100 years ago today

T. O'Heir · April 9, 2017, 12:04 PM

At 0530, 9 April 1917, after 5 months of preparation(every SOP in current use was invented during W.W. I by the Canadian Corps.), the barrage began to open the Battle of Vimy Ridge(called that by Canadians only). 983 guns(and 150 MGs), from trench mortars to 15" howitzers, fired 6 million rounds in 1 hour 40 minutes on a front of 4 miles by roughly 5 miles.
By approximately noon, the Canadian Corps(fighting together for the first and only time in W.W. I) with one British Brigade attached had done what neither the British nor French had been able to do in 3 years. And handed the Allies the first victory of the war.
10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded, as of 12 April. That did not count the other roughly 10,000 casualties from January to April in the run up to the assault.
Lest We Forget.
Highly recommended to read Pierre Berton's definitive book 'Vimy'. Published by McClelland & Stewart, 1986. ISBN: 0-7710-1339-6

Chris_B · April 10, 2017, 04:19 PM

True patriot love in all thy sons command.

Scorch · April 12, 2017, 02:41 PM

Short youtube video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMJ_yjchLrc

ThomasT · April 12, 2017, 03:47 PM

If you are interested in WW1 here is a very detailed program on the first war. It is about 26 hours long and worth the time to listen to. Its called Blueprint For Armeggedon and is a 6 part series. But very interesting.

http://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-series/

**4V50 Gary** · April 12, 2017, 09:16 PM

That war was one heckuva family feud.

bamaranger · April 14, 2017, 09:30 PM

O'Heir,

Thanks for that reminder of WWI. That war is quickly slipping from the awareness of most folks in this day and age.

**4V50 Gary** · April 17, 2017, 07:06 PM

Sniping was popularized by WW I which quickly slipped into obscurity after the war. When WW II started, the 1940 British sniping manual still envisioned trench warfare and dummy heads. WW I also gave us aerial combat, bombing of civilians from the air, tanks and chemical warfare.

Old ideas that were reinvented: flame throwers (Byzantine Navy had Greek Fire), periscope rifles (Union soldiers used something like that during the Civil War), trench warfare (been around since Vauban), aerial reconnaisance (been around since Napoleon) and submarines (tried in the American Revolution and successful in the Civil War).

MosinNOUGAT · April 19, 2017, 10:06 PM

worst war to be in...just lucky to be where we are today...

kilimanjaro · April 22, 2017, 08:50 PM

Get ahold of Canadian writer Pierre Berton's book, VIMY, for a good read on the battle.

dahermit · April 22, 2017, 09:12 PM

Quote:

(every SOP in current use was invented during W.W. I by the Canadian Corps.)

What is "SOP"?

**Spats McGee** · April 23, 2017, 06:45 AM

Standard Operating Procedure.

JimPage · April 23, 2017, 08:23 AM

I barely recall that war

April 9, 2017, 12:04 PM	#1
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	100 years ago today At 0530, 9 April 1917, after 5 months of preparation(every SOP in current use was invented during W.W. I by the Canadian Corps.), the barrage began to open the Battle of Vimy Ridge(called that by Canadians only). 983 guns(and 150 MGs), from trench mortars to 15" howitzers, fired 6 million rounds in 1 hour 40 minutes on a front of 4 miles by roughly 5 miles. By approximately noon, the Canadian Corps(fighting together for the first and only time in W.W. I) with one British Brigade attached had done what neither the British nor French had been able to do in 3 years. And handed the Allies the first victory of the war. 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded, as of 12 April. That did not count the other roughly 10,000 casualties from January to April in the run up to the assault. Lest We Forget. Highly recommended to read Pierre Berton's definitive book 'Vimy'. Published by McClelland & Stewart, 1986. ISBN: 0-7710-1339-6 __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

April 12, 2017, 02:41 PM	#3
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Short youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMJ_yjchLrc __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

April 12, 2017, 09:16 PM	#5
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,841	That war was one heckuva family feud. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

April 14, 2017, 09:30 PM	#6
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,312	thanks O'Heir, Thanks for that reminder of WWI. That war is quickly slipping from the awareness of most folks in this day and age.

April 17, 2017, 07:06 PM	#7
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,841	Sniping was popularized by WW I which quickly slipped into obscurity after the war. When WW II started, the 1940 British sniping manual still envisioned trench warfare and dummy heads. WW I also gave us aerial combat, bombing of civilians from the air, tanks and chemical warfare. Old ideas that were reinvented: flame throwers (Byzantine Navy had Greek Fire), periscope rifles (Union soldiers used something like that during the Civil War), trench warfare (been around since Vauban), aerial reconnaisance (been around since Napoleon) and submarines (tried in the American Revolution and successful in the Civil War). __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

April 10, 2017, 04:19 PM	#2
Chris_B Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2007 Posts: 3,101	True patriot love in all thy sons command.

April 12, 2017, 03:47 PM	#4
ThomasT Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 2,753	If you are interested in WW1 here is a very detailed program on the first war. It is about 26 hours long and worth the time to listen to. Its called Blueprint For Armeggedon and is a 6 part series. But very interesting. http://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-series/

April 19, 2017, 10:06 PM	#8
MosinNOUGAT Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2017 Location: Southwest US Posts: 148	worst war to be in...just lucky to be where we are today... __________________ O LA VITTORIA, O TUTTI ACCOPPATI!

April 22, 2017, 08:50 PM	#9
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	Get ahold of Canadian writer Pierre Berton's book, VIMY, for a good read on the battle.

April 23, 2017, 06:45 AM	#11
Spats McGee Staff Join Date: July 28, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 8,821	Standard Operating Procedure. __________________ I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.

April 23, 2017, 08:23 AM	#12
JimPage Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2010 Location: Rome, NY Posts: 941	I barely recall that war __________________ Jim Page Cogito, ergo armatum sum