LIEUTENANT GENERAL THE HONOURABLE SIR JULIAN BYNG VISCOUNT OF VIMY

2. LIEUTENANT GENERAL THE HONOURABLE SIR JULIAN BYNG VISCOUNT OF VIMY • GALLIPOLI EVACUATION, MAY 1916 CO OF 1ST CDN CORPS • ARISTOCRAT, LOVED BY MEN BYNG’S BOYS • TRAINED MEN HARD, PROMOTED CAPABLE CANADIAN OFFICERS (FIRED DOLLAR MAGNATES) • ONE OF MOST TRUSTED CDN GENERALS WAS CURRIE • DISAGREED ON RAIDS, BUT BOTH PLANNED WELL • HE WAS CO AT SOMME, WE FIGHT WELL SO GIVEN VIMY • TACTICS USED AT VIMY UNIQUE, WIN THE BATTLE. AFTER HE WAS PROMOTED TO COMMAND BR 3RD ARMY • AFTER WAR CDN GOVERNOR GENERAL • CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS WITH MACKENZIE KING

4. GENERAL SIR ARTHUR CURRIE • REAL ESTATE DEALER, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER FROM VICTORIA • BEGAN WAR WITH NO MILITARY EXPERIENCE OTHER THAN MILITIA TRAINING (50TH HIGHLAND BATTALION FROM BC) • GARNET HUGHES CONVINCED FATHER SAM TO HAUL CURRIE OUT OF RETIREMENT TO PUT IN COMMAND OF UNITS IN FRANCE • SEPTEMBER 1914 APPOINTED BRIGADIER GENERAL IN CHARGE OF SECOND BRIGADE 1ST CANADIAN DIVISION (ST JULIEN) • SEPTEMBER 1915 PROMOTED TO COMMAND FIRST CANADIAN DIVISION • JUNE 1917 KNIGHTED AND PROMOTED TO COMMAND THE CANADIAN CORPS • NEVER WOULD HAVE RISEN IN EUROPEAN ARISTOCRATIC ARMIES, BUT IN CDN ARMY RAISE BY MERIT • GREAT INNOVATOR TACTICIAN (MOUNT SORREL, VIMY, AND OTHERS

5. BECAUSE NOT ARISTOCRAT, OPEN TO NEW IDEAS/TRAINING • VERY INNOVATIVE AT MOUNT SORREL, VIMY AND OTHERS • PAY THE PRICE IN SHELLS NOT MEN • ATTACK ONLY WHEN PREPARED • CLASHED WITH HUGHES OVER ROSS, GARNET • CLASHED WITH HAIG OVER PASCHENDALE, MONS, • AFTER WAR COOL RECEPTION BACK HOME • LIBEL TRIAL • CURRIE WINS, BECOMES PRINCIPAL OF MCGILL AND DIED IN 1933 CANADA’S GREATEST MILITARY HERO OF ALL TIME. UNKNOWN

6. VIMY TO THE 100 DAYS • VIMY ONLY VICTORY AT ARRAS OFFENSIVE • BRITISH TO SOUTH NO NEW PLAN, SIMILAR TO SOMME • DID NOT USE NEW TECHNOLOGY, SHELL, DID NOT CHECK WIRE, DID NOT CONCENTRATE ON MG POSTS ETC • THUS ARRAS OFFENSIVE NOT THE BREAKING POINT OF THE WAR THAT THE ALLIES HAD HOPED IT MAY BE THAT EASTER

8. B/C OF FLANK GER RETREAT ALONG WHOLE FRONT • FOR REWARD BOTH BYNG AND CURRIE WERE BOTH KNIGHTED AND PROMOTED (BYNG TO 3RD ARMY, CURRIE TO CDN CORPS) • SAM WANTS GARNET TO GET FIRST DIV • CURRIE REFUSED LEADS TO HATRED BTW TWO • SUMMER OF 1917 NEW OFF PLANNED

