Army cadets from across Manitoba gathered at the Minto Armoury on Saturday to commemorate one of the most significant battles in Canadian military history.
The battle of Vimy Ridge lasted from April 9 to 12, 1917. It marked the first time all four divisions of the Canadian armed forces came together under Canadian command and helped establish Canada as a nation independent of Britain.
Other Allied forces had been trying unsuccessfully for three years to take Vimy Ridge from the Germans, but Canada succeeded in three days.
“So this is regarded as the coming-of-age for Canada,” said Brian Koshul, community relations person for the Army Cadets of Manitoba.
Around 10,000 Canadians died in the battle, according to the Canadian War Museum.
About 160 cadets attended the ceremony. This is the third year the army cadets have commemorated the battle. The ceremony is usually held in Vimy Ridge Park, but poor ground conditions forced them to relocate.
The Manitoba ceremony mirrored similar ones being held across the country on Saturday.
Koshul said each branch of the cadets chooses a different battle to commemorate. The air force chose the Battle of Britain, while the navy commemorates the Battle of the Atlantic.
