The battlefield experience during the First World War was unlike anything the world had ever seen before. Trenches, barbed wire, heavy artillery, machine guns, and poison gas were all part of the daily routine of the soldiers.
Between 1915 and 1919, Percy fought in the infantry of the C.E.F. on the front lines and spent the majority of his time in the trenches in France and Belgium. Percy was on the front lines with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during several of the main offensives including Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, and Passchendaele.
Major Canadian Battlefields during the First World War
While the Canadian Expeditionary Force would fight in many different battles during the First World War, there are a few that jump out into the consciousness of the Canadian People. While Vimy Ridge remains the rock star of the Canadian consciousness, it was only one of the important battles that Canadian soldiers took part.
The following “battlefields” along the Western Front were places that Percy and his brother Eric visited during the war.
Canadians in the Ypres Salient. 1915 + 16.
Percy arrived on the front lines on September 4th, 1915. The C.E.F. had been at war since March of 1915. By the time he joined them, the soldiers had already been through hell and back again.
The Somme. 1916.
After spending several months in the immediate areas around Ypres, the Canadian Corps was finally moved towards the Somme in September of 1916.
Arras & Lens. 1916 + 17.
Between the Canadian battles in the Somme and Vimy Ridge, the Canadian Corps was now moved towards Arras and Lens. One of the most brutal battles during the war happened here; the infamous Hill 70.
Vimy Ridge. 1917.
This is the most famous of the Canadian battles during the First World War. While it was an important moment for the Canadians, it was just one of many that they took part in.
Passchendaele. 1917.
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Hundred Days. 1918.
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Other Battlefields from the Great War
Dardanelles Straight & Gallipoli. 1915/16.
In 1915, the Allied forces decided to make an attempt to invade Turkey. They decided to attack the Dardanelles straight and the Gallipoli Peninsula. The invading force would be made up mostly of Australian and New Zealand infantry troops, who were joined by a division of troops from Newfoundland…
Italian Front. 1915-18.
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The Eastern Front. 1914-1918.
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Training Grounds for the Canadian Forces
Valcartier Camp 1914.
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Salisbury Plains 1914+15.
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Shorncliffe 1915-18.
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War Museums / Monuments
Imperial War Museum (London).
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Canadian War Museum (Ottawa)
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Vimy Ridge Memorial (France)
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Road to Vimy Ridge 