9. HAIG’S NEW PLAN CALLED FOR A BREAKOUT IN FLANDERS, (THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES, OR PASCHENDALE) • OUTFLANK GERMAN DEFENSIVE POSITIONS, CUT OFF U-BOAT PENS ENDING BLOCKADE, MARCH TO BERLIN • NEEDED TO END WAR (RUSSIAN, FRENCH MUTINY, BR ON VERGE OF STARVATION) • IN BR A PEACE AT ALL COSTS MOVEMENT • HAIG FELT GER WORSE, ONE BIG PUSH COULD WIN, BUT HASN’T CHANGED TACTICS. SAME AS SOMME • SAME TACTICS AS AT SOMME • STRATEGIC AT START BUT SOON DEGRADES INTO USELESS SLAUGHTER IN THE MUD

11. FIRST BR AND COLONIAL TROOPS USE SOMME TACTICS AND THEY ARE SLAUGHTERED • YPRES WAS SWAMPLAND DRAINED IN MIDDLE AGES WITH A RIVER RUNNING THROUGH IT AND A HIGH WATER TABLE • IF DRAINAGE SYSTEM DISRUPTED DURING RAINY SEASON THEN FIELDS WOULD QUICKLY DEGENERATE • THUS, THE ATTACK WAS TO BE COMPLETED IN DRY MONTHS OF JULY AND AUGUST. • DURING BATTLE 4.2 MILLION SHELLS FIRED • DRAINAGE SYSTEM DESTROYED, ATTACK FAILED TO TAKE THE RIDGE BY FALL RAINS • PRE-BOMBARDMENT ALERTED GERMANS THAT ATTACK COMING • THEY SUCCESSFULLY WITHSTOOD SHELLING IN BUNKERS • AFTER RAINS MANY SHELLS FAILED TO EXPLODE IN THE MUD • THE TROOPS HAD TO ATTACK THROUGH MUD WAIST DEEP

12. IN THIS QUAGMIRE OF MUD MEN ATTACKED FOR MONTHS • HAIG WAS WARNED AGAINST THE ATTACK IN JULY • FOCH THE FRENCH COMMANDER ADVISED AGAINST THE ATTACK, AS DID BRITISH GENERALS IN THE SECTOR, AND PM LLOYD GEORGE HIMSELF • DESPITE ALL THIS HAIG CONVINCED HIS PLAN WOULD WORK AND WENT AHEAD WITH RESULTS ILLUSTRATED BELOW

14. THANKFULLY, THE CANADIANS WERE NOT HERE IN DURING THE SUMMER, AND EARLY FALL, YET OUR TURN WOULD COME • IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 1917 THEY WERE GIVEN A DIVERSIONARY ATTACK IN VIMY SECTOR • CANADIANS TO TAKE HILL 70 AND LENS

15. LENS AND HILL 70 • THESE BATTLES WERE TO DIVERT GERMAN ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE YPRES SALIENT • HAIG DEMANDED A TRADITIONAL FRONTAL ASSAULT AND THEN A CONSOLIDATION AGAINST GERMAN COUNTER ATTACKS • CURRIE REFUSED. SAID WOULD ONLY ATTACK WHEN PREPARED PROPER • NO FRONTAL ASSAULT, TACTICS OF VIMY • ATTACK STRONG POINTS, THEN MOP UP, LOCALIZED NOT GENERAL ATTACK • IN SERIES OF STRONG RAIDS THE GERMANS WERE PUSHED BACK • WHEN FINAL ASSAULT LAUNCHED HILL 70 CAPTURED IN 20 MINUTES • SHOWS AGAIN SUCCESS POSSIBLE IF USE GOOD TACTICS

