The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps against three divisions of the German Sixth Army. The battle was part of the opening phase of the Battle of Arras, part Nivelle Offensive and took place from 9–12 April 1917. The objective of the Canadian Corps was to take control of the German-held high ground, along an escarpment at the northernmost end of the Arras Offensive. This would ensure that the southern flank could advance without suffering German enfilade fire.
This listing covers Allied Powers and Central Powers formations and units involved in the battle. Although the Canadian side is well studied, historians have had trouble determining the exact dispositions of the German forces and even more trouble assessing the casualties it suffered in the battle. The Canadian Corps suffered 10,602 casualties; 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.Moran p. 139 The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties with an approximate 4,000 men becoming prisoners of war.Gibbs, Philip. All of Vimy Ridge Cleared of Germans New York Times 11 April 1917
The significance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge is most strongly felt in Canada. Elsewhere the battle is principally noted as part of the much larger British offensive known as the Battles of Arras 1917.Inglis p. 1 The historical reality of the battle has been reworked and reinterpreted, in a conscious attempt to give purpose and meaning to an event which came to symbolize Canada's coming of age as a nation.Pierce p. 5 The idea that Canada achieved nationhood as a direct result of the experiences of the First World War, is an opinion widely held in military histories of Canada and also regularly appears in general histories.Inglis p. 2 A portion of the former battleground is preserved memorial park and site of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.Treaty E102661
Allied Powers forces Canadian Corps commander Lieutenant-General Sir Julian Byng had four attacking divisions, one division of reserves and numerous support units under his command. He was supported to the north by the 24th Division of I Corps which advanced north of the Souchez river and by the advancing XVII Corps to the south.Turner p. 39 The 4th Canadian Division was responsible for the northern portion of the advance which included the capture of the highest point of the ridge followed by the heavily defended knoll known as "the Pimple" just north of the town of Givenchy-en-Gohelle. The 3rd Canadian Division was responsible for the narrow central section of the ridge, including the capture of La Folie Farm. The 2nd Canadian Division, which later included an additional brigade from the 5th Division was directly south of 3rd Canadian Division and entrusted with the capture of the town of Thélus. The 1st Canadian Division was responsible for the broad southern sector of the corps advance and was expected to make the greatest advance in terms distance. Byng also planned for a healthy reserve for contingencies in case additional troops were needed to relieve forward troops, help in consolidating positions or aiding the 4th Canadian Division with the capture of "the Pimple". As a result, the 9th Canadian Brigade, 15th Brigade and 95th Brigade were kept in corps reserve.
Canadian Corps Canadian Corps(Lieutenant-General Sir Julian Byng)Corps level troops Commander Formation Unit Notes Lieutenant-Colonel E. I. Leonard(Cavalry) Canadian Light Horse Brigadier-General Edward Morrison(General Officer Commanding Royal Artillery, Canadian Corps)Brigadier-General Roger Henry Massie(General Officer Commanding Corps Heavy Artillery) 1st Canadian Heavy Artillery Group, Canadian Garrison Artillery 3rd Canadian Siege Battery 5th Canadian Siege Battery 11th Siege Battery RGA 163rd Siege Battery RGA 164th Siege Battery RGA Support 4th Canadian Division 2nd Canadian Heavy Artillery Group, Canadian Garrison Artillery 1st Canadian Heavy Battery 2nd Canadian Heavy Battery 152nd Heavy Battery RGA 2nd Canadian Siege Battery 12th Siege Battery RGA Counter-Battery Group #3 18th Heavy Artillery Group 