u The smells of sweat and urine, and fear and death Continued from page 1


day? Whatever it was, it wasn’t the idea of easy money. Ordinary soldiers were paid just a dollar a day. Seldom had soldiers ever had to ex-


ist in worse conditions that those en- dured by the soldiers in the front lines in France. Worse than the constant threat of death was the wretchedness of life in the trenches. Forced to huddle in the earth like animals, the men were con- stantly wet, cold, dirty. Boots and uni- forms mildewed and fell apart. “Trench foot”, a rotting of the flesh between and around the toes, was common. So was “trench mouth”, a painful and conta- gious disease of the gums. Everybody had lice. There were the smells of sweat and urine and fear and death. Rats as big and bold as alley cats ran though the trenches and grew fat on the dead and dying. At Vimy, the Germans had held and


strengthened their position on the Ridge for more than two years and believed it absolutely secure. Where the British and the French had failed, now it was Cana- da’s turn. Our troops faced an incredible challenge. In one day, no, in one morn- ing, these civilian volunteers from a


small country with no military tradition were expected to do what the British and French had failed to do in two years. The timetable called for them to be on


the crest of the Ridge by noon. And they were expected to achieve the victory with 50,000 fewer men than the French had lost in their attacks. After weeks of careful training and re- hearsal, and supported by almost 1,000 artillery pieces, the Canadians attacked along a six and one half kilometre front. For hours before the infantry attack, the Canadian artillery had poured more than one million artillery shells onto the Ger- man lines. By noon the Canadian boys had captured the crest of the Ridge. Within five days this Canadian army had gained more ground, seized more guns, and captured more prisoners than the British had done in any previous battle. The cost to our country was high-


3,600 men dead and more than 7,000 wounded. But historians say this victory marked Canada’s beginning as a nation. It was the first battle in which all units of the Canadian army fought together, and their success was overwhelming. Cana- dians rejoiced and felt new pride in our


Dr. Doug Eyolfson, MP Lest We Forget


Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley


Remembering our Veterans, our brave men and women in uniform, and their famillies.


/DougEyolfson @DougEyolfson @DougEyolfson dougeyolfson.ca


204-984-6432


doug.eyolfson@parl.gc.ca 3092 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB, R3K 0Y2


204-944-1049 3723 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3K 2A8


tiny country. To many this battle marked the birth of modern Canada. Brig.-Gen. A.E. Ross declared after the war, “In those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation.”


We should continue to think about


Vimy Ridge. It should be more than just a park on Portage Avenue. Tom Dercola, president of CJNU, was a history teacher for more than three decades.


DEVI


SHARMA


Thank you to our Veterans!


REMEMBRANCE DAY 11TH


NOVEMBER


Scott FIELDING MLA for Kirkfield Park t. 204.889.0540


We remember them


City Councillor • Old Kildonan Ward Speaker of Council


Lest We Forget 204-986-5264 • 646 Leila Avenue • devi@winnipeg.ca • @DeviSharmaWpg


Room 132 - 450 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8 t. 204.945.1610 | scott.johnston@leg.gov.mb.ca


JOHN ORLIKOW


CITY COUNCILLOR | RIVER HEIGHTS/FORT GARRY WARD “ Praising what is lost makes


the remembrance dear. William Shakespeare


510 Main Street, Winnipeg, MB R3B 1B9 (204) 986-5236 | jorlikow@orlikow.ca


Proud to be working for


our community Jenny Gerbasi


Let us always remember


City Councillor


Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry 204-986-5878 • jgerbasi@winnipeg.ca www.jennygerbasi.ca


November 2017 www.lifestyles55.net 7


orlikow.ca follow me:


204-986-5920 • sdobson@winnipeg.ca


Shawn Dobson City Councillor • St. Charles Ward


Lest We Forget


Lest we forget


“


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