16. GERMANS COUNTER, MUSTARD GAS, WE HELD • IN THE END THE CANADIANS TOOK 6000 CASUALTIES BUT WERE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR ATTACKS IN CAPTURING HILL 70 • LENS WAS STILL IN GERMAN HANDS, BUT WAS UNDER THE CONSTANT BARRAGE FROM THE CANADIANS ON HILL 70 • MEANWHILE BACK IN PASSCHENDAELE THINGS NOT GOING SO GOOD • THE AUSTRALIANS, NEW ZEALANDERS, AND BRITISH HAD MADE SOME HEADWAY, BUT ONLY A FEW HUNDRED YARDS • BY NOW BATTLEFIELD ONE OF MUD, MOST REALIZED NOT STRATEGIC. NO OUTFLANKING POSSIBLE, NOR CUT OFF OF U BOAT PENS • STILL HAIG CONTINUED, THOUSANDS LOST IN MUD • BY OCTOBER, HAIG DECIDED THE CANADIANS TURN HAD COME TO ENTER THE BATTLE OF PASCHENDALE

18. PASCHENDALE • WHEN TOLD OF PLAN CURRIE REFUSED, SAYING IMPOSSIBLE. • CURRIE APPEALED TO HAIG PERSONALLY TELLING HIM LET THE GERMANS KEEP THE MUD. HAIG STRESSED CRUCIAL AND SOMEDAY WILL TELL YOU WHY • STILL CURRIE HESITATED, WENT OVER HAIG’S HEAD BUT WAS TOLD TO GO • HE RISKED CAREER, CITED FOR INSUBORDINATION, RELENTED BUT SAID “CANADA WILL TAKE PASCHENDALE AT THE COST OF 16 000 MEN” • CURRIE DEMANDED AT THE VERY LEAST A REPRIEVE UNTIL CONDITIONS A LITTLE BETTER. • CURRIE ALSO DEMANDED THAT THE CDN CORPS FIGHT AS A UNIT AND NOT UNDER THE COMMAND OF THE BRITISH GENERAL AT PASSCHENDAELE WHOM HE HAD LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN • THUS HE GOT USED THE TIME TO PREPARE AS HE ALWAYS DID, AND INTO BATTLE THEY WENT • THE FIELD WAS STREWN WITH DETRITUS OF WAR. DEAD, ABANDONED MATERIAL AND OFTEN CANADIAN SOLDIERS STEPPED INTO DECOMPOSING MEN

19. THE CANADIANS ASKED PERMISSION TO USE DUCK WALK PLANKING BUT THE BRITISH THOUGHT THE IDEA RIDICULOUS • IN THE END THE BRITS SAY OK BUT NO PLANKS • THE CANADIANS END UP SETTING UP OWN SAW MILL AND BUILDING THE WALKS BY HARVESTING TREES THAT WERE IN THE BATTLE AREA • TO GET IDEA OF THE MUD A CANADIAN GREATCOAT WAS WEIGHED AND IT WEIGHED 50 POUNDS • IN 2.5 SQUARE MILES THERE WERE 500,000 SHELL CRATERS, ALL FILLED WITH WATER • DURING THE BATTLE IF YOU STEPPED OFF OF THE DUCK WALKS YOU DISAPPEARED INTO THE MUD OF PASCHENDALE

21. ALL OF THIS HORRIBLE CONDITIONS WERE WITHIN ONE MILE OF WHERE CURRIE AND THE CANADIAN FIRST DIVISION WERE GASSED IN 1915 SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES • BEFORE THE OPERATIONS WAS EVEN LAUNCHED ON OCTOBER 26TH, OVER 1500 CANADIANS WERE CASUALTIES FROM THE GERMAN SHELLING • CURRIE AGAIN DECIDES TO ATTACK IN SEGMENTS OR STRONG RAIDS • HE WILL DIVIDE THE BATTLE INTO FOUR SECTIONS, EACH SEPARATED BY THREE DAYS • THE GOAL OF THE FIRST STAGE WOULD NOT BE TO OCCUPY THE TOWN, ONLY TO SILENCE THE GERMAN MACHINE GUN POSTS • BY NOW THE GERMANS HAD RECOGNIZED THE CANADIAN TACTIC, AND HAD PUT THEIR MACHINE GUNS IN CONCRETE ENCLOSURES

