Vimy Ridge musings

I've written this post a few times and had Firefox (!) crash on me several times. So here are my musings.

-I have never been close to the memorial. We went in 2005, but the monument was blocked off. Luckily the tunnels were open, so we had an awesome tour and tour guide. There were only four of us in the group (me, Daorcey, Nicole, and Ann). The tour guide (TG) was our age and was pretty accomodating.

Me: What did the tunnels actually look like back then? It seems pretty bright in here.
TG: Let me turn off the lights. (A few emergency lights remain lit) Yup that's about the lighting level back in 1917.

We approached a room where there's just a pile of rusted metal. Upon closer inspection, it's a pile of weapons, helmets, pumps, barbed wire, equipment. And it's just sitting there, not even under glass.

TG: Here, hold this rusted gun.
Nicole: Um, okay.

-This time around, the tunnels were closed due to some phone problems. But we were able to get close to the monument. Close enough to touch. However, that needed-yet-inconveniencing restoration prevented us from going on to the monument.

A little illegal activity was required to visit the monument. The path leading the monument was blocked off however were able to slip around a flimsy security gate. The path actually leading to the monument was blocked by pylons. So we ran up that path, with the kids catching up. About 10 minutes after we get to the foot of the monument, snapping pictures, a security car drives past on the walking path. We freak out a little but the car doesn't stop.

-I can't really explain why I like Vimy so much. I like the myth that Canada became a nation that day. But it's just that, a myth. If you want a good deconstruction of the Vimy myth, read Michael Valpy's Globe article. Some people decried his "destruction" of the myth, but he doesn't do that at all. It's good to know where your myths come from.

-The monument is achingly beautiful. As I approached it, I was overwhelmed. Part of its appeal for me is that it is not a celebration of victory but of sacrifice. Vimy may be part of the Canadian identity, but it came at a price. I am fond of the statue of Mother Canada who mourns her lost sons. I've also read The Stone Carvers and while the book is overly fond of the happy ending, I love the scene where Klara carves the face of her lost love onto a statue that will grace the pylons forever.

-It seems each time I visit Vimy, I get closer to the monument. So if I keep visiting, maybe by my 10th visit I'll be on top of the pylons.

Usually, one does the tunnels and trench tour and then proceeds to monument. Although I could be wrong. Anyways, you walk to the monument and you can catch glimpses of it among the trees. It's then you know it's big if you can see it and it's 10 minutes away.

This was taken from the first security gate. I thought this was as close as were going to get. Take that flimsy security gate!


This is Canada mourning for her lost youth.

You'll have to click on the photo to see the names of all the Canadians who died in WWI but have no known grave. Before the restoration, the names were disappearing.

At the back of the memorial, is this tomb with the distinctive Canadian helmet, a sword, and laurel leaves. Canada mourning her youth is above this tomb.

Click for a closer view of the pylons. The figures represent several concepts which I'm sure you can google.