1st Canadian Siege Battery 6th Canadian Siege Battery 147th Siege Battery RGA 180th Siege Battery RGA 182nd Siege Battery RGA Support 1st Canadian Division 30th Heavy Artillery Group 4th Canadian Siege Battery 6th Canadian Siege Battery 228th Siege Battery RGA 270th Siege Battery RGA 72nd Siege Battery RGA 181st Siege Battery RGA Support 4th Canadian Division 44th Heavy Artillery Group 7th Canadian Siege Battery 161st Siege Battery RGA 120th Siege Battery RGA 41st Siege Battery RGA 114th Siege Battery RGA Support 1st Canadian Division 9th Canadian Siege Battery E (Canadian) Anti-Aircraft Battery Brigadier-General William Lindsay(Chief Engineer, Canadian Corps) Corps Survey Section 1st Tramway Company 2nd Tramway Company 1st Canadian Army Troops Company 2nd Canadian Army Troops Company 3rd Canadian Army Troops Company 4th Canadian Army Troops Company 1st Entrenching Battalion 2nd Entrenching Battalion 3rd Entrenching Battalion 4th Entrenching Battalion Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Company Colonel Raymond Brutinel(Machine guns) 1st Canadian Motor Machine-Gun Brigade Eaton Battery Borden Battery Yukon BatteryBritish First Army troops attached to Canadian Corps Major General H. F. Mercer (Heavy Artillery)13th Heavy Artillery Group 47th Siege Battery RGA 49th Siege Battery RGA 101st Siege Battery RGA 76th Siege Battery RGA 27th Siege Battery RGA Support 3rd Canadian Division50th Heavy Artillery Group 1/1st Essex Heavy Battery RGA 145th Heavy Battery RGA 58th Siege Battery RGA 68th Siege Battery RGA 69th Siege Battery RGA 95th Siege Battery RGA Counter-Battery Group #153rd Heavy Artillery Group 206th Siege Battery RGA 108th Siege Battery RGA 148th Siege Battery RGA 276th Siege Battery RGA Support 3rd Canadian Division64th Heavy Artillery Group 121st Siege Battery RGA 126th Siege Battery RGA 258th Siege Battery RGA 232nd Siege Battery RGA 73rd Siege Battery RGA Support 2nd Canadian Division70th Heavy Artillery Group 3rd Siege Battery RGA 14th Siege Battery RGA 162nd Siege Battery RGA 144th Siege Battery RGA Support 2nd Canadian Division76th Heavy Artillery Group 218th Siege Battery RGA 31st Heavy Battery RGA 128th Heavy Battery RGA 129th Heavy Battery RGA 142nd Heavy Battery RGA 50th Heavy Battery RGA Counter-Battery Group 326th Heavy Artillery Group 1st Howitzer, Royal Marine Artillery 11th Howitzer, Royal Marine Artillery 12th Howitzer, Royal Marine Artillery 44th Siege Battery RGA 52nd Siege Battery RGA 89th Siege Battery RGARoyal Engineers No. 1 Pontoon Park, Royal Engineers 20th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers 215th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers 172nd Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers 176th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers 182nd Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers 185th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers 255th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers 348th Field Company, Royal Engineers 324th Quarry Company, Royal Engineers 20th Light Railway Train Crews Company, Royal EngineersRoyal Flying Corps No. 16 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps No. 1 Balloon Company, Royal Flying Corps No. 2 Balloon Company, Royal Flying Corps 1st Canadian Division(Major-General Arthur Currie) Commander Formation Unit Notes (Divisional Troops) 13th Canadian Machine-Gun CompanyBrigadier-General Herbert Thacker(1st Canadian Divisional Artillery)1st Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery 1st Field Battery 3rd Field Battery 4th Field Battery 2nd Howitzer Battery 2nd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery 5th Field Battery 6th Field Battery 7th Field Battery 48th Howitzer Battery 3rd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery 10th Field Battery 11th Field Battery 12th Field Battery 9th Howitzer Battery 1st Division Trench Mortar Group V Canadian Heavy Trench Mortar Battery X Canadian Trench Mortar Battery Y Canadian Trench Mortar Battery Z Canadian Trench Mortar Battery 1st Division Ammunition Column 1st Division