23. THIS WAS PARTLY DONE SINCE COULD NOT DIG INTO THE MUD OF FLANDERS WITHOUT WATER SEEPING IN AND PARTLY FOR DEFENSE AGAINST ATTACK • THE ENCLOSURES LOOKED LIKE PILLBOXES, SO THE NAME STUCK • THIS DEFENSIVE TACTIC WAS DIRECTLY A RESULT OF THE CANADIAN CORPS’ TACTICS USED AT VIMY, LENS AND HILL 70 • THE FIRST STAGE WAS LAUNCHED ON OCTOBER 26TH, AND THE PILLBOXES WERE OVERPOWERED DESPITE LARGE CASUALTIES. • HINDENBURG ORDERED THE PRUSSIAN REGIMENTS DEFENDING PASCHENDALE TO HOLD AT ALL COSTS • YET BY NOVEMBER THE 12TH THE TOWN OF PASSCHENDAELE AND THE RIDGE TOO WAS SECURELY IN CANADIAN HANDS.

25. THIS VICTORY WAS LAUDED BY THE BRITISH AND SURPRISED THE GERMANS • A CAPTURED GERMAN GENERAL TOLD THE BRITISH NEWS THAT WITH AN ARMY OF SUCH MEN HE COULD GO ANYWHERE • BY NOVEMBER THE 14TH THE CANADIANS WERE RELIEVED AND SENT BACK TO THE VIMY SECTOR • IN THE END CANADIAN CASUALTIES WERE VIRTUALLY EXACTLY WHAT CURRIE WARNED THEY WOULD BE. THEY ENDED UP BEING 15,654 • BY THE END OF THE BATTLE, THE BRITISH ARMY HAD LOST A TOTAL OF 500,000 MEN AND THE GERMANS 250,000 • ALL THIS FOR 2.5 SQUARE MILES OF OBLITERATED MUD

27. THE BATTLE HAD TAKEN SO LONG, THAT THE OBJECTIVE OF OUTFLANKING THE GERMAN DEFENSIVE POSITIONS WAS NO LONGER A POSSIBILITY • THUS, WHILE THE ORIGINAL PLANS FOR THE ATTACK WERE SOUND, THE BATTLE LOST ALL IMPORTANCE EXCEPT TO HAIG VERY EARLY ON • IN TRUTH THE BR ABANDONED THE POSITION AS NOT MILITARILY TENABLE OR STRATEGIC IN 1918 • THUS THE LOSSES WERE IN VAIN FOR ALL CONCERNED • IN THE END THERE IS A POEM WRITTEN BY SEIGFRIED SASSOON A BRITISH OFFICER WHICH IS ESPECIALLY POIGNANT • I DIED IN HELL, THEY CALLED IT PASSCHENDAELE. MY WOUND WAS SLIGHT AND I WAS HOBBLING BACK; AND THEN A SHELL BURST SLICK UPON THE DUCKBOARDS; SO I FELL INTO THE BOTTOMLESS MUD, AND LOST THE LIGHT. • THIS MAY NOT BE TRUE FOR SASOON, BUT 47,000 BRITISH SOLDIERS DID DISAPPEAR IN THE MUD OF PASCHENDALE NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN • TODAY FARMERS IN THIS AREA UNEARTH REMAINS OF SOLDIERS ALL THE TIME AS FROST OF 85 YEARS MOVES THE LOST MEN BACK TO THE SURFACE

