megram - Index

megram - 55NovOttawa - Index

1940 when his armies were conquering
France.Afterwards, he sent special
units of the Waffen SS to guard the
monument from defacement by regular
German soldiers during the war.
As we stood contemplating the
monument, we noticed a flock of
sheep on the grass nearby. They
looked so peaceful, feeding on the
lush green grass of the hillside. We
later learned that sheep are used to
The risk of setting
off hidden bombs
is still so high
that fences keep
the visitor off
the grass in
all areas around
the memorial.
cut the grass by grazing instead of
having humans cut it with machines
because the sheep are much lighter
and cause no vibrations — vibrations
that could detonate the still
unexploded ordinances that lie hidden
beneath the peaceful green.
(The risk of setting off hidden
bombs is still so high that fences
keep the visitor off the grass in all
areas around the memorial.)
There is a visitors’ centre nearby
that has an excellent video of the
restoration done on the monument
that was only finished in 2007, as well
as offering interpretive panels and
brochures.This is also a place to register
for a tour of the underground tunnels
that were used by the soldiers in
preparing for the assault on Vimy
Ridge. The battle, which began on
April 9, 1917, in snow and swirling
sleet, was one of the most important
of the war because it put a hole in a
significant part of the German
defence system. The Canadians
planned the assault and fought together
for the first time as a group. Aided
by a British division and artillery units,
they took the ridge that had been held
by the Germans since early in the war.
A tour of the underground tunnels
where the soldiers waited to go into
battle is offered at no cost and is given
by Canadian students working at Vimy
for the summer. The Battle of Vimy
Ridge is considered a vital step in
Canada’s march toward real nationhood.
Pierre Berton’s book on the battle,
called simply Vimy, tells the story
in a dramatic and fascinating way.
Not far from Vimy is the town of
Arras. This is a great place to go for
some food and drink after your visit to
Vimy. The buildings surrounding the
square are handsome and characteristic
of this part of France and the information
office can suggest a number of
things to see and do locally.
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November/December 2008 • Ottawa 39 • Fifty-Five Plus Magazine