My great granddad, a young man from Cornwall, England - who had moved to America in 1912, signed up for the Canadian Army in NYC March 1918. He was not a US citizen at the time. He was assigned 3rd Canadian Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Canadian Corp. He fought in the last hundred days of the Great War. He survived and came back to America to further build his future. He lived to be 87 years old and I am grateful to have known him well. He inspired me so much. He still does.
Ya they don't make ppl like that generation anymore that's for sure we have so much but we still complain far to much these days hats off 2 your grandfather thanks for his service all the way from Guelph Canada 🇨🇦
My great uncle fought for most of WW1 sadly he died in Passchendaele. He survived the somne and Vimy but not the last big Canadian battle. I am a French Canadian from Acadian descendants. We were killed and deported by the British for years around 1755. English folks think we didn't care or fight well my great uncle volunteered. He had to travel by train 8 hours away to enlist. My grandfather was refused by the military due to being too malnourished. The army felt so awful food was donated to his college were he was studying at the time because so many were so malnourished and sick. My dad served for a few years though never deployed. My mom won though when I thought about a military career. My dad wanted me to become an officer. I do wonder if I would have served better our communities and country if I had enlisted. My friend will be retiring soon he was deployed to Afghanistan for 6 months. He was a mess when he returned back but luckily he had a baby girl and has been happy. Anyways lest we forget who fought for our freedom and rights. Thank you to all who have served and sacrificed for our freedom and protection. 🙏
Oh you mean he went to the US not America, Canada is in America you know, the US is NOT America. They are a tiny part of North, Central and South America.
We will always remember them. I'm a 30 years old from Langemark, near Ypres. Even the war has ended over a 100 years ago, people in Flanders Fields will always be thankful for the Canadians, British, Aussies, kiwis, French, Indian, even the German who lost their lives here. The presence of war is still visible everywhere in the landscape, not forgetting the millions of shells, explosives, gas canisters, human remains we still find yearly, even in our own garden. Visiting the battlefields still has an eery atmosphere till this day.
my grandfather fought in Ypres and was wounded the irony is his name was Flanders Liam Flanders born 1890 in Brampton Ontario.......the grandson of IRISH stock.
I remember being taught in school that population growth was such that ww1 and ww2 didn't even register in the graph of population vs time. That's false for both Canada and Australia. Canada lost about 69000 out of 9 million. Australia about 60,000 out of 5 million. Each had 100s of thousands wounded. We justly celebrate our accomplishments in the Great War but we paid a horrific price
The Canadians were unstoppable, so much respect for them. this documentary was well made. unfortunately in school here in Australia we learnt the Australians were used as a human shield for the English forces. Because we were still considered the convict settlement of the English.
Almost all Canadians are big fans of Australians as well! My wife and I visited down under a long time ago, and if we hadn’t just put down permanent roots in my home city of Vancouver, we’d’ve stayed in Brisbane. Or in Bunbury! West coast was epic! Love Australia! Come on over and visit Canada when you can!
@@charlesmitz5239 Actually, Canada lost far few men by population than virtually every other combatant nation, 0.8-0.9%. This compares with Australia (1.2%), New Zealand (1.5%) and the United Kingdom (1.9%). All are dwarfed by Germany (3.4%), France (4.3%) the Ottoman Empire (13%) and Serbia (16.4%).
I doubt if many Canadian vets care to be remembered as ‘badass.’ They fought for their buddies then, as they do now. My Grandpa was a Vimy vet. Proud, yes. Humble, yes. Tough, yes. Brave, yes. Disciplined, yes. Braggart, no. Badass, never. Badass is about impressing others and glorifying the act. Facta non verba.
Many of us brits who know something of the Great War recognise the Canadian sacrifice and pay our respects to your great nation. The Vimy Monument is without doubt the most beautiful and touching one anywhere on the western front.
@@jackthebassman1 thank you Jack. My Grandfather was a stretcher bearer in the Canadian Corp. He served in the 11th field ambulance. He was at Vimy, but would never speak about the war. I'm sure the memories were painful. In Canada we often refer to April 9, 1917 as the day we became a nation
I stand in absolute awe of these men this makes me proud to be Canadian and I thank them for their service and sacrifice in these extremely strange days this gives me hope
As a Canadian who has lived abroad the reputation of the Canadian military through its victories and sacrifices over the past 100 years gave me an automatic respect I was very conscious of earning and maintaining during my travels.