28. INSPECTORS OF THE BRITISH ARMY WERE AMAZED AT CONDITIONS. • REMEMBER HAIG NEVER WENT CLOSE TO FRONT LINE • CURRIE GIVEN CREDIT FOR VICTORY, BUT HE DID NOT WANT IT. HE OPENLY STATED THE BATTLE NOT WORTH THE COST IN LIVES AND HE WAS RIGHT • ALSO AFTER THE BATTLE THE FIFTH DIVISION WAS BROKEN UP WHILE IN ENGLAND UNDER THE COMMAND OF GARNET HUGHES AND SENT TO THE OTHER FOUR DIVS AS REPLACEMENTS • THUS GARNET AGAIN LEFT WITHOUT A COMMAND • EVERY SOLIDER WHO FOUGHT IN PASSCHENDAELE HAD TO PASS THROUGH A GATE IN MENIN BELGIUM. TODAY THE GATE HAS 55,00 NAMES OF THE BRITISH SOLDIERS KNOWN BUT TO GOD FROM THE YPRES SALIENT 1914-1918 INSCRIBED ON IT

30. OF THESE ALMOST 7,000 ARE CANADIAN SOLDIERS LOST IN THE YPRES SALIENT FROM 1915-1918 • EACH DAY IN MENIN ALL TRAFFIC IS STOPPED AT DUSK, AND A BUGLER PLAYS THE LAST POST. • THIS IS DONE WHILE TOWNSPEOPLE GATHER AND LAY FLOWERS IN MEMORY OF THE MEN WHO DIED UNKNOWN FOR THEIR LIBERATION

31. LAST POST CEREMONY

32. LUDENDORFF OFFENSIVE • 1917 BAD YEAR FOR GERMANY IN WEST, BUT NOT IN EAST • IN THE EASTERN FRONT OF 1917 THE GERMANS HAD ACHIEVED VICTORY • LENIN AND THE SOVIETS SIGN TREATY OF BREST-LITOVSK • THIS ALLOWED THE FULL CONCENTRATION OF THE GERMAN ARMY TO BE MOVED TO THE WEST • LUDENDORFF WANTED TO ATTACK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE THE AMERICANS ARRIVED IN FORCE (APRIL 1917, BUT NOT FULLY DEPLOYED YET) • AT THE SPRING OF 1918 THE GERMANS HAD 178 DIVISIONS ON THE WESTERN FRONT, AND ENJOYED A NUMERICAL SUPERIORITY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE WAR • THE TIME HAD COME TO LAUNCH NEW ATTACKS

33. OFFENSIVE CALLED FOR INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES, THE STORM TROOPER • HERE ELITE LIGHTLY WEIGHED DOWN TROOPS WOULD SMASH THROUGH THE ENEMY POSITIONS MAKING A BREACH FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE INFANTRY TO FOLLOW. • LUDENDORFF’S PLAN WAS TO BRING MOBILITY BACK TO THE BATTLEFIELD BY BYPASSING THE BRITISH AND FRENCH TRENCHES INSTEAD ATTACKING THEIR AREAS OF STRONG POINTS AND LEAVING POCKETS OF RESISTANCE TO BE MOPPED UP BY THOSE THAT FOLLOWED • THIS TACTIC WAS SURPRISINGLY LIKE WHAT CURRIE AND THE CORP HAD BEEN DOING SINCE 1917 AT VIMY • THE GERMANS PICKED TWO AREAS TO ATTACK. IN THE SOUTH THEY ATTACKED THE FRENCH, AND IN THE NORTH THEY ATTACKED THE BRITISH • IN THE MIDDLE, THEY DID NOT ATTACK, THIS IS WHERE THE CANADIAN CORPS WAS • WHETHER IT WAS PURPOSELY BYPASSED BECAUSE THEY WERE CANADIAN, OR BECAUSE THE GERMANS FELT THEY WOULD RATHER ATTACK OVER EASIER TERRAIN IS OPEN TO INTERPRETATION • REGARDLESS, AS THE GERMAN ONSLAUGHT PUSHED WEST THE CANADIAN CORPS WAS LEFT HOLDING A HUGE BULGE SURROUNDED BY ALL SIDES

