LIEUTENANT GENERAL THE HONOURABLE SIR JULIAN BYNG VISCOUNT OF VIMY

2. LIEUTENANT GENERAL THE HONOURABLE SIR JULIAN BYNG VISCOUNT OF VIMY • GALLIPOLI EVACUATION, MAY 1916 CO OF 1ST CDN CORPS • ARISTOCRAT, LOVED BY MEN BYNG’S BOYS • TRAINED MEN HARD, PROMOTED CAPABLE CANADIAN OFFICERS (FIRED DOLLAR MAGNATES) • XO WAS CURRIE • BOTH PLANNED NEW TACTICS • TACTICS USED AT VIMY UNIQUE, WIN THE BATTLE. AFTER HE WAS PROMOTED TO COMMAND BR 3RD ARMY • AFTER WAR CDN GOVERNOR GENERAL • CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS WITH MACKENZIE KING

4. GENERAL SIR ARTHUR CURRIE • REAL ESTATE DEALER, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER FROM VICTORIA • NO MILITARY EXPERIENCE OTHER THAN MILITIA TRAINING (50TH HIGHLAND BATTALION FROM BC) • GARNET HUGHES CONVINCED FATHER SAM TO HAUL CURRIE OUT OF RETIREMENT IN 1914 • BRIG GEN AT ST JULIEN (2ND BATTALION) • SEPTEMBER 1915 FIRST CANADIAN DIVISION • JUNE 1917 KNIGHTED AND PROMOTED TO COMMAND THE CANADIAN CORPS • ONLY ROSE SO FAR B/C CDN • GREAT INNOVATOR TACTICIAN (MOUNT SORREL, VIMY, AND OTHERS

5. PAY THE PRICE IN SHELLS NOT MEN • ATTACK ONLY WHEN PREPARED • CLASHED WITH HUGHES OVER ROSS, GARNET • CLASHED WITH HAIG OVER PASCHENDALE, MONS, • AFTER WAR COOL RECEPTION BACK HOME • LIBEL TRIAL • CURRIE WINS, BECOMES PRINCIPAL OF MCGILL AND DIED IN 1933 CANADA’S GREATEST MILITARY HERO OF ALL TIME. UNKNOWN

6. VIMY TO THE 100 DAYS • VIMY ONLY VICTORY AT ARRAS OFFENSIVE • BRITISH TO SOUTH NO NEW PLAN, SIMILAR TO SOMME • DID NOT USE NEW TECHNOLOGY, OR TACTICS • THUS ARRAS OFFENSIVE NOT THE BREAKING POINT OF THE WAR THAT THE ALLIES HAD HOPED IT MAY BE THAT EASTER

8. B/C OF FLANK GER RETREAT ALONG WHOLE FRONT • BOTH BYNG CURRIE PROMOTED AND KNIGHTED (BYNG TO 3RD ARMY, CURRIE TO CDN CORPS) • SAM WANTS GARNET TO GET FIRST DIV • CURRIE REFUSED LEADS TO HATRED BTW TWO • SUMMER OF 1917 NEW OFF PLANNED

9. HAIG’S CALLED FOR A BREAKOUT IN FLANDERS, (THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES, OR PASCHENDALE) • OUTFLANK GERMAN POSITIONS, CUT OFF U-BOAT ENDING BLOCKADE, MARCH TO BERLIN • NEEDED TO END WAR (RUSSIAN, FRENCH MUTINY, BR ON VERGE OF STARVATION) • IN BR A PEACE AT ALL COSTS MOVEMENT • HAIG FELT GER WORSE, ONE BIG PUSH COULD WIN, BUT HASN’T CHANGED TACTICS. SAME AS SOMME • STRATEGIC REASONS SOON DISAPPEAR IN MUD

11. SLAUGHTER JUST LIKE SOMME • YPRES HIGH WATER TABLE, DRAINED MARSH • ATTACK IN RAINY SEASON, BOMBS DESTROYED DRAINAGE SYS • DURING BATTLE 4.2 MILLION SHELLS FIRED • PRE-BOMBARDMENT ALERTED GERMANS THAT ATTACK COMING, SAFE IN BUNKERS • THE TROOPS HAD TO ATTACK THROUGH MUD WAIST DEEP

