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Copy. Canadian Battles. World War I. Copy. Second Battle of Ypres. 1915. Summary…. Copy. Canada’s first major battle in WWI. The Germans use a gas attack. The Canadians survive by covering their faces with urine soaked rags. 6000 Canadians die but Canada holds the line.
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Copy Canadian Battles World War I
Copy Second Battle of Ypres 1915
Summary… Copy • Canada’s first major battle in WWI. • The Germans use a gas attack. • The Canadians survive by covering their faces with urine soaked rags. • 6000 Canadians die but Canada holds the line.
The Battle of Ypres (1915) • April 22 - 24, 1915 • The First Canadian Division were battling the Germans near Ypres, Belgium alongside British and French troops • The Germans were the first to release chlorine gas, 160 tons in cylinder containers, which forced soldiers to evacuate the trenches.
The Battle of Ypres (cont.) • The French were the first to retreat, leaving a large gap between forces. • The Germans would use gas two days later against Canadian troops. The Canadian soldiers were able to maintain their ground until reinforcements arrived. • To protect themselves from breathing in the gas, Canadians quickly realized that covering their mouths with urine soaked rags would crystallize the gas and help them from breathing in the vapour.
Results of Ypres • In their first major appearance on a European battlefield, the Canadians established a reputation as a worthy fighting force. • There were heavy casualties for Canada. Of the 6,000 men who fought, 2,000 died. (1 in 3 men) • John McCrae wrote the famous and iconic poem “In Flanders Fields”
Soldiers using makeshift gas masks during the second battle of Ypres
World War I was the first conflict to employ chemical weapons. This Canadian soldier is suffering from mustard gas burns.
Second Battle of Ypres Video (44:30 -58:31)
Copy Battle of The Somme 1916
Controvercial Battle… • THE PLAN….. • British plan to take out the Germans • 7 days of a barrage of shells fired over to the German lines. • This was supposed to have taken out the Germans • After the 7th day of bombing, (July 1, 1916) British troops follow tanks into no mans land.
Problems… • When the bombing started, Germans dug DOWN. • 15 meters into their trenches. • Did they all die as the British assumed? • Tanks were used for the soldiers to follow behind on foot. • The tanks were too primitive and broke down half way across no mans land. • Very few British men made it to the German trenches. • What did they do when they got there?
Battle of the Somme Copy • Men were told by British generals to cross no-man’s-land in big groups. • This idea didn’t work and over 24, 000 Canadians were killed. • Over 1 million lives were lost on both sides making it the worst battle in modern history.
The Battle of The Somme (1916) • One of the most major battles of the entire war. It lasted five months and resulted in a high number of casualties. • On the first day of battle, casualties totalled 57, 470 troops • Canadian soldiers fought as part of the British forces under General Haig.
The Battle of the Somme (cont.) • Newfoundland troops faced strong adversity at the Somme. British bombardment was supposed to have cleared the field from enemy fire. This was not the case. • The soldiers had to face rapid fire from machine guns as they scaled no-man’s land. 90% of the regiment was dead or wounded. • The Battle ended on November 18, 1916.
Results of Somme… • High casualty loss on both sides. Canada lost 24,029 men during those five months. • It reinforced Canada’s reputation as a strong fighting corps. They were marked as storm troops due to their skill and persistence. • It was considered a useless battle; all of that loss for 11 km of land.
How did the Battle of the Somme effect Newfoundland? • Video – 1:13
Copy Battle of Vimy Ridge April 1917 Birth of a Nation
Summary: Copy • Canadian troops led by General Arthur Currie • Fought for the first time as a single unit. • The Canadians won the battle in only four days. • This was a defining moment in Canadian history.
Previous Attacks on Vimy • Both the French and British armies had tried to attack and take over Vimy Ridge • All previous attacks were unsuccessful • It was Canada’s turn to try and take over
The Germans had three 3 layers of trenches, barbed wire, tunnels into a hill and light railroad for military supplies
General Arthur Currie… • General Arthur Currie insists that Canada fight this battle on their own –with Canadians and led by Canadians. • Currie studied failures and successes of previous battles in this war • This battle of Vimy Ridge would be different – soldiers will be trained carefully and thoroughly prepared for battle, rather than mindlessly, but bravely charging across battlefields.
Cont… • Preparations included building underground tunnels to move troops secretly and safely under no mans land and closer to the German trenches. • Canadian troops made a complete copy of the hill. • On that hill they did training that let them know every inch of Vimy Ridge
Grange Tunnels Dug Under the Battlefield at Vimy • Grange Tunnel
Cont… • Rather then dragging and reloading their own cannons and machine guns Canadians learned how to use German weaponry, so they could shoot Germans using German weapons German Artillery Piece
An artillery barrage fired on enemy lines was set to start the battle. • Where did we see this before? • What was the outcome? • What happened after the artillery barrage stopped? • At Vimy, this would change. A new tactic called the CREEPING BARRAGE was set in place. • Artillery barrage continued to fire as Canadians left their trenches • Goal was to hurl shells just ahead of the advancing forces • Enemy soldiers were forced to stay in their dugouts and stay low. • Goal: while enemies were down, Canadian forces would be on top of them before they could organize and resit
29th Infantry Battalion advancing over "No Man's Land" during the battle of Vimy Ridge. This was a part of the creeping barrage.
Vimy Success: • The Canadians had demonstrated that they were one of the most outstanding formations of the Western Front and masters of offensive warfare. • It was Canada’s greatest victory, also it was called, “most perfectly organized and successful battle of the whole war”. • Also it was called Canada’s “nation-making moment” because it involved Canadians from every region of Canada.
Copy Passchendaele – Canada’s Other Vimy Ridge October 26 1917
Haig is back… • Haig’s plan was to make a general breakout along the entire front. • If the ridge at Passchendaele could be taken and the town itself liberated, the British could turn north and the Belgian coast would be open to them. • “Smaller” battles were to be fought before the Allies could reach and take over Passchendaele. • Many men on the Allied side died in the battles leading up to Passchendaele.
Cont… • Haig knew that the massive casualties the Allies had suffered in the pre-battles would be wasted if Passchendaele itself was not captured. • Haig decided that the British, Australian, and New Zealand troops upon whom he had relied so far could do no more. • Thus, he turned to the Canadians and Haig ordered two divisions of the corps to Passchendaele. • Sir Arthur Currie strongly objected.
Cont… • He felt that his men had not yet recovered enough for a new, pivotal battle. • However, the British High Command insisted that Passchendaele was worth the effort, and Haig personally convinced Currie to accept the tasking • Currie insisted that there would be no attack on Passchendaele until he personally felt the men were ready. • He also demanded that the Canadians be allowed to leave the salient once the battle was over
You will not be called upon to advance until everything has been done that can be done to clear the way for you. After that it is up to you. • – Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Currie to his infantry9
Conditions at Passchendaele • MUD – EVERYWHERE • “...simply miles and miles of shell holes – all filled with water and the whole ground so water-logged that you go down over your knees every step and you have to keep moving or I guess you would go out of sight. To say its muddy is putting it mild. By a long ways. Besides that it rains practically every day & every hour. You get wet and stay wet all the time your in the forward area...”