Awesome my sister! I was in Germany for two years. With the NATO forces. We got along so well with the German civilians. ❤ The Americans brought Crime, sexual assault, theft armed robberies to the areas around their bases. Stomping around like outlaw bikers. The Cool Americans (I met many) would travel disguised as Canadians. Just to avoid the hate. ✌️🌈🇨🇦
Oh so many temptations!!! But ya pride of ones country is pretty awesome. I do love Canada! As an American I just have to say... that is NOT bacon, that is ham!
John cagney fought and died at vimy ridge, 31st canadian infantry alberta regiment B company. This is one of my distant relatives. He was a Canadian citizen but originally Irish (like me) from Cork
Even as a small boy in the Battle of Britain and the London blitz, it was a wonderful comfort to know that Britain had real dependable allies who were more than just helping they were there alongside all of us, friends alongside to the end.. Much strength was drawn from this. We saw them everywhere in their uniforms, and even the food that appeared on the Table came from Canada. What more can you say? We were , i am sure all in awe that they unhesitatingly came to Britain's aid with such energy and strength.
"A country who has on more than one occasion come to the defense of this great nation" (from a speech in the British house of parliament - speaking of Canada)
My grandfather was a motorcycle dispatch during the Battle of Britain, he brought back the motor of one of those buzz bombs. My great grandfather served for Britain during ww1 and moved to Canada afterwards.
My paternal grandfather who was tall for his age (5,9" aged 15) lied about his age and enlisted in 1916. He was wounded three times, caught VD and fought in every major battle that the 2nd Division fought in. He loved soldiering, joined the Canadian Scottish and was hyped to go overseas again in WW2 when my Grandmother found out about his banging another woman and she ratted him out to the army about how badly wounded he was in the Great War. The army agreed with grandma, kept him at CFB Vernon as a machine gun instructor.
How utterly Canadian to try and bury the reputation of a great General as Arthur Currie . The 100 days campaign and the battles leading into it won the war
What a brilliant leader Arthur Currie was. What courage and fierce our soldiers had. Though you are all long departed from this Earth, you will never be forgotten. So proud to be Canadian, so proud!
I always felt that the Canadians never got the recognition that they should have got It's nice to see a video like this about the Canadian army From a Proud Canadian🇨🇦
My uncle Jim was at Vimy ridge. He was in constant pain from the bits of shrapnel coming to the surface and having to be removed. He was in and out of surgery countless times. I'm amazed that he lived as long as he did.
Excellent documentary on the efforts of Canadian forces during World War I. Glad to see that they are receiving their just due credit; too bad, it is only 100 years too late.
My Grandfather fought with the 31st battalion South Alberta in world war 1 .Wounded at hill 60 in the Yypes salient. Sadly Canadian war history is not taught in our schools ,which is a disgrace .Respect to our Commonwealth brothers and to our American , French and other allies .
The history of Canada (and the U.S. and Australia) should be taught as a heroic narrative. Canada has a great martial history and, in both world wars, sacrificed her sons and daughters for the freedom of others.
I live in langemark near ypres. May we never forget the heroes who fell here and keep remembering them because they gave us the ultimate sacrifice a human could do. Die for a better world.
I know alot about WW2,not near as much about WW1.Didnt know til now the Canadians were such badasses.Sounds like they were the finest army in the world,& Im American.
@@martincuda7947 Very, very true! The flow of people back and forth over the 'border' was near constant! My mother's side of my family emigrated from Canada to the US to work her mills & factories. We were one generation old when this war broke out, fought for the US, but still kept ties with family back in Canada! And Canadians were not always kind or understanding to see fellow Canadians leave for the US. Whole towns in Quebec were emptied as the people moved to the US work and have a better life! Even though so many had the intention to move back to Canada, most never returned!
I know this is a ww1 video yet as a guy from the netherlands, the canadians will always have a special place in our minds and heart for liberating us in ww2, thank you lads, a tremendous sacrifice yet a justified one in my opinion. Bless all Canadians.
The Canadians referred to the American Army's Rainbow Division as arriving after the storm! As am an American, we should all be PROUD of our neighbors to the North! They served with distinction and Honor. God bless them! I have always found Canadians much more polite than American City people that can be rude and selfish. Not all Americans are like city people. Most rural people work for a living and don't like city people either.
Americans served with distinction and honor too. We were not part of the British Empire and so America did not have to declare war on Germany in 1914. This fact is something lost on our neighbors to the North.