12. BATTLEFIELD A QUAGMIRE, MEN DIED FOR MONTHS • HAIG WAS WARNED AGAINST THE ATTACK IN JULY • FOCH ADVISED AGAINST THE ATTACK, AS DID BRITISH GENERALS IN THE SECTOR, AND PM LLOYD GEORGE HIMSELF • HAIG CONVINCED NEEDED, AND HIS PLAN WOULD WORK TO END WAR

14. CDN CORPS NOT HERE EARLY ON, AVOID SLAUGHTER • AUG/SEPT CORPS GIVEN DIVERSIONARY TACTIC AT HILL 70 AND LENS (VIMY SECTOR) • HAIG ORDERS DIRECT FRONTAL ASSAULT, CURRIE REFUSES PLAN LIKE VIMY • STRONG POINTS THEN MOP UP • CREEPING BARRAGE, SERIES OR RAIDS, FINAL ASSAULT, HILL 70 TAKEN IN 20 MINUTES

15. COUNTER ATTACK USES MUSTARD GAS FOR FIRST TIME • DON’T TAKE LENS BUT HILL 70 MAKES LENS USELESS • MEANWHILE IN PASCHENDALE NOT GOOD • ANZACS, BR NOT DOING WELL • NOT STRATEGIC ANYMORE CAN’T OUTFLANK AND U-BOATS PROTECTED • STILL HAIG CONTINUED, THOUSANDS LOST IN MUD • BY OCTOBER, HAIG ORDERS IN CDN CORPS

17. PASCHENDALE • CURRIE GIVEN PLAN REFUSES • APPEALS TO HAIG, END THE SLAUGHTER, LET GERMANS HAVE MUD • HAIG REFUSES, CURRIE OVER HIS HEAD • THREATENED WITH INSUBORDINATION, IN END AGREES BUT SAYS WILL COST 16,000 AND WE’LL GO ONLY WHEN WE ARE READY • CDNS FIGHT AS UNIT NOT UNDER BR THERE AS INCOMPETENT • GOT TIME TO PREPARE, GOT MORE GUNS, GOT DUCKWALKS, (BR THOUGHT STUPID.) • CDN SAW MILL TO MAKE CORDUROY ROADS

18. PASCHENDALE THE ROADS THE CRATERS (IN 2.5 SQUARE KM OVER 500,000 CRATERS) TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MEN DISAPPEARED IN THIS MUD

19. THIS BATTLE WITHIN ONE MILE OF ST JULIEN • CDN ATTACK END OF OCT 1917, ALREADY 1500 CASUALTIES FROM SHELLING • ATTACK IN SMALL STRONG RAIDS • BATTLE DIVIDED INTO 4 STAGES • STAGE ONE SILENCE MG POSTS AND PILLBOXES

21. HINDENBURG ORDERED HOLD AT ALL COSTS. (PRUSSIANS) • YET BY NOVEMBER THE 12TH THE TOWN OF PASSCHENDAELE AND THE RIDGE TOO WAS SECURELY IN CANADIAN HANDS. • BR ECSTATIC, SEND OFFICER TO ENSURE (CRIES) • “WITH AN ARMY OF SUCH MEN, I COULD GO ANYWHERE!” • MID NOVEMBER CDNS RELIEVED 15,564 CASUALTIES, CURRIE NEVER KNEW THE REASON WHY • BR 500,000 MEN VS 250,000 GERMANS FOR 2.5 SQ KM OF MUD

24. BATTLE TOO LONG, CAN’T OUTFLANK • BR ABANDON THE RIDGE IN 1918 (LUDENDORFF OFFENSIVE AS NOT WORTH DEFENDING) • LOSSES IN VAIN • SEIGFRIED SASSOON A BRITISH OFFICER: • “I DIED IN HELL, THEY CALLED IT PASSCHENDAELE. MY WOUND WAS SLIGHT AND I WAS HOBBLING BACK; AND THEN A SHELL BURST SLICK UPON THE DUCKBOARDS; SO I FELL INTO THE BOTTOMLESS MUD, AND LOST THE LIGHT” • 47,000 BR DISAPPEAR IN MUD

25. CURRIE REFUSED PRAISE • 5TH DIV NOW BROKEN UP • MENIN GATE YPRES • 55,00 NAMES (7,000 CDNS) • CEREMONIES HELD DAILY

27. LAST POST CEREMONY

28. LUDENDORFF OFFENSIVE • 1917 TREATY OF BREST-LITOVSK • AMERICANS ENTER WAR • LUDENDORFF WANTED TO ATTACK NOW • 178 DIVISIONS (NUMERICAL SUPREMACY FOR FIRST TIME) • NEW TACTICS, STORM TROOPERS, ATTACK STRONG POINTS OPEN BREECH, FOLLOW UP, FLUIDITY (SIM TO CDN CORPS)

