“Vimy, 1917” is a Battle Honour awarded to the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), which is perpetuated by the Governor General’s Foot Guards.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge
• The Attack: The assault on Vimy Ridge began at 5:30 a.m. on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917. The 2nd Battalion was initially in reserve and did not cross the line of departure until two hours after H-hour, but they saw action toward the end of the battle, with the battalion scouts being heavily employed.
• Objectives: By 1:00 p.m., the Battalion had reached its final position and began to consolidate against German counter-attacks. The capture of the ridge provided the Canadians with a commanding view of the Douai Plain below, where they could see the enemy retreating in disorder.
• Casualties: During the five days of fighting at Vimy, the 2nd Battalion suffered 112 casualties: 28 killed, 76 wounded, and 8 missing.
• Incidents: In the enthusiasm of the victory, some members of the Battalion turned captured German artillery pieces around to fire them back at the enemy. This “amusing diversion” drew heavy retaliatory fire from the Germans, who knew the exact location of their own gun pits, and the practice was quickly stopped.
• 77th Battalion Personnel: Although the 77th Battalion (also perpetuated by the GGFG) was broken up for reinforcements, former members fought at Vimy with other units. For example, Lieutenant Harold Phillip MacGregor (formerly 77th) was killed in action on March 1, 1917, during a raid on Vimy Ridge while serving with the 73rd Battalion. Sergeant Henry Shepherd, a former 77th member serving with the 87th Battalion, won the Military Medal at Vimy on April 9 when he refused to surrender despite being surrounded, fighting his way back to join a party in the rear.