35. CURRIE EXPECTED ATTACK SO WROTE INSPIRATIONAL SPEECH TO HIS MEN • IN RESPONSE HE WROTE AND DELIVERED A SPEECH TO ALL HIS MEN. IT WAS SUCH A POIGNANT SPEECH THAT FOR DECADES AFTER FRENCH STUDENTS IN FRANCE STUDYING ENGLISH HAD TO MEMORIZE IT • IT READ • TODAY, THE FATE OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE HANGS IN THE BALANCE. I PLACE MY TRUST IN THE CANADIAN CORPS, KNOWING THAT WHERE CANADIANS ARE ENGAGED THERE CAN BE NO GIVING WAY. YOU WILL ADVANCE OR FALL WHERE YOU STAND FACING THE ENEMY. TO THOSE OF YOU WHO WILL FALL I SAY YOU WILL NOT DIE, BUT STEP INTO IMMORTALITY. YOUR MOTHERS WILL NOT LAMENT YOUR FATE BUT WILL BE PROUD TO HAVE BORN SUCH SONS. YOUR NAMES WILL BE REVERED FOREVER AND EVER BY YOUR GRATEFUL COUNTRY AND GOD WILL TAKE YOU UNTO HIMSELF. I TRUST YOU TO FIGHT AS YOU HAVE EVER FOUGHT WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, WITH ALL YOU TRANQUIL COURAGE, WITH ALL YOUR DETERMINATION. ON MANY A HARD FOUGHT FIELD OF BATTLE YOU HAVE OVERCOME THE ENEMY. WITH GOD’S HELP YOU SHALL ACHIEVE VICTORY ONCE MORE. • DESPITE THE BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE, THE ATTACK FOR WHICH IT WAS WRITTEN NEVER CAME

36. THE GERMANS NEVER ATTACKED THE CORPS, THEY WERE CONTENT TO LET IT SIT IN THE MIDDLE OF A HUGE BULGE • AS THE SITUATION NORTH BECOMES CRITICAL FOR HAIG HE CALLS ON THE CANADIAN CORPS FOR HELP • CDN CORPS FRESH, NOT YET ENGAGED • HAIG WANTED TO BREAK UP TO REINFORCE IN FOUR SECTORS • CURRIE ADAMANT THAT THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN • GOES TO THE CANADIAN WAR OFFICE IN LONDON, APPEALS TO JULIEN BYNG FOR HELP • IN END THE OFFENSIVE OF THE GERMANS PETERS OUT ON THE MARNE • THIS IS THE SECOND MIRACLE OF THE MARNE, AS AGAIN THE GERMANS WERE WITHIN SIGHT OF PARIS BUT FALL SHORT • THIS TIME LONG SUPPLY LINES AND TIRED SOLDIERS WERE THE REASON WHY • GERMANS REALIZE THEIR NEWLY WON GROUND MUST BE DEFENDED QUICKLY BECAUSE COUNTER ATTACK LIKELY

38. HAIG PLANS TO USE THE CANADIANS FRESH AS THEY ARE TO SPEARHEAD THE COUNTER THRUST • TRICKS GERMANS INTO THINKING CANADIANS IN YPRES • THUS THE GERMANS THINK THE COUNTER OFFENSIVE WILL BE IN YPRES SALIENT AND PLAN ACCORDINGLY • ONCE THE CANADIAN POSITION IN YPRES WELL KNOWN TO THE GERMANS, THE CANADIANS ARE ORDERED TO TAKE OFF ALL INSIGNIA AND MARCH SOUTH • THEY ARRIVE IN AMIENS SECTOR, • FRENCH DELIGHTED TO SEE US WHEN THEY DISCOVER WHO WE ARE • OUR IDENTITY WAS GIVEN AWAY BY THE VAN DOOS • NOW THE CANADIAN CORPS PREPARED FOR THE 1918 COUNTER OFFENSIVE