29. 2 PRONGED ATTACK, NORTH VS BR AND SOUTH VS FR • DID NOT ATTACK CENTER (CDN CORPS) • B/C OF CDNS? DEFENSIVE POSITION? BOTH! • CDNS IN CENTER OF HUGE SALIENT • ASSUMED WIPE OUT, CURRIE SPEECH

31. TODAY, THE FATE OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE HANGS IN THE BALANCE. I PLACE MY TRUST IN THE CANADIAN CORPS, KNOWING THAT WHERE CANADIANS ARE ENGAGED THERE CAN BE NO GIVING WAY. YOU WILL ADVANCE OR FALL WHERE YOU STAND FACING THE ENEMY. TO THOSE OF YOU WHO WILL FALL I SAY YOU WILL NOT DIE, BUT STEP INTO IMMORTALITY. YOUR MOTHERS WILL NOT LAMENT YOUR FATE BUT WILL BE PROUD TO HAVE BORN SUCH SONS. YOUR NAMES WILL BE REVERED FOREVER AND EVER BY YOUR GRATEFUL COUNTRY AND GOD WILL TAKE YOU UNTO HIMSELF. I TRUST YOU TO FIGHT AS YOU HAVE EVER FOUGHT WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, WITH ALL YOU TRANQUIL COURAGE, WITH ALL YOUR DETERMINATION. ON MANY A HARD FOUGHT FIELD OF BATTLE YOU HAVE OVERCOME THE ENEMY. WITH GOD’S HELP YOU SHALL ACHIEVE VICTORY ONCE MORE.

32. CDNS NEVER ATTACKED • SIT CRITICAL, HAIG WANTS TO BREAK UP CDN CORPS (FRESH) • CURRIE REFUSES, WAR OFFICE, BORDEN HIMSELF • DOESN’T HAPPEN, SECOND MIRACLE OF MARNE • GER MUST CONSOLIDATE, BR MUST COUNTER (WILL USE FRESH CDN CORPS TO SPEARHEAD)

34. CDNS MOVED TO YPRES AS TRICK (GER MOVE DEFENSES) • IN SECRET CDNS THEN MARCHED SOUTH TO AMIENS SECTOR • FRENCH DELIGHTED (DISCOVER WHO WE ARE BY THOSE VAN DOOS.

35. AMIENS • AMIENS NOT FULLY DEFENDED AS NEWLY WON • CURRIE ATTACKS QUICKLY, NO PRE BOMBING, JUST CREEPING • AMIENS HAS 400 NEWEST TANKS • ON AUGUST 8TH THE CANADIAN CORPS ADVANCES EIGHT MILES • BRITISH HQ STAFF ARRIVE TO VERIFY THE SUCCESS. THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. (TOO FAR TOO FAST) • ASK CURRIE WHAT TO DO? CURRIE RESPONDS WITH THE GOING SEEMS GOOD, LET’S GO ON

36. AUG 9TH ANOTHER 9 KM • 4 GER DIVS WIPED OUT, 17 OTHERS PULLED FROM BATTLE • GERMAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICER REFUSED TO BELIEVE CDNS • AUG 8TH BLACK DAY OF GERMAN ARMY • LUDENDORFF’S BROTHER IN LAW SAID NOT OUR FAULT, CREAM OF FRENCH AND VAUNTED CDN CORPS • THOUSANDS OF GERMAN POWS

37. AFTER THIS ATTACK THE KAISER BEGINS PEACE NEGOTIATIONS • AMIENS PUSHES GER BACK TO HINDENBURG LINE • HERE AMIENS GRINDS TO HALT • WEATHER ALSO BECAME A LIMITING ISSUE • THE CANADIANS WERE PULLED FROM THE SECTOR TO SPEARHEAD ANOTHER OFFENSIVE FURTHER NORTH

39. DROCOURT SWITCH • LINE LINKED HINDENBURG TO 1914 LINE AFTER VIMY • WAS INCREDIBLY DEEP AND STRONG, CONSIDERED IMPREGNABLE THAT’S WHY CDNS GET THE JOB • HAIG NEW IF FALLS OUTFLANK GER LINE • FOCH VISITS, PRAISES. HOPES TO TAKE BY SPRING 1919 • HAIG’S JOB ON LINE AT DROCOURT