I heard another of those John in Trafalgar Legion in Victoria B.C. Old guy in a corner alone with a beer said to himself "The great American doughboys! They were kneaded in 1914 and didn't rise until 1917 and were kneaded in 1939 and didn't rise until 1942 I found that amusing as i went back to my ship.
A brilliant, moving, really exemplary documentary, fully worthy in every way of the heroism, dedication and sacrifice it more than chronicles but depicts and duly honours. Much thanks for your service too who produced it and presented it here. God bless.
Je suis français et j'habite à Vis-en-Artois, où l'Offensive des Cent Jours s'est poursuivi, à partir du 26 août 1918. Pour ceux qui auraient des doutes sur la Vaillance et la Combativité des Troupes Canadiennes, je les invite à venir constater, sur place dans les cimetières, le nombres de jeunes gens, qui se sont sacrifiés pour nous délivrer de l'emprise allemande que nous subissions depuis 4 années. A titre d'exemple significatif, le 2 septembre 1918, 7 Soldats Canadiens , reçoivent la Victoria Cross pour leur bravoure dans l'avancée des Troupes Canadiennes. Souvenons-nous, Philippe.
As a young Canadian myself I hate war and the fact we still do it and threaten it all over the world. That said I have studied WW1 and others since childhood with the aim of understanding how, and the heroism of those who tried to stop it. A switch is flipped if war does happen, that anger at injustice has a direction, and like my ancestors I know I would fight and die in foreign fields to prove the same point. Many of the lessons from the war itself are forgotten, but those brave men themselves live on in our hearts.
We need to invent a new concept for war. War that saves lives instead of taking lives. eg. World War III against Covid and its ally the Anti-Vaxxers. Pick items to war against that you know that it will benefit humanity. eg. war on climate change. Instead of putting out money to space programs, use that same money to figure out the renewable power mystery. A lot of money can be made.
@@davidleaman6801 lol covid is just a disease, the war would be with the fascism that removed all our rights for 2 years claiming false emergencies. I didnt allow the pandemic to happen, and I can fight covid alone easily enough, thats not my problem. The problem is I still cant live regardless, because of new fundamentally illegal "health guidlines".
Had to, out of necessity. Canada had only 4 divisions doing the lion's share of taking ground amongst the Allies, in addition to receiving insufficient reinforcements from Canada (the Government had to enact conscription in 1917 and many refused).
as the commenter above said smaller combatants like canada had to , while the absolutely massive armies of continental europe could take massive losses and still keep going
@@anthonyeaton5153 Conscription was a death sentence for politicians in Quebec, seeing how French descendants had a problem fighting for Britain, even though they would have been fighting for the 'Motherland'- ironic huh ? Over the entirety of the conflict 630,000 served, with 530,000 being volunteers, the remainder being conscripts, but only from 1917.
@@odochartaighofodonegal9815Artillery takes the ground, the infantry occupies the ground. Basic ware fare. How much could 400,000 men do against hundreds of thousands. Don’t overstate your case and remember WW1 would still have been won without Canada but not without Britain.
My Grandfather was a surgeon in the Canadian medical corps . His rank was Major . It is said when he finally returned long after the end that he packed his war chest up , disposed of it , medals and all and never spoke of it for the remainder of his life .
There is a different example of a closed chest I have seen. Refugees fleeing from Mao's army put everything, not much more than the clothes they were wearing into a chest and left it in the hallway of their house. For over 40 years, till eventually they died of old age. I wonder who disposed of the chest.
As a surgeon, he had to deal with the maimed and suffering, every day. It's no surprise that he compartmentalized his war experiences and tried to get rid of them.
I lived spent about 7-years of my childhood in a town that had a large army training base. There was a large number of homes built for officers than were later sold to veterans when the base closed in the 1960’s. Veterans of WW1, WW2 and Korean War. As a kid, I never even thought about why so many friends fathers had alcohol problems no doubt dealing with the demon memories of war. I very clearly remember my father telling me that a neighbour nearby had been on the Death March when the Japanese captured Hong Kong. The man was gaunt and seldom spoke. My father told me that he was a real hero. I was too young and ignorant to appreciate that man’s experience. My father never talked much about the war. I don’t think many fathers did. They just did their best to carry on with their lives. Only now that I myself am old do I have enough context of life to recognize how war affects the minds of men. My father was in the CDN Navy. He was reassigned off the destroyer he served time a few months before it was torpedoed and sunk. So many men he knew were lost. No question the war and convoy trips through the North Atlantic, witnessing lost ships, dead bodies, men asking to be picked up out of the water but not permitted to stop and help them. When a man is in his early twenties, the horrors of war last a life time. A circumstance an entire generation carried. I doubt any of us other than another veteran of war can not grasp what a heavy weight they carry in their minds. Thanks to all that served.