39. AMIENS • AMIENS JUST CAPTURED BY GERMANS, NOT FULLY DEFENDED IN DEPTH, BUT VICTORY HERE RESOUNDING NONE THE LESS • CURRIE DECIDES TO FORGO THE TRADITIONAL PRE BOMBARDMENT AND UTILIZE ONLY A CREEPING BARRAGE, THUS THE GERMANS ARE CAUGHT UNAWARES WHEN THE ATTACK OCCURS • ALSO, OVER 400 BRITISH TANKS ARE USED, AND THE GERMANS FLEE FROM THE THEM • ON AUGUST 8TH THE CANADIAN CORPS ADVANCES EIGHT MILES • REMEMBER UP TO THIS POINT OBJECTIVES FOR ENTIRE OFFENSIVES WERE MEASURED IN HUNDREDS OF YARDS, THIS WAS EIGHT MILES • BRITISH HQ STAFF ARRIVE TO VERIFY THE SUCCESS. THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. • THEY STATE TO CURRIE THAT THE ATTACK HAS PROGRESSED FASTER THAT ANYONE COULD HAVE IMAGINED AND ASK HIS OPINION AS TO WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN NOW • CURRIE RESPONDS WITH THE GOING SEEMS GOOD, LET’S GO ON

40. AUGUST 9TH THE CANADIANS ADVANCE ANOTHER 7 MILES • DURING THE ATTACK ON AMIENS 4 GERMAN DIVISIONS WERE WIPED FROM THE BATTLE ORDER, AND 17 OTHERS HAD TO BE PULLED FROM LINE FOR REORGANIZATION • THE ATTACK HAD ALSO BEEN A SURPRISE TO THE GERMANS WHO THOUGHT THE CANADIANS WERE STILL IN FLANDERS • A GERMAN GENERAL WHEN SURRENDERING TO THE CANADIAN CORPS SAID THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO HANG HIS OWN INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS • GENERAL LUDENDORFF WHEN HEARING OF THE NEWS CALLS AUGUST 8TH THE BLACK DAY OF THE GERMAN ARMY • LUDENDORFF’S BROTHER IN LAW WAS THE GERMAN GENERAL DEFEATED AT AMIENS AND WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THE DEFEAT BY LUDENDORFF HE REPLIED THAT THEY COULD NOT STOP THE ONSLAUGHT AS THEY WERE UP AGAINST THE CREAM OF THE FRENCH ARMY, AND THE CELEBRATED CANADIAN CORPS • THOUSANDS OF GERMANS SURRENDER. ENTIRE PLATOONS OF STARVING MEN SURRENDER TO SINGLE SOLDIERS

41. ONE STARTLED GERMAN OFFICER REPEATEDLY TOLD HIS CAPTORS THEY COULD NOT BE CANADIAN SINCE THE GERMAN ARMY WAS FULLY AWARE THE CANADIANS WERE IN BELGIUM • AFTER THIS ATTACK THE KAISER BEGINS PEACE NEGOTIATIONS • EVENTUALLY THE GERMANS ARE PUSHED ALL THE WAY BACK TO THEIR DEFENSIVE LINES OF 1917 BEFORE THEIR SPRING OFFENSIVE • HERE THE DEFENCES WERE MUCH STRONGER, SO THE OFFENSIVE OF AMIENS GROUND TO A HALT • WEATHER ALSO BECAME A LIMITING ISSUE • THE CANADIANS WERE PULLED FROM THE SECTOR TO SPEARHEAD ANOTHER OFFENSIVE FURTHER NORTH

43. AFTER AMIENS CDN CORP PULLED NORTH TO BEGIN NEW OFFENSIVE • THIS TO BE THE ATTACK ON THE DROCOURT SWITCH • THE SWITCH WAS THE DEFENSIVE LINE LINKING HINDENBURG LINE OF 1914 TO THE NEW LINE AFTER FALL OF VIMY • WAS INCREDIBLY DEEP AND STRONG, CONSIDERED IMPREGNABLE • THAT’S WHY CDNS GET THE JOB

