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Legacy

Canada

Nivelle

Julian Byng

Pre-Attack

The Battle

VC Winners

The Ridge Today

Notes

Bibliography

Preliminary Attack and Objectives of Battle

The objectives of the Battle of Vimy Ridge were distributed among the 4 divisions in the Corps. The southern sector of the Ridge was assigned to Arthur Currie’s 1st Division. Burstall’s 2nd Division would hit their objective just north at the village of Thelus. The 3rd Division under Lipsett was assigned the central area, including La Folie Farm. Lastly, Watson’s 4th Division was assigned Hill 145, the highest part of the ridge. The 4th Division was also responsible for capturing “The Pimple”, to the north of Vimy Ridge.

The preliminary attacks before the actual battle were unprecedented and very effective. The preliminary bombardment was to last twenty days, beginning at ‘Z minus 20” (March 20). This was done to confuse and wear down the Germans. There would be three weeks of bombing and no attack. This would disorient the Germans, so the actual time of the attack would come as a relative surprise to them (24). This bombardment was called “the symphony of hell” by the Germans. The shelling went on twenty-four hours per day and the Germans could not sleep or concentrate.

There were five phases of the preliminary bombardment:
1) The period leading up to Z minus 20 - the stockpiling of guns and ammunition
2) First fortnight of the barrage – Byng only used about half of his available artillery, conserving a lot of ammunition.
3) Final week of the barrage
4) Direct support to the assaulting troops (creeping barrage)
5) Contingencies to consolidate and exploit any gains”

There were four main priorities for the bombardment:
1) Counter-battery fire – Lt. Col. Andrew McNaughton was in charge of counter-battery. The Canadians utilized two revolutionary scientific techniques called flash-spotting and sound-ranging to locate enemy artillery.
2) Destruction of fighting positions
3) Destruction of wire
4) Interdiction of re-supply and repair parties (25)

The heavy guns concentrated on rear positions, destroying both German artillery and supply routes (26). Mortars and medium guns destroyed the barbed wire and the German trenches (27). The new No. 106 fuse was effective in tearing the barbed wire to shreds and creating large gaps that the soldiers could get through. This would lessen the casualties immensely.

There were many other logistical aspects of the preliminary attack that helped to ensure the success of the Canadians. The commanders had engaged in incredibly detailed planning. Maps of the area were distributed to the soldiers and commanders so that they could accurately rehearse the attacks. Byng wanted all of his men to be aware of each step of the plan to try and avoid the disaster that occurred at the Somme when officers were killed and lower ranking men had no idea what to do. He constantly trained and questioned his men about the schedule of the battle until they all knew it by heart.

Transporting Supplies to the Front

Image Courtesy of Veterans Affairs Canada, 2005.

Raiding was a crucial method for gathering intelligence. The definition of a raid is a temporary stay in enemy lines in which one did not achieve territorial gains. The raids could give the opposing side an accurate report on the condition of trenches and wire, which showed the effectiveness of bombardments. Aerial reconnaissance was also used in the weeks leading up to the attack. The Royal Flying Corps was very aggressive so that the Germans could not figure out what the British were doing behind their lines. At Vimy, there were 16 Squadron RFC permanently attached to the Canadian Corps.

Men build the tracks that supply Byng's soldiers
Image Courtesy of Veterans Affairs Canada, 2005.

One of the most important aspects of the preparation was the building of the tunnels. Underneath Arras was a tunnel system that General Allenby made into a housing unit for 30,000 men, complete with electric lights and water, as well as a light railway. This railway brought soldiers to the attacking point unnoticed. The housing area also ensured that the Germans would not see the amassing of troops by any aerial reconnaissance (28). The Canadians dug tunnels in the ridge as well, ensuring their troops would remain unnoticed and able to burst out into No Man’s Land at the time of the attack. These tunnels were 6 feet tall and 3 _ feet wide so that most men could stand erect within them (29). The most famous is the Grange Subway, which was 750 yards long with vast chambers that ran off the sides of the main tunnel. These chambers were used as storage, dressing rooms and even kitchens (30). As a result of these hiding places, the Germans did not know the “imminence of zero hour” until the Brits had advanced far into No Man’s Land (31). They managed to ensure this secrecy despite the bombardment that was a clear indicator of a forthcoming British offensive.

Horses and Troops Amass on Vimy
Image Courtesy of Veterans Affairs Canada, 2005.