyline will be built on the history of the battle, the people who participated and witnessed it, and the Canadian values which are carved into the monument and remain relevant to this day.

Boots of the Fallen, a pre-ceremony element, will see thousands of Canadian Armed Forces boots placed on-site throughout the afternoon. Laid by Canadian and French youth, these boots represent the approximately 3,600 Canadians who died during the Battle of Vimy Ridge and their legacy for Canadians today.

Canadians unable to travel to France are invited to experience the ceremony by watching the live broadcast on CBC Television, CBC News Network, Radio-Canada and RDI on April 9 (please visit Canada.ca/vimy-100 for updates).

In honour of this significant anniversary, commemorative events will also take place on April 8 and 9 at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. An official delegation consisting of Veterans, youth and government representatives will gather in Ottawa to participate in programming between April 6 and 9. The Government of Canada is also working closely with provincial and territorial governments to organize events across Canada. Canadians are encouraged to participate in commemorative ceremonies taking place across Canada to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/tens-thousands-expected-gather-canadian-164500932.html

Countdown to 100th anniversary

How will you commemorate the Battle of Vimy Ridge?

To mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War and the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9, 2017, commemorative events will be held at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France and the National War Memorial in Ottawa. The Government of Canada will lead a delegation to France to participate in the commemorative ceremony and other events including the opening of a new Visitor Education Centre.

In Ottawa, an official delegation will participate in commemorative programming between April 6 and 9, 2017. Delegations include Veterans, stakeholders, special guests, caregivers and youth.

For questions about Vimy 100 ceremonies in France or Canada, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page: http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/first-world-war/vimy-ridge/100-anniversary/faq

or send an email to VAC.Vimy2017.ACC@vac-acc.gc.ca

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/first-world-war/vimy-ridge/100-anniversary

Shelly Steeves/Global News

Author and historian Tim Cook on the lessons and the legacy of the battle of Vimy Ridge (Video)

A New Brunswick man who creates realistic dioramas of military battle scenes out of his home calls it a passion and a duty and he’s now working on a piece in honour of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

“Being the 100th anniversary I wanted to make something and donate it to the museum,” said Nick Dunning of Quispamsis, N.B., whose work will be donated to the 8th Canadian Hussars Museum in Sussex, N.B. on April 9th.

Each piece of work Dunning creates has its start in his basement, which he calls “the bunker.” Dunning spends hours combining his passion for military history and his artistic eye for detail to recreate battles from the First and Second World Wars.

“You have to almost sort of, without the sound, look at something that is action and give the viewer the impression that they can actually see what’s going on,” Dunning said.

He said his appreciation for military history was etched in his heart as a kid. His father was in the air force and his mother was a talented artist. The two passions passed on by his parents have combined in Dunning making him into an award-winning modeller.

He takes special care to make sure the tiny soldiers appear as lifelike as possible. Dunning said creating the dioramas is not just about artistic ambition.

“It’s my way, along with a lot of other hobbyists, of saying ‘thanks, thank you,’ and making sure that these veterans know they will never be forgotten.”

That’s why Dunning is creating a military diorama depicting the battle of Vimy Ridge for the upcoming anniversary of one of Canada’s most celebrated military battle victories.

On April 9, 1917 nearly 15,000 Canadian soldiers sprang from the trenches during the First World War to win one of the biggest battles in military history.

The Battle of Vimy Ridge happened in April 1917, and carries great historical significance for Canada. It was the first time all four Canadian military divisions fought together for national unity and identity.

“It’s something that Canadians should be proud of that we captured that hill,’ said Dunning, who has been crafting the tiny works of art for decades.

Most of his works honour soldiers who fought in both world wars and the detail in his work is so impressive it’s already been featured in Canada’s War Museum in Normandy, France.

“When they were building the Juno Beach Centre in France they heard that I had a diorama built of it and it was given to them and it is now in the museum in France.”

He said he is paying homage to the 45,000 Canadians who died fighting fascism in Europe.

Carol Carr from the 8th Canadian Hussars Museum said Dunning’s newest work depicting the battle at Vimy Ridge will be a cherished addition to the museum’s display.

“Just all the intricate work and those soldiers that speak to you. We are really pleased that he has taken the time to create these for us” Carr said.

Dunning’s diorama will be unveiled at the museum on April 9th marking the centenary of the battle.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3306696/nb-modeller-honours-canadian-soldiers-who-fought-at-vimy-ridge/

Sask. First Nations veterans will mark Vimy centennial in France

Published on: March 11, 2017 | Last Updated: March 11, 2017 6:00 AM CST


Phillip Ledoux of Mistawasis First Nation is a Canadian veteran whose uncle died on the field of battle at Vimy Ridge. He shares his uncle's story and that of his family in Saskatoon on February 1, 2017

Twenty First Nations veterans from Saskatchewan will head to France in less than a month to take part in a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

The Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association has been raising funds to cover the cost of the 10-day tour of First and Second World War sites in France. They’ve raised enough money to fund the trip for the 20 women and men selected to attend.

