World War One Canadas Most Prominent Battles 2

World War One Canada’s Most Prominent Battles

2 nd Battle of Ypres, April 1915 l l l Famous for the first time chemical warfare was used Chlorine (mustard) gas Commanders knew Germans had the gas but did not equip front-line

l l soldiers with proper equipment Germans released mustard gas just beside Cdn position They did not suffer the full brunt of the assault Other allies fled but Cdns remained

l l Urinate on a cloth and cover face will protect the soldiers Both sides attacked and counter-attacked with artillery, gas, soldiers resulting in heavy losses for both sides

l l British, Cdns take back territory they initially lost At beginning of battle there were 10, 000 Cdn soldiers but 1, 850 killed, 3, 411 wounded, and 776 taken prisoner (lost 60% of their soldiers)

Battle of the Somme, 1916 (July to October) l l l Battle intended to be a French and British attack that smashed through German lines near French town of Albert Badly planned and poorly executed German positions

l l l Bombarded for days before the attack Germans went into their dugouts and waited out the barrage Then they retook their positions after the bombing had stopped

l l l They were ready for the attack British thought Germans would be destroyed by the artillery so they walked over “no man’s land” On the first day, 20, 000 British killed

l l l 37, 000 wounded(Br) British cont’d to pour fresh troops into the attack By the time the offensive is over British and French suffer 600, 000 casualties (wounded and killed)

l Canadians (part of the British soldiers) suffer: • 8, 000 dead • 16, 000 wounded • All of this for a gain of 2. 8 kilometres of territory

Battle of Vimy Ridge, April 1917 l l l First time Canadian soldiers commanded by Canadian officers Cdns have 30, 000 men commanded by Arthur Currie Preparation for attack was intense

l l l A) clay model of ridge was built and studied B) full scale mock-up with German positions used to familiarize troops with objectives C) RFC surveillance

l l l photos studied to determine German troop positions D) German artillery located using new sounding devices E) tunnels dug from rear positions to the front line so Cdn

l l troops could move to the front without being seen F) mines placed under German positions to be detonated when attack begins

l l G) creeping artillery barrage that would land ahead of the troops and be moved ahead 90 m every 5 minutes Result is Cdn victory: but 10, 602 casualties of which 3598 dead

Battle of Passchendaele, 191

Before and After: Passchendaele