Today is Vimy Ridge Day in Canada with remembrance ceremonies held at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, on a piece of Canadian soil in northern France. The battle began 107 years ago on a cold snowy Easter morning. Men had huddled in the trenches overnight knowing they would head over the top in the early morning hours. It couldn't have been a comfortable or relaxing night for them. On that fateful 1917 morning, the battle to capture the ridge began. It lasted for four days. Men fought forward through the mud carrying huge packs weighing about 36 kg (about 80 lb). Of the 100,000 Canadian troops that fought there, about 11,000 casualties occurred with around 3600 of those fatalities.
This battle was the first where all Canadian divisions fought side-by-side with a Canadian commander. The expeditionary forces to that point had fought under British command. This battle served to define the Canadian troops and a young nation. The Vimy Ridge area was gifted to Canada by France in perpetuity. Some areas have been rebuilt to help visitors understand the nature of trench warfare there. I hope to visit this area. My grandfather participated in the battle and made it home to build a life on the Canadian prairie.
I chose a song that tells a story from this historic battle. The artist has a wonderful voice that is well suited to the haunting sound of the work. She has also worked with baroque music and has trained in opera. This particular song placed her as a finalist in two major songwriting awards, while the video won 10 international video awards. Keep safe. Enjoy!
Vimy Ridge -- Lizzy Hoyt
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