46. DROCOURT SHORTENED GERMAN LINES ALLOWED DEPTH • IF SWITCH FELL HAIG KNEW ENTIRE GERMAN ARMY OUTLFANKED • THE CANADIANS WERE GIVEN THE TASK OF TAKING THE SWITCH • FOCH VISITS THE CDNS BEFORE ATTACK PRAISES THEM • FOCH WANTED TO TAKE THE SWITCH THAT WINTER AND LAUNCH FINAL OFFENSIVE TO END WAR IN SPRING 1919 • HAIG’S JOB ON THE LINE. IF WAR CONTINUED INTO 1919 HE WAS TO BE REPLACED BY CURRIE

47. HAIG ONLY STILL AROUND BECAUSE OF CONNECTIONS • HAIG’S JOB NOW IN CURRIE’S HANDS • IF CURRIE SUCCESSFUL HE SAVES HAIG, CANCELS HIS PROMOTION • THE SWITCH HAD FIVE DEFENSIVE LINES • EACH LINE 1.5 KM DEEP (60M OF BARBED WIRE) INTERLOCKING TRENCHES AND PILLBOXES.. • CURRIE AGAIN USES NEW TACTICS. • HE LAUNCHES ATTACK WITH CREEPING BARRAGE AT 3 AM TO ACHIEVE SURPRISE • INSTEAD OF A DECIDED UPON LINE OF ATTACK CURRIE DECIDES TO LET THE BATTLE DICTATE WHERE HE WILL ATTACK

48. CDN CORPS WOULD ATTACK IN THRUST, WHEN GERMANS COMMITTED RESERVES, OTHER TWO DIVS WOULD ALTER DIRECTION OF THRUST • THIS WOULD PREVENT THE GERMANS FROM CONCENTRATING FIRE IN ANY ONE AREA • THE ATTACK STARTS WELL, DESPITE HEAVY CASUALTIES TACTICS CONFUSE GERMANS • TACTICS PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUCCESS BUT SO TOO IS THE ESPRIT DE CORPS, SOMETHING THE GERMANS NOW LACKING • THIS IS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE VAN DOOS • IN THEIR ATTACK THEY WERE BOGGED DOWN IN CRATER HOLE • THEIR SURVIVING OFFICERS GATHERED AND LED THE CHARGE FOR THEIR MEN SHOWING BRAVERY AND INSPIRING THE MEN

49. OFFICERS LED THE CHARGE, FRENCH SLOGANS, GLORY OF CANADA ETC • THIS INSPIRED THE MEN TO TAKE UP THE CHARGE AND TAKE THE POSITION • ONE OF THE OFFICERS WAS GEORGES VANIER FUTURE GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA. • HE LOST HIS LEG HERE • GERMAN ATTITUDE BEST SEEN HERE “WE GERMANS DO NOT LIKE YOU CANADIANS. WE FIND YOU VERY DESPERATE MEN” • IN THE END, THE SWITCH FELL TO THE CORPS NOT OVER MONTHS, BUT IN FOUR DAYS. GERMAN ARMY OUTLFANKED • AFTER THE BATTLE, LUDENDORFF VISITS THE KAISER AND GIVES HIM THE NEWS. • LUDENDORFF TELLS KAISER WILHELM TO SUE FOR PEACE.

50. WILHELM RESPONDS WITH NOW WE HAVE LOST THE WAR. POOR FATHERLAND. GOES TO BE FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. • AFTER DROCOURT THE CDN CORPS WAS SUPPOSED TO REMOVED FOR REST • NOW HOWEVER FOCH ALTERS PLAN, WHY WAIT UNTIL SPRING TO FINISH THE WAR, DO IT NOW • THE ONLY NUT LEFT TO CRACK IN THE GERMAN DEFENSIVES BEFORE AND OPEN MARCH TOWARD GERMANY HERSELF WAS THE CANAL DU NORD