livinghistory
Café , sharing space with the Disabled Ex-Servicemen ’ s Association . The Hall was a place for veterans to meet . Veterans got together at the annual Vimy Ridge Supper , held each year in April , usually at the Legion .
In 1936 , over 6,000 Canadian veterans and their families made a pilgrimage to Vimy to attend the unveiling by King Edward VIII of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial on July 26 . They were joined by thousands of people in France , and the event reminded Canadians of the importance of the battle , refocusing Vimy as part of Canada ’ s national identity as a strong , independent nation . The land for the monument was donated to Canada by the French government , and the monument was designed by Toronto architect Walter S . Allward . Part of the memorial reads : “ To the valor of their country-men in the Great War and in memory of their 60,000 dead this monument is raised by the people of Canada .”
Residents of Lethbridge and Southern Alberta also made the pilgrimage , and the April 30 , 1936 Lethbridge Herald noted that 20 people from Lethbridge were going to France . In the days of trains and ships , the trip took a considerable amount of time , and most people planned to be gone for months , leaving in July and returning in September . Special arrangements were made for a tourist train car to take those from our area to join up with a larger train heading east .
T . E . Morris kept a diary of the pilgrimage and shared his trip in the September 2 , 1936 issue of the Lethbridge Herald . “ I cannot describe the Vimy memorial itself . It is an outstanding piece of sculpture , different from any in France that I saw , and is most worthy of Canada . The tall white pylons rising to great heights are inspiring … The French government ’ s reception was a royal one . Nothing was spared to make Canadians feel at home and to entertain them during five unforgettable days . Paris was the key city , the pilgrims being billeted in the city hotels . England ’ s welcome was also appreciated . Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin addressed the assembled pilgrims in the historic Westminster Hall and the Canadians then proceeded to the cenotaph to honor the Unknown Soldier . Later they were guests at a delightful garden party at Buckingham Palace with His Majesty making a surprise appearance , the Canadians greeting him with ‘ For He ’ s a Jolly Good Fellow .’”
Morris mentioned that there was also a special honour for the 39th Lethbridge Battery during the ceremony . A veteran of the 39th Battery , who in 1936 was with the RCMP stationed in Coronation , was on duty at the Vimy monument and was the person who handed King Edward the cord which “ released the flag draped over the figure of the sorrowing mother .”
Over 80 years have passed since the monument was unveiled , and we continue to discuss and think about Vimy .
Lethbridge student , Liam Wallace , plays bagpipes at the Vimy monument , 2014 .
This makes sense as it is a complicated story , composed of so many : the stories of the individuals who fought , how they are remembered , what we think of our country , what we think of war , and how the world has and hasn ’ t changed are all interwoven into Vimy and its legacy . Pilgrimages to Vimy continue and many are being made by Canadian youth . David Fletcher , a teacher at LCI , has taken a few student groups to the battle site , and notes that he feels both sorrow and pride each time he goes . He also notes that the place and the trips have had a profound effect on himself and his students : “ The most recent trip we took to Vimy was in 2014 , when we created a parallel trip for both Chinook [ High School ] and LCI students . Honestly , I don ’ t know if a Vimy experience will ever top this one . We had the whole site to ourselves , and one of our students , Liam Wallace , breaks out his bagpipes . As we stood on the grounds below , Liam stood next to the statue of Mother Canada – overlooking the tomb of the Unknown Soldier – and the melancholy sound of his pipes bounced off of the valley below and reverberated over the landscape beyond . It was incredible .”
So , take some time on this 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge , to reflect on Vimy and what it means to Canada and to yourself .
Photo courtesy of David Fletcher and Rod Scott .
LETHBRIDGELIVING . COM MAR-APR 2017 39