Young men are sent to the fight, supported by their parents and neighbours. They return to remake the world they should have been part of all the time. No wonder the strains sometime show on the outside. Imagine you spent 4 years killing a man's sons and then had to ask him to let you plough his fields. Easy ???
The impact of PTSD was not understood until, what, the 1970s? So many veterans were scarred for life and suffered alone, taking solace in drink and the company of only those others with shared experiences.
Thank you for this. Very good film indeed. Great film clips I had never seen before too. I have huge admiration for the Canadians in WW1 - superb fighting machine. My great uncle Claude Stevens (who had emigrated to Canada a few years before WW1) won the MC with the Fort Garry Horse in the 100 days for leading his (mounted) squadron against a defended wood on 9th Oct (Bois-de-Montaux- Villes and Bois-de-Cattigny). and capturing 400 Germans... crazy! However, it must be remembered that the Canadians often attacked with other participants too. For instance, at the remarkable Drocourt-Queant engagement, First Army with the Canadian corps also had the XXII Corps, and the 11th (Northern) Div, less 34th Brigade, as well as the Third Army which had the XVII Corps, 52nd (Lowland) Div, 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Div, and the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division with them.. Other breaches in the Hindenburg line were also made without the Canadians - eg the Battle of St Quentin canal with the at the end of Sept 18.British, ANZACs and Americans . But back to the Canadians, incredible performance when you consider all the major engagements they were in and came out on top.
In two world wars and Korea, Canadian forces out shadowed all the rest,by meeting the toughest challenges and overcoming them. Despite how Canada’s “leaders” have devalued our once great fighting force,the strong men and women currently serving are all willing,able and ready. I was refused because of a broken back,but wish I could have served with the best.
Jackalister where were the Canadians at the Battle of the Imjin River in Korea in 1951 and where were the Canadians at the Battle of The Hook in Korea in 1953.
As an American, I take my hat off to the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) for their bravery and outstanding achievements on the Western Front. The British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, referred to the Canadians as "the shock troops of the Empire." I also wish to salute those Canadian airmen - e.g. Raymond Collishaw, Donald MacLaren, Andrew McKeever, Frank Quigley, and William Barker -for their prowess in air combat during the War.
The Canadians Australians Kiwis Indians etc all fought heroically from 1st Ypres 1914 (where Khudadad Khan became the first indian to win the VC) in the Empire army. In the last 100 days which was more bloody than trench warfare, they were very much in the vanguard of the advance. Arthur Currie and John Monash were as good as any generals in any army. Pershing on the other hand was a bumbling idiot wasting tens of thousand of american lives hence the minimal impact of the meuse argonne offensive compared to the 100 days.
The Canadian's showed how you do it after others could not. Never wavered from the objective..even with death. Held when other ally lines were collapsing ..scared krauts ....sucked in the gas..and brushed the bullets in the nests and still charged the objective. The Maple Leaf Forever.!
He is virtually unknown in Canada. In high school we were forbidden to study the Great War, It was evil and all those who were in it were the same. One teacher said anyone who volunteered did not deserve a pension. Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen was quoted to us by a limey teacher (of all people). Vietnam war had something to do with this. I didn't listen and read on my own. The greatest Canadian General ever.
Sorry about your luck with that particular school board. I was in school post Vietnam, and I was taught that Canadians played a huge role in the last 100 days of WW1. That was in Saskatchewan. Did you by chance go to school in BC? They might have been influenced by the American draft dodgers who moved there in droves.
That overhead picture of the town of Passchendaele is one picture that really shows what WW1 battles were like. The complete devastation of anything and everything in sight. Just amazing and sad.