One of the veterans is Phillip Ledoux of Mistawasis First Nation, whose uncle Charles Mususkapew was killed during the battle. Ledoux himself is a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces. He did a six-month tour in Cyprus in 1965, and was also part of a group assigned to help guard a refugee camp in Lebanon for people fleeing from Israel.

The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is dedicated to the 3,598 Canadian soldiers who died in the battle in 1917, during the First World War. The monument, designed by Canadian architect Walter Seymour Allward, was inaugurated in 2007. Over four days of fighting, 3,598 Canadian Corps troops were killed and 7,004 were wounded.

“We want to get the message out there that First Nations veterans played a vital role in these combats dating back to the Boer War, the First World War, Second World War, Korea, where they were used primarily as scouts and snipers because of their adaptability to the environment,” Ledoux said.
The veterans taking part in the centennial ceremony will be on hand for the unveiling of the Vimy Visitor Education Centre near the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France. The tour will also take them to Dieppe, Ypres and Juno Beach in Normandy. They are scheduled to leave April 2.

April 9 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. It was a seminal moment in Canadian history, recognized as the first time all of the divisions of the Canadian Corps were unified on the battlefield in the First World War.

Altogether, the SFNVA raised between $150,000 and $160,000, enough to cover the cost of the trip. Donations have continued to pour in from communities across the province. The work to plan the trip began about a year ago, and fundraising began with a golf tournament.

For the veterans who remain in Saskatchewan, special gatherings, ceremonies and tributes are planned to mark the centennial.

SFNVA Grand Chief Steven Ross said a lot of First Nations people were involved in the battle and lost their lives.

“We want to commemorate the 100 years, pay our tribute and our respects to the people who are lying in graves in foreign lands, but also to do a ceremony for our fallen warriors that did not make it back to their homeland and to their families,” he said.

All veterans who fought in the First World War are now deceased, and the surviving veterans of the Second World War are unable to go because of their age and health. The veterans who are going are those who served in the armed forces and various peacekeeping missions over the decades, as well as in Afghanistan.

Ross, a veteran who also served on a six-month peacekeeping tour in Cyprus, said he wants to be at Vimy Ridge for the sunrise and sundown ceremonies and for the march in by the Eagle Staff.

“Again, for the veterans who never made it back. That’s our tribute,” he said.

http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/sask-first-nations-veterans-will-mark-vimy-centennial-in-france

I'll see what I can do Trooper.

Bruce, Pinger, good for you guys, that will be well worth the trip for sure.

If any or both of you get a chance to drop in the forum during your trip to give us some of your journey experiences, and perhaps send some pictures/videos, that would be awesome. Only if you have the time.

Got mine as well Bruce (...after I pm'd you:)

I received my E-ticket this morning for the ceremony. It'll be a great honour to attend.

2RCHA gunners heading to Vimy Ridge

By Sean Chase, The Daily Observer
Thursday, February 23, 2017 2:43:24 EST PM


Sean Chase/Daily Observer Garrison Petawawa was the scene Thursday morning as the gunners of 2nd Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery fired off three L5 Pack Howitzers in a dress rehearsal for a gun salute that will take place at Vimy Ridge, France in April. The unit will be sending the three howitzers and 15 gunners to commemorate this seminal Canadian battle which took place on April 9, 1917.

GARRISON PETAWAWA – Gunners of the 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (2RCHA) will soon be heading to France to commemorate a victory that was a defining event for Canada.

The unit will be participating in ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April deploying to 15 personnel and three L5 105-millimetre Pack Howitzers that have been brought out of retirement for this special occasion.

In preparation for their journey, the detachments going to France conducted a test fire of the howitzers, which have not seen service since the Canadian Airborne Regiment was last on the order of battle in the mid-1990s, at the regiment's compound at the garrison Thursday morning. As the men and women of the unit gathered outside a maintenance hanger to anxiously watch, the three guns were pointed in the direction of Centurion Road.

On order, the detachment without hesitation loaded the breaches of the L5s with blank rounds. Then in succession, the No. 2 loaders pulled their lanyards flawlessly firing off the howitzers which made a thunderous sound that could be heard clear across the garrison. Lt.-Col. Geoff Hampton, commanding officer of 2RCHA, said he's thrilled that his unit has been given the opportunity to represent the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery at Vimy Ridge.

“The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a seminal event in Canadian history and a big battle for the Canadian Artillery,” said Lt.-Col. Hampton. “For that reason, the Guns will return to France.”

