Legion honours battle of Vimy Ridge

REGIONAL - The cenotaphs in Kingsville, Leamington and Wheatley featured flags flown at half-staff on Friday, April 9 in memory of over 10,000 Canadians who lost their lives were wounded in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which took place in April 1917.

Located about 175 miles north of Paris, Canadian soldiers were tasked with taking back Vimy Ridge, which the Germans had taken early in the First World War.

Sun photo

Vimy Ridge proved to be a great success for the Canadians but came at a heavy cost, losing about 3,600 men, with another 7,000 injured.

As an expression of gratitude for the extreme sacrifices of Canadian soldiers, the area around Vimy Ridge was later decreed Canadian territory by France.

The flags were to remain lowered just for the day on Friday, but news of the death of Prince Philip kept them lowered until after his funeral.