Students from Erin District High School were among the 25,000 Canadians that took part in the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9 in France.
The 17 students, along with dignitaries such as Governor General David Johnston, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry and French President Francois Hollande, stood under the shadow of the Vimy memorial to remember the efforts of Canadian and British soldiers who fought to capture the ridge April 9 to 12, 1917.
The students left Erin on April 6 and returned April 15 after visiting the Netherlands, Belgium and France.
The highlight was the ceremony at Vimy, which included a fly over by First World War French aircraft, a 21-gun salute, artistic performances and speeches.
“It was a really good mix of history and artistry, and the speeches were very good,” said history teacher Peter Wilson.
He noted students on the trip studied the Battle of Vimy Ridge in Grade 10.
“I think as Canadians we like to analyze (the battle),” he said.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge marked the first time the Canadian army fought as a unified force, and the victory helped serve notice, to allies and enemies alike, that Canadians were first-class soldiers.
Of the 100,000 Canadian soldiers who took part in the battle, about 3,600 didn’t make it home, and an additional 7,000 were wounded.
The Vimy memorial, unveiled in 1936 as a tribute to the sacrifice of Canadians in the First World War, bears the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers that were posted “missing, presumed dead” in France.
“I think when we were there that day, we realized it’s still very important, it’s still very significant,” said Wilson. “(The students) 50 years from now can say they were there and they took part in something pretty special.”
Student Lizzie Manchester said the ceremony was beautiful.
“I think it was just the right tone,” she said. “I felt really proud to be Canadian.”
Another student, Emily Christian, said she was touched by the performances.
“The idea of the boots and there were poppies everywhere, that was really moving,” she said.
Wilson added, “It inspired me as a history teacher … my students were interested, and they wanted to go; it made me feel good as both a teacher and a Canadian that day that there were so many students.”
Manchester said the ceremony helped her comprehend the scope of the war.
“It was just really moving, you feel so grateful for what (the soldiers) did for our country, but it really was a loss,” she said.
Wilson added the ceremony was a mix of emotions.
“They take such great care of those cemeteries, and they’re beautiful with the spring flowers … it’s a beautiful place, but it’s a very sombre place,” he said.
The students also had the opportunity to visit the Vimy Exhibition, a war art museum, Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, John McCrae field station and memorial, Juno Beach and La Maison des Canadiens (the first house liberated on D-Day).
Student Mark Cripps said he left a note like many have done in the past at the John McCrae memorial “to be a part of history.”
Manchester said she wanted to go on the “Beaches and Battlefields” tour to experience history.
“I really love history, and I thought it was really important to honour the soldiers that gave us our freedom,” she said.
Christian said standing at Juno Beach touched her the most.
“For me, the feeling of how devastating the war really was, that hit me when we were standing on Juno beach,” she said.
“It’s just different when you’re over there.”
Wilson said the opportunity for students to see where the war took place was important.
“I can show pictures or video and I can lecture, but to actually stand on Juno Beach where the brave soldiers were, you can’t do that in the classroom,” said Wilson.
“To experience that, is an experience of a lifetime.”
The students also experienced what it felt like to be a Canadian in those places too.
“Going home from Vimy, all the doors had Canada flags on them. That was really cool,” Cripps said.
Christian said people came out of their houses to wave as the tour bus passed.
“Emily and I actually got stopped by a local, and we talked to this French guy for a long time,” said Manchester. “He was thanking Canada for what they did at Vimy because he saw our jackets. It was a cool moment.”
The students returned from the trip with a new perspective on Canadian history and patriotism.
