During the last week of July, there are two dates to which the Royal Canadian Legion would like to draw attention.
The first is on July 26 and is the anniversary of the unveilling of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France in 1936. The memorial is an impressive, towering sculpture designed by Canadian sculptor and architect Walter Seymour Allward.
It was erected on the highest point of Vimy Ridge which is the site of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, on land that was granted to Canada by France in 1922. The land was granted by France for the memorial and battlefield site to the people of Canada “freely and for all time.”
Inscribed on the memorial are the names of the 11,285 Canadian military personnel who were “missing and presumed dead” in France during the First World War. Almost 7,000 more are listed on another memorial as “missing and presumed dead” in Belgium.
This memorial was placed on the site of the Battle of Vimy Ridge that took place on April 9, 1917 and was a battle that helped define the Canadian identity. It was the first battle in which all troops were Canadian and all commanders were Canadian. It was a resounding victory and before the battle, it was considered by other wartime commanders to be an impregnable stronghold.
Yet the Canadian army took it in one day of unimaginable fighting, devastating loss of life, and unbelievable acts of valour and heroism. France granted the land there to Canada in honour of the success and sacrifice of the Canadian military and the Canadian Government commissioned and erected the monument to be unveiled on July 26, 1936.
It stands there today, towering 110 metres over the Douai Plain expressing the grief and sorrow for the loss of life and honouring those who made that sacrifice.
The second date of note is July 27, which is the anniversary of the Armistice of the Korean War which was signed in 1953. The Korean War started on June 25, 1950, with a massive artillery barrage from North Korea. Two days later, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution authorizing member states to provide military assistance to South Korea.
On December 18, 1950 the first Canadian troops arrived in South Korea and, in total, 26,791 Canadian military personnel served in Korea during the combat phase and as peacekeepers after the Armistice was signed. Of those Canadians who served, 516 died and more than 1,200 were wounded.
As the fighting in the Korean War swept up and down the Korean peninsula, Canadian forces distinguished themselves in a number of battles against Chinese and North Korean forces. The Battle of Kapyong, the Battle of Hill 355, the Battle of Kowang-San, and the Battle of Hill 187 are all notable for the valour and determination shown by the Canadian troops.
The armistice was finally signed on July 27, 1953, ending the fighting and establishing the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea; however no peace treaty has ever been signed between the two nations.
As you enjoy your summer, please take a moment to recognize these dates and their symbolism and the sacrifice they represent.
“Lest we forget.”
