WW2 Canadians visit Vimy Memorial

[Paul Reed]

Recently came across this in the WW2 War Diary of HLI of Canada.

[Copper6197]

Even Hitler had lucid moments. He of course laid on a decree, that the monument and area would not be touched.

George

[ianw]

I suppose the fact is that these places - of whatever national origin - have a special resonance for anyone interested in the Great War including of course Herr Hitler.

I was interested to learn that the Menin Gate was briefly used as an observation point in 1940 allowing the BEF to look out towards another oncoming German Army. Did Vimy feature similarly during WW2? If so, I presume that its period of involvement was brief allowing 4 undisturbed years before its sons returned in 1944.

[CROONAERT]

An interesting anecdote detailing the use of the concrete trenches at Vimy (or "Wimy" as it seems to quite often get called in some accounts!) can be found in the War Diary of the 4th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers for May 22nd 1940....

dave.

PS(The War Diary for the 9/DLI for the same time is especially good as it also details the battalion positions in the surrounding woods along with detailed sketch maps)

[CROONAERT]

I was interested to learn that the Menin Gate was briefly used as an observation point in 1940 allowing the BEF to look out towards another oncoming German Army.

It had very brief use as an OP... too many Belgian civilians were shooting at them!!! (That and, of course, the German army slightly later). It was mainly intended for use as a tank-block (with rubble that was earmarked for the re-building of the Cloth Hall being utilised also for this reason) in the proposed (wasteful?) "to the last man" defence of the town (which, thankfully, never materialised).

dave.