The L5 105mm Pack Howitzer was in service from 1969 to 1994. It had the ability to be dropped by parachute and was once deployed by 2RCHA's 'E' Battery. The Battle of Vimy Ridge, which took place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of northeastern France, opened on April 2, 1917 when the Canadian Corps' artillery units, including eight field brigades and two heavy artillery groups, initiated the largest artillery barrage in history.

Seven days later, on Easter Monday, 30,000 soldiers assaulted the ridge from behind a creeping artillery barrage along a six kilometre front. As the troops advanced across no man’s land, new techniques including counter-battery fire and indirect machine gun fire were employed successfully. In less than two hours, three of the four Canadian divisions had seized their objectives. Four days later, Canadian soldiers controlled the ridge marking a significant turning point for the Allies in the three-year-old conflict.

“This will be a very proud moment for the regiment,” added Lt.-Col. Hampton. “Every Canadian gunner would like to be at Vimy Ridge on the 100th anniversary.”

The gunners going to France have been working diligently to restore the L5s and ready them for the trip to France. Master Bombardier Cole Lyons, who will command one of the three detachments, said he looking forward to this assignment.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance,” Master Bombardier Lyons said. “It's pretty cool to fire a gun that hasn't been in service for a few years.”

Petawawa will be commemorating Vimy Ridge on Sunday, April 9 with a massive parade. All units from the garrison and 2 Canadian Mechanize Brigade Group will be marching through the town along with veterans, cadet corps and members of the Royal Canadian Legion. The parade will begin at 1 p.m.

Mayor Bob Sweet reflected on Vimy Ridge at Renfrew County council on Wednesday encouraging the community at large to come out and observe this critical day in our history. At least 3,598 Canadians paid the ultimate sacrifice in the battle.

“Vimy Ridge brought Canada together as a country,” said Sweet. “It's something we should recognize and the sacrifice that these men made at this battle.”

http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/2017/02/23/2rcha-gunners-heading-to-vimy-ridge

I saw that same documentary Teen, those poor guys never had a chance.

Though Beaumont Hamel happened while they were still a Colony of England a few Maple Trees would be nice to see.

CBC did a fantastic documentary on Beaumont Hamel this past Canada Day about life in Newfoundland for the women and how a British Col in charge of the colony forces literally murdered Newfoundlander's at Beaumont by ordering them into a bottle neck with 3 German machine gun nests pointed at the "Danger Tree". All because he wanted his promotion to General.

Local filmmaker to document visit of Canadian youth to Vimy Ridge

Tara Bradbury
Published on February 22, 2017


Filmmaker Anthony Tooton, a native of St. John's, will travel to France at the end of March with the Maples for Vimy Project. He's creating a documentary about the project, which will see about 60 Canadian youth planting maples trees at Vimy Ridge in honour of the 100th anniversary of the battle.

A group of scouts, guides and cadets from across the country will travel to France this spring to leave a living memorial for Canadian soldiers at Vimy Ridge, and a local filmmaker will be there to document it.

St. John’s native Anthony Tooton, now based in London, Ont., will travel with the Maples for Vimy project as it visits the battleground and areas around Vimy Ridge, planting 500 maple trees.

The Maples for Vimy project is spearheaded by Paul Gagnon of Ontario, who served as a horticulturist for London’s Veterans Memorial Parkway project, where memorial trees are also planted.

“I thought, OK, we’re honouring veterans here, why not honour them there?,” Gagnon — who comes from a military family — said of the inspiration for Maples for Vimy. After securing the permission and support of the French and Canadian governments, he and his wife travelled to France to make the necessary connections and begin the organization of the project.

Spring trip

About 60 Canadian youth will travel to France March 29, the week before the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. There they will first visit the Newfoundland memorial at Beaumont Hamel before planting 500 maple trees at the battleground of Vimy Ridge as well as at surrounding sites identified as having been areas where Canadians were deployed. With the help of French growers, three types of trees will be planted: red and silver maples and the Regal Petticoat Maple, each with special significance.

“The red and silver maples represent the original Canadian citizens, our First Nations cultures, and the third maple, which was actually discovered in Nova Scotia, is also found in Europe and Asia, so it represents the settlers who came from abroad.”

As the initiative grew and details were finalized, Gagnon realized he couldn’t undertake a project of such significance without documenting it, so he began looking for a filmmaker. He was introduced to Tooton through his daughter.

“For me, it’s more about working with good people more than just qualified people,” Gagnon said. “Anthony seemed like ‘good people’ to me, and it turned out he had the qualifications as well.”

Tooton first started working in film with local artist Peter Wilkins and sieved.com, before earning an entrance scholarship to Toronto Film School. He said he developed a love of documentaries while studying in the film production program there.

