The Welcome Centre of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France flying the Canadian Red Ensign ( 1868 – 1921 version ). This flag along with The Maple Leaf fly at national memorial as Canada was only using the Red Ensign at the time of the First World War Engagement.
The recreated trenches made out of concrete (instead of sand) at The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
A crater made by underground explosives about 20 feet deep at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
Artillery shells created a bumpy landscape at The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
A new sign showing “Dead End” in the tunnels of the The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France. I felt the sign was very apropos for the purpose of the tunnels and the troops waiting for battle inside.
Views of the underground railway in The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
The trenches had names of local area that were familiar to the soldiers so they didn’t get lost on making there way around the battle field at The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
The view through a rifle hole from the Canadian side of the front line. The trees in the distance were the German front line. The distance of two tennis courts. The no mans land size varied in different part of the battle field. This was one of the closer sections. The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
Two visitors look out from the scout post at the front of the line. The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
Only the officers and the runners or messengers lived underground. All other soldiers lived in the trenches and went underground only to wait for the start of the battle. The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
Green glass isolators provided the communication inside the tunnels. They were outset from the wall to keep the moisure of the stone from ruining the wire at the The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
A typical runner or messenger accommodations. The runners delivers message to the front lines from command and were often the most dangerous and well paid positions. Although life expectancy of a runner was little more then 2 weeks. The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
The imposing Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
Memorials, flowers and photographs left at the memorial some as recent as the day this photo was taken at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
Rain drops drip off the nose of the statues at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
Stone Memorial
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
Maple Leaf Trees on the frame the monument at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
The shear number of unknown soldiers at the Canadian Cemetery No. Two is daunting. Large number of unknown soldiers lead to the invention of dog tags for the members of the military something that is still in use today. This cemetery and others from the surrounding battlefield are home to 2950 Commonwealth servicemen who died from 1914 until the end of the hostilities located at The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
These signs are not mockups. Just two weeks before I visited I visitor had found an grenade on the grass and the bomb disposal unit had to be called in to get ride of the grenade. The Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
