Canadian HistorySCO 2.3 (3.4,3.5, 3.10)

Canadians in Europe

Cdns. Fought in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF)

Initially under the command of the British (Alderson, Byng)

By 1917, they impressed so much as “shock troops” that the were given their own command under Lieutenant-General Arthur Currie

Known for the “Creeping Barrage”

Ypres

Ypres was a city in Belgium that saw multiple battles throughout the war

It is known for the Ypres Salient (a bulge in the line controlled by the Allies)

Troops were sent to Ypres and would leave through Menin Gate to go to the front lines

In the Spring of 1915, Cdn’s faced the first gas attack and 6000 lost their lives before reinforcements arrived.

They managed to stop the Germans from breaking through and reaching the English Channel ports

John McCrae’s famous Flanders Field was written at a field hospital close by

Menin Gate and Tyne Cot

The Menin Gate memorial bears the names of 54,389 officers and men from United Kingdom and Commonwealth Forces (except New Zealand and Newfoundland) who fell in the Ypres Salient before 16th August 1917 and who have no known grave.

Since WWI (except while occupied by Nazis) every evening at 8PM they have a memorial ceremony

Tyne Cot is the largest Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, 35,000 buried there. Many graves are marked as Unknown Soldiers

The Somme

The Battle of the Somme started on July 1st., 1916 and lasted 151 days Prior to this the allies had heavily bombarded the German line and

expected to easily overtake the German trenches The Newfoundland regiment was slaughtered, over 90% casualty rate In 1916, the Canadian Corps was moved south to the Somme in France The Cdn’s suffered 24000 casualties Effects:

They developed a reputation as shock troops Relieved pressure off the French at Verdun Showed the failure of military strategy Longer term effects on Newfoundland??

Vimy Ridge, April 1917

The Battle

The Vimy Monument

What advantage does high ground provide an army? How tactics were important for the success of Canada in this

battle? Why was this such a significant event in Canadian History?

Passchendaele, 3rd Battle of Ypres

Oct. 30th, 1917 Cdn’s ordered to attack at Passchendaele

General Currie felt it was too muddy, but was overruled

Only 4000 of 20000 survived

Cambrai

Meanwhile the Newfoundland Regiment fought bravely to defend Masnières as part of the 1st Battle of Cambrai

Given the honour of the title “Royal” More on the Newfoundland regiment Drafts of men began to return home in the spring of 1919

and the Royal Newfoundland Regiment disbanded on August 26, 1919.

Canada’s 100 Days

The final days of the war was brutal for the Cdn. Corps as they suffered 46000 casualties

Key battles included: Amiens, Arras, Canal du Nord, and Cambrai

George price was the last killed by a sniper 5 mins before the armistice was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

619 636 served… 66 655 died

Timeline

See handout.

This assignment should be passed in directly to teacher for grading

Not to be placed in portfolio until afterward

At Sea Battleships were not a factor, only one battle at Jutland

Germany concentrated on U-Boals from then on

Britain instituted a Naval blockade of the North Sea

German U-Boats harassed merchant ships supplying the western front (see fig 3.3.h)

Unrestricted Submarine warfare: Sinking of the Lusitania was a factor which brought America into the war

The British developed a convoy system to protect these vessels

The Cdn. Navy grew immensely during the war

Only 2 ships in and 350 personnel in 1914

112 vessels and 5000 officers and 100 anti-sub boats (sonar and depth charges)

In the Air

Initially, planes used to scout enemy placement and troop movements (Reconaissance)

Eventually, machine guns mounted on planes

The Red Baron (Manfred von Richtofen – 80 kills) was shot down by Cdn. Capt. Roy Brown

Billy Bishop was awarded the Victoria Cross for shooting down 72 enemy planes

The Germans developed the single wing Fokker with syncopated machine gun

The British developed the Sopwith Camel

Zeppelins were used for longer range recon and bombing missions

Women and the War

Served as: nurses, ambulance drivers, worked in clubs and canteens for soldiers on leave, and as personnel in army offices

Replaced men in factories (labour unions fought this) and on farms

IODE and Women’s Institutes fundraised, knit sock and sent care pkgs.

Filled father-role… sometimes permanently

Conscription and Suffrage (p. 92-94)

Women started to rally for equal rights

They argued for the right to vote (suffrage or enfranchisement)

Robert Borden was under pressure to introduce conscription

So he enacted the Wartime Elections Act: granted the right to vote to the mothers, daughters and wives of soldiers

He calculated that they would support him on conscription

1918 the Federal Women’s Franchise Act gives all women over 21 the vote

1920 the Dominion Elections Act allows women to run for Parliament

See fig’s 3.8.d & 3.8.e

First Nations Soldiers in WW1