In Depth
Vimy Ridge remembered
Students visit Vimy
Canadian youths 'twinned' with soldiers killed in battle
Last Updated April 3, 2007
It started with snow and rainstorms
That Easter Monday morn.
Four waves of troops
Prepared for the storm.
— Chris Sullivan, student
VIDEO:
Steven DeSouza meets Waterloo, Ontario students who will be visiting Vimy.
(Runs 2:09)
VIDEO:
Heather Hiscox interviews students from Owen Sound, Ontario about their Vimy project.
(Runs 5:32)
VIDEO:
Toronto High School student tells Heather Hiscox about a personal connection with history of Vimy Ridge.
(Runs 5:21)
About 3,600 high-school students from all over Canada will be in France for the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. There will be one student for each of the 3,598 Canadians killed during the assault on the heavily fortified German position in April 1917.
Each student has been assigned one Canadian soldier who died at Vimy, and each has created a tribute — an essay, a letter, a poem, a painting, even a song — to his or her soldier.
Students will wear replica First World War army shirts bearing their soldiers' names.
These excerpts and samples are from essays and poems written by senior high school students from Ecole St. Patrick High School in Yellowknife. The class' entire collection is available as a PDF.
Soldier: Charles Anderson, service # 760872.
Excerpt from poem:
"It is quiet here. But we remember the man Who lies beneath the grass, And all the others with him, For what they did for us."— Andrew Finnamore, January 17, 2006
My Veteran: William Henry Denford
Excerpt from essay:
"I feel very honoured to be his Great-Great Niece. He is buried at the Vimy Memorial where I will find his name. I will be the first person in my family to visit the Memorial where his name has been placed. I think he made the ultimate sacrifice with his life for our freedom. I will never forget and I will always show my pride for him."— Alanna Menard
Soldier: James “Jimmy” McNeil
Excerpt from essay:
"One thing I learned while doing this project was that much of my family history has been lost over the years because it was not recorded. Some of the history was lost because, like Jimmy, many soldiers chose not to talk about the war. Their memories of the war were too traumatic for them to speak to others about. I’ve committed myself to doing more research into my family history, specifically, Jimmy’s role in the war. "—by Kathleen O’Brien
Soldier: Frank S. Cownie
Excerpt from poem:
"It started with snow and rainstorms— by Chris Sullivan
That Easter Monday morn.
Four waves of troops
Prepared for the storm."
"Soldier: Joseph Roussin
Excerpt from essay:
"A Mohawk from Quebec's Kanesatake Band, who served with the Van Doos during the First World War, Private Roussin was awarded the Military Medal for bravery for carrying out a solo attack against eight enemy soldiers in 1917. His was a solitary achievement, but he was not alone in achieving great honour for his fellow First Nations veterans. He cast their people in a new light, whose legend is cast in honour, and whose memory is forever inscribed in our memory."— by Darlene Tsetso-Horassi
— poster by Victoria Carpenter
MENU
- Main page
- Eyewitness accounts
- Vimy Memorial Park
- Original documents
- 90th anniversary special
Radio coverage - 90th anniversary special Television coverage
- Student diary
- What Vimy Ridge Means to Me
- Students visit Vimy
- Canadian youths 'twinned' with soldiers killed in battle
- Alberta students wear replica uniforms to Vimy
RELATED
CBC Links
Photo Galleries
CBC stories
- Last veteran of Vimy Ridge battle dies
- (March 5, 2003)
- Britain loans Canada Red Ensign carried by Canadians at Vimy Ridge
- (July 17, 2002)
- Canadian youth remember Vimy Ridge
- (April 8, 2002)
- WWI shells force evacuation of Vimy
- (April 14, 2001)
- Remains of Unknown Soldier coming home
- (Nov. 10, 2000)
- Long lost soldier put to rest at Vimy Ridge
- (June 24, 2000)
- Search CBC.ca for Vimy Ridge
CBC archives
- The First World War: Canada Remembers
- CBC/NFB A People's History: 'Pride at Vimy Ridge'
- AUDIO: 1936 radio broadcast: Vimy Ridge Memorial unveiled by King Edward VIII (Runs 5:02)
External Links
- Silent Newsreel: 'Canadians Capture Vimy'
- National Archives of Canada "We Were There"
- Jack Turner Photography Collection
- Veterans' Affairs Canada: Vimy
- Vimy Memorial Vigil project
(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites - links will open in new window)