This is Part 3 ("The Last Hundred Days") of "Far from Home: Canada and the Great War". It starts with the Battle of Passchendaele and continues to the end of the war. Part 1: "Sam's Army", Part 2: "The Battle of Vimy Ridge". All were narrated by Paul Gross who wrote, directed, and starred in the movie "Passchendaele" (good effort...we rarely produce anything like it in Canada, but oh it needed a rewrite)
My grandfather was a reservist with the Winnipeg Rifles, Pre-WWI. He was also a locomotive fireman, and so had some "management" experience as well as working and living on his own. On January 1, 1915, he signed on with the "Regulars" and was part of the 1st Canadian Expeditionary Force to northern France. He spent the whole of that unbelievably dreadful war fighting in that area - in the process was wounded by shellfire and 4 German gas attacks. However, they just kept patching him up and sending him to the forward lines. He said Gen.Arthur Currie was a brilliant man, who took endless pains with both training and logistics. By the time of Vimy Ridge my grandfather had been promoted to being a Sergeant-Major, partly because he' managed to survive for 4 years, but also because he was a very good tactician. He participated in the Vimy Ridge assault, a well as the battles that followed. At the war's end, he was judged to be "40% disabled" because of lung damage from the gas attacks - which didn't mean much since pensions for wounds were rare and not much money. He went back to the railroad, and returned to being a fireman, until he had enough seniority to be rated as a locomotive engineer. He did that for the rest of his working life, married and was the father of six children, and went on to become the senior union representative on the 'road from Toronto to the Pacific. He was a small, slight man, with the manners of a true gentleman. After retirement, he wwound up in hospital several times, to remove pieces of shell fragments - his wounds had become very painful. He lived into his early 90's, and finally succumbed to pnenumonia aggravated by having lost 40% of his lungs. He lived an extraordinary life, but was so quiet and so humble that he rarely, if ever mentioned either his war experiences or the decades spent on the railroad. He was decorated several times, but would not wear either the ribbons or the medals. I think the memories associated with those were events he did not want to re-live. Heroic does not begin to describe his life, or the way he lived it.
My paternal grandfather left England - from Manchester - to come to Canada with my grandmother and their 4 year old daughter in 1912. By early 1915 he was in combat on the western front. In November, 1918 his luck ran out and he left a leg in France. He returned to Canada in 1919 and left hospital in 1920. He never spoke of his experiences. Sadly he died young... probably due to alcohol abuse but it was pretty hush, hush. No doubt those 5 years were the cause.
"How many knights and princes are going to be killed .... the officers, general staff at their chateaus, fine villas, waited on hand and foot, stroking away with careless pens thousands of lives." Isn't that the story of almost every war- beyond unforgivable.
What giants. Thank you to the men and women who sacrificed in The Great War. Everyone had such a strong sense of duty to their fellow man. Its somewhat sad to see how backwards we've got things now fighting for our own self interests and 'My Own Happiness'. It wont leave such an honourable legacy.
The civilian 'Dominion' soldiers from Australia, Canada and New Zealand were the finest in theatre. Shock troops among the demoralized French, the often timid British, and later the reluctant Americans. They were magnificent. The Dominion troops were generally big, strong, smart, practical men who could improvise and turn their hand to anything from shoeing a horse to fording a river or digging a tunnel. Frontier men.
Megafauna STOP! INSULTING the British and Americans they were both Brothers in Arms. Britain had 700,000 men killed in WW1 now I wonder how those 'Timid' men might have died, could it by chance that they fought and slugged it out with a powerful German army in many many battles. Remember this, The war would have still been won without the Canadaians but NOT without the British. Please don't diminish others to pump up your own, it is poor understanding of history.
Wow...All of this in some of the most difficult conditions & brutal fighting in human history...Very proud of our neighbors to the North! I wish we had more that could look past only what they're told.
LOL Why would people look past what they were taught? Why dont we simply teach properly from the start? Is it do to personal pride and political leanings? Even in the US, it depends on where you come from, what light the history of the US is presented to us. If you come from a progressive part of the country, you will get the self-loathing, America is a terrible place type rendition. We were not angels, but we were not demons either. Simply very fallible humans.
This is the true story of how Canada won WW1 thay you will not find in many other histories. It was British PM Lloyd George who called the end of the war 'Canada's 100 Days'. Canadians were not mindless warriors, they pioneered artillery observation from ground and air, calibrated artillery, the first use of tanks, made armorored personel carriers to transport troops to the battlelines and combined arms with infantry, armor, artillery and air observation and attack, telephone and radio communications. All of these were of great interest to the Germans who wanted to know why they lost the war. Blitzcreig was a great surprise to the Allies in WW2 because they never looked at why Canada was so sucessful. As far as I know Canada never lost a battle, offensive or defensive in the whole war. At Vimy Ridge the Allies had suffered 500,000 casulties and never took it. Canada took it in one day with 100.000 men and 5000 casulties.
