August 9, 2018

Canada and the Hundred Days

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the Hundred Days Offensive, the last hundred days before the Armistice that ended the war on November 11, 1918.

On August 8, 1918 the Canadian Corps under the command of Canadian Sir. Arthur Currie launched a major surprise offensive with our Allies in Amiens in northern France.

The reputation the Canadian Corps earned as “shock troops” at Vimy and Passchendaele was confirmed at Amiens with the Canadian and Allied armies going forward 13 kilometres on the first day and gaining an additional 10 kilometres before the attack came to a halt. Though a spectacular victory by the standards of the First World War the battle took a heavy toll on the Canadian Corps with 11,822 soldiers killed, wounded or taken prisoner.

Over the next hundred days, Canadian and Allied armies continued the initial success at Amiens and pushed the German lines back into Belgium and forced the Germans to surrender.

As we mark the 100th anniversary of the last hundred days of the First World War let us remember the determination, valour and sacrifice of those who served Canada and continue to serve Canada.

Lest we forget.

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/first-world-war/last-hundred-days/100-anniversary

 

 




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