Train Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Macphail 1st Canadian Divisional Engineers 1st Field Company 2nd Field Company 3rd Field Company 107th Canadian Pioneer Battalion 1st Canadian Divisional Signal Company Colonel F. S. C. Ford Assistant Medical Director, 1st Division 1st Field Ambulance 2nd Field Ambulance 3rd Field Ambulance 1st Canadian Sanitary Section 1st Canadian Mobile Veterinarian Section Brigadier-General William Griesbach 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade 1st (Western Ontario) Battalion 2nd (Eastern Ontario) Battalion 3rd (Toronto regiment) Battalion 4th (Central Ontario) Battalion 1st Light Trench Mortar Battery 1st Canadian Machine-Gun Company Brigadier-General Frederick Loomis 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade 5th (Western Cavalry) Battalion 7th (British Columbia) Battalion 8th (Winnipeg Rifles) Battalion 10th (Canadians) Battalion 2nd Light Trench Mortar Battery 2nd Canadian Machine-Gun Company Brigadier-General George Tuxford 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade 13th (Royal Highlanders of Canada) Battalion 14th (Royal Montreal Regiment) Battalion 15th (48th Highlanders of Canada) Battalion 16th (The Canadian Scottish) Battalion 3rd Light Trench Mortar Battery 3rd Canadian Machine-Gun CompanyTroops attached to 1st Canadian DivisionN/A(31st Divisional Artillery)165th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery A Field Battery B Field Battery C Field Battery D Howitzer Battery170th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery A Field Battery B Field Battery C Field Battery D Howitzer Battery 31st Divisional Ammunition Column72nd (Army) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery A Field Battery B Field Battery C Field Battery D Howitzer Battery26th (Army) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery A Field Battery 116th Field Battery 117th Field Battery5th (Army) Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery G Field Battery N Field Battery O Field Battery Z Field Battery No.2 Special Company, Royal Engineers
2nd Canadian Division(Major-General Henry Burstall) Commander Formation Unit Notes (Divisional Troops) 14th Canadian Machine-Gun Company 12 Company, D Battalion, Heavy Machine-Gun Corpsincludes 8 x Mk II TanksBrigadier-General Henri Panet(2nd Canadian Divisional Artillery)4th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery5th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery 17th Field Battery 18th Field Battery 20th Field Battery 23rd Howitzer Battery 6th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery 15th Field Battery 16th Field Battery 25th Field Battery 22nd Howitzer Battery 2nd Division Trench Mortar Group V Canadian Heavy Trench Mortar Battery X Canadian Trench Mortar Battery Y Canadian Trench Mortar Battery Z Canadian Trench Mortar Battery 2nd Division Ammunition Column 2nd Division Train Lieutenant-Colonel S. H. Osler 2nd Canadian Divisional Engineers 4th Field Company 5th Field Company 6th Field Company 2nd Canadian Divisional Signal Company 2nd Canadian Pioneer Battalion Colonel H. M. Jacques Assistant Medical Director, 2nd Division No. 2 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station 4th Field Ambulance 5th Field Ambulance 6th Field Ambulance 2nd Canadian Sanitary Section 2nd Canadian Mobile Veterinarian Section Brigadier-General Robert Rennie 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade 18th (Western Ontario) Battalion 19th (Central Ontario) Battalion 20th (Central Ontario) Battalion 21st (Eastern Ontario) Battalion 4th Light Trench Mortar Battery 4th Canadian Machine-Gun Company Brigadier-General Archibald Macdonell 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade 22nd (Canadien Francais) Battalion 24th (Victoria Rifles of Canada) Battalion 25th (Nova Scotia Rifles) Battalion 26th (New Brunswick) Battalion 5th Light Trench Mortar Battery 5th Canadian Machine-Gun Company Brigadier-General Huntly Ketchen 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade 27th (City of Winnipeg) Battalion 28th (Northwest) Battalion 29th (Vancouver) Battalion