His past projects have included “At Humour’s Edge,” a short film about the Newfoundland comedy scene, which aired on NTV in 2012, and he’s working on a six-part documentary series about successful local family businesses.

He’s excited about the Maples for Vimy film, called “Living Memorials of Honour.”

“Literally each and every Canadian and Newfoundlander were directly affected by the Great War,” Tooton said. “The upcoming anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge brings crucial attention to all those who sacrificed and reflects the massive appreciation the people of France have for our people and our nation.

“The opening quote for our film, I believe, expresses it best,” Tooton continued, offering a well-known quote from Brigadier-General Alexander Ross, who led the 28th Battalion at Vimy Ridge. “It was Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific on parade. I thought then that in those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation.”

Tooton will follow Gagnon and the Maples for Vimy group on their visit to France, and will tell the story of the battle through narration and archival images. He’s hoping the finished product will appeal to war and Canadian history buffs, veterans, and youth.

“School-age Canadians who sometimes see a flag at half-mast but don’t really know why, or who hear about the Second World War as being the Great War may be interested in the film,” he says.

While Tooton is producing the documentary as an independent filmmaker, Gagnon had a hand in establishing its vision.

“The feeling of this documentary film will be mostly about what the French people feel about Canadians and Newfoundlanders did for them,” Gagnon said. “It’s something we need to articulate to our youth. This is a way we can engage youth to know what our military has done and what they have left behind in the countries where they served.”

http://www.thetelegram.com/news/local/2017/2/22/local-filmmaker-to-document-visit-of-canadian-youth-to-vimy-ridg.html

Unofficial Vimy tribute seeks approval

A small band of Londoners has been busy trying to re-create what might be interpreted as a slightly distorted version of W.P. Kinsella’s famous Field of Dreams novel.

They’re creating a memorial park in the hope the City of London will first come on board and designate the land for that purpose.

It started out simply enough. When the city completed its work on the Hale-Trafalgar overpass roundabout, there was a wedge of land isolated on its southeast corner that became the responsibility of the City of London realty services. It sprouted weeds and attracted trash and debris.

For neighbouring retiree Larry Laur, enough was enough. He made sure the weeds got cut down and organized volunteers to help clean up debris. He praised Jay Sanford, London’s recycling boss, for making sure dumpsters were made available for junk and litter.

Laur was soon joined by Nick Sauter, a founder of the Agyle Community Association, and together they came up with a plan for a memorial park, linking its proximity to other military tributes nearby.

The roundabout itself was dedicated to the late Charlie Fox, a Second World War flying ace.

Trooper Wilson Place is the new name for a street cut off by the overpass, named in memory of Trooper Mark Wilson killed in Afghanistan in 2006.

Laur and Sauter felt a First World War memorial, dedicated to the battle for Vimy Ridge, would complement the other tributes.

Initial approaches were made to civic officials. Meanwhile, Laur arranged for two cement pads, two benches, a flagpole and a cross to be mounted on the site.

And the volunteer trash removal continued.

A simple memorial, containing a First World War army helmet Laur had installed leaning against a cross, was stolen. Another donated helmet met the same fate.

By now, their efforts had been endorsed by the Vimy Foundation, which allowed use of the Vimy logo.

The third member of this grassroots incubator is Shawn Lewis, a community activist and constituency assistant for Irene Mathyssen, the NDP MP for London-Fanshawe.

Fourteen businesses and organizations contributed. Among those was Custom Metal Works in Old East Village, whose owner Ian Gordon and fabricator Mason Floyd created a life-size sculpture of a First World War army helmet, a Lee Enfield rifle, and a pair of military boots. The metal was donated by John Zubick Ltd.

On dedication day, scores of people watched as a trio of Harvard aircraft did a flypast.

But things weren’t moving as smoothly on the civic front. Despite backing by the Argyle Community Association, the city’s manager of environmental and parks planning expressed serious reservations because of facilities already in the area, the lack of safe pedestrian access to this piece of land and potential maintenance costs.

The trio did get the attention of Mayor Matt Brown, who sent a letter of support for their efforts in honouring Canadian veterans.

Lewis concedes the group may have got the “cart before the horse” on this project, and was now in the position of “asking for forgiveness, not permission”.

However, his experience from years on city hall’s committee of adjustment led Lewis to say situations often arise requiring adjustment.

The clock is now ticking, with the 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge approaching in April.

The bid for the Vimy parkette approval goes to city council’s community and protective services committee in February. The timing leaves the whole idea somewhat, well, under the gun.

George Clark is a London freelance writer.

george.judy@rogers.com

http://www.lfpress.com/2017/01/27/clark-unofficial-vimy-tribute-seeks-approval