42. HAIG CO B/C OF CONNECTIONS. JOB IN CURRIE’S HANDS • THE SWITCH HAD FIVE DEFENSIVE LINES • EACH LINE 1.5 KM DEEP (60M OF BARBED WIRE) INTERLOCKING TRENCHES AND PILLBOXES.. • CURRIE AGAIN USES NEW TACTICS. • LAUNCHES ATTACK WITH CREEPING BARRAGE AT 3 AM TO ACHIEVE SURPRISE • NO SET DIRECTION OF ATTACK, FLOW OF BATTLE DICTATES DIRECTION. GERMANS OFF BALANCE

43. CDN CORPS ATTACK IN THRUSTS, GER COMMIT RESERVES, ANOTHER DIV WOULD THEN PUSH (HILL 70) • GER CANNOT CONCENTRATE EFFORT, • ESPRIT DE CORPS OF CDNS ALSO HELPS • THIS IS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE VAN DOOS • OFFICERS IN CRATER (GEORGES VANIER) • “WE GERMANS DO NOT LIKE YOU CANADIANS. WE FIND YOU VERY DESPERATE MEN”

44. SWITCH FALLS IN FOUR DAYS, NOT MONTHS, GER ARMY OUTFLANKED • LUDENDORFF TELLS KAISER, WAR IS LOST, SUE FOR PEACE (BED 24 HRS) • NO REST FOR CORPS, ONE LINE LEFT… CANAL DU NORD

46. PARTIALLY COMPLETED CANAL BTW ALLIED AND GERMANS • 100 FT ACROSS; WATER TOO DEEP TO CROSS • BRICK EMBANKMENTS 20 FT HIGH • WANTED AQUATIC ASSAULT BY BOATS • CURRIE FELT THIS TOO DANGEROUS • INSTEAD CORPS ATTACK IN ONE SPOT WHERE DRY • BR FELT THAT WAS TOO DANGEROUS • CURRIE WAS ORDERED TO PROCEED WITH THE ORIGINAL PLAN • REFUSED, GOES TO BYNG, WAR OFFICE. GETS HIS PLAN BUT TOLD IF FAILS HE WILL BE FIRED

47. IN THE END THE CANADIANS CROSSED THE CANAL • THE CANADIAN ENGINEERS BUILT BRIDGES AND SCALING TOWERS UNDER DIRECT ENEMY FIRE, DESPITE THE COST • THE CANADIAN DETERMINATION TO WIN ACHIEVED VICTORY • THE CANAL AND THE GERMAN LINE OF DEFENCE FELL BY THE 9TH OF OCTOBER.

49. CDNS ADVANCED PAST CANAL DU NORD TO DEPTH OF 23 MILES CAPTURED 18,000 • MID OCT, GER ARMY IN FULL RETREAT • GER STILL NOT TOUCHED BY WAR. MANY WANTED INVASION • CURRIE “FINISH THE GERMANS OFF OR WILL BE BACK IN 20 YRS” • BY NOV 7TH BR ON OUTSKIRTS OF MONS (1ST BATTLE) • HAIG WANTED SYMBOLIC VICTORY TO END WAR • CDN CORPS GIVEN JOB TO RETAKE MONS • ATTACK ON NOV 11 1918

50. MONS • MONS NOT LARGE, IMP BATTLE • BOTH SIDES JUST WANTED TO SURVIVE, KNEW WAR OVER • 11 CDNS DIE RETAKING MONS FOR BR SYMBOLIC VICTORY • THE LAST CANADIAN SOLDIER TO DIE IN WWI WAS KILLED BY A SNIPER’S BULLET AT 10:57 AM ON NOVEMBER 11TH • THREE MINUTES LATER THE WAR WAS OVER AND PRIVATE GEORGE PRICE WAS THE LAST CANADIAN TO DIE IN THE WAR. PROBABLY THE LAST ON THE WESTERN FRONT • HE IS BURIED NEAR MONS BESIDE THE FIRST BRITISH CASUALTY OF THE WAR WHO DIED IN 1914 ALSO IN MONS. • WAR ENDS AT 11 AM • MCNAUGHTON FURIOUS “WHY END NOW, ALL IS GOING GOOD… WE’LL JUST HAVE TO SEND OUR SONS TO FINISH THIS IN 25 YEARS”