Another little known fact is that just 4 divisions of the Canadian Corps, during the entirety of the war, met in battle, and defeated 25% of ALL German divisions fielded during the conflict. Is that not glorious ?
I'm not trying to detract from the glory for the Canadians but I'm not sure its quite as simple as that. Anzacs and Brits had tried in vain to take Vimy, and failed but the Germans were worn down buy by their attempts. Remember, 60-65% of Canadian troops at Vimy were British-born anyway. The Germans were exhausted and starving, battered by effective accurate artillery and much weakened, when the Canadians had a go. Many of them more or less walked in, others as you expect from Canadians, performed fantastically. But it is a bit disrespectful to demean the attempts of others. It was a battel of attrition. Currie was a key reason for success, maybe Anzacs or Brits would have taken it at that stage, with such wonderful preparation and training and with his leadership, and with the number of machine guns that the Canadians units had. But again, the Canadians were undoubtedly superb, we owe them a great debt of gratitude. The British PM acknowledged this, rightly so. Just trying to give it some balance.
@@OldWolflad Appreciate this attempt at balance! Canadians are not accustomed to having much pride in their nation, unlike Brits & Americans. We NEED to let them have this moment!
Rodneyinvsnco, Canada DID NOT WIN WW2, it is a STUPID STATEMENT on stilts. The war would have still been won without Canada but not without Britain. Think about it
Every time this documentary is interrupted by an advertisement,my blood boils. How ungrateful ,uncaring and cold are those who try to profit on the graves of these precious men.Lester from Cape Breton N.S.
I watched this documentary with disquieting interest, the anger beginning to boil within me until this moment when I've had to pause for this comment. The honor and courage with which the Canadian Corps conducted themselves is without question. Yet in this war, as with any other there were people who were too quick to step in and demand the credit when all was going well and even more quick to strike to villainy when thing did not necessarily go as planned. The attitude of the politicians and military superiors who sit in oak paneled offices behind great desks far from the war and the fighting, eating off of silver and sipping tea. It greatly offends me. As it would any combat veteran, of which I am one, having served in Vietnam. These lording politicians are the one who start these wars and have been since the beginning of time. Never has a war been started by someone just going about the business of living. But we are the ones who pay the price so that people like Winston Churchill, who we saw in the top hat can have that s****y grin. War is pure evil. The worst thing man can do to his fellow man, complete and utter insanity. Governments who send their people off to war, for any reason should honor and respect their people who they ask to go and not berate,ignore,and forget them on their return. P.S.No, I am not a Canadian.
"These lording politicians are the one who start these wars and have been since the beginning of time. Never has a war been started by someone just going about the business of living. But we are the ones who pay the price ..." You said this perfectly.
@@kincaidwolf5184 I am fully aware of the service that Mr. Churchill had provided as a soldiers Lord of the Admiralty during the 1st World War and his service before that. In fact, it is my opinion had Britain listen to him during the inter-war period there very well may not have been a Second World War.. However, it is clear, through some of his actions during the war that he desperately wanted to hang on to the dominance throughout the world that Britain had enjoyed for centuries, largely because of her Navy. He continued in this vain hope long past when it was obvious that for a variety of reasons Britain was no longer going to be able to. That's not to take away anything from the tremendous effort, both personal and professional that he exerted to win the war along with all of the other allies. I just thought he looked a bit to smug there and it upset me as it is the politicians who start these wars.
I'm not an intransigent cheer boy for Winston Churchill, and I don't mean to detract from the force of your comment - just to remind you that Churchill was no stranger to combat. He experienced the thick of it - including time spent at the sharp end of the front in France leading troops in WWI - just forget when and for how long.
Excellent documentary. It’s elucidating to see just how effective and innovative the Canadians under Arthur Currey were. The Germans actually kept track of their movements to determine the apex of a coming attack! Only criticism is that it was unnecessary to take an entire subheading to disparage the American effort. It’s true they were late to the effort and not nearly as effective as the Canadians. They suffered under questionable and obstinate leadership. The Canadians had their initial hiccups too with the Ross rifle and the bumbling of Sam Hughes.
Your right, the Ross rifle was a disaster in the mud of WW1, but it was actually one of the finest rifles made at the time. It was extremely accurate and used by hunters and competition shooters long after the war.
As an American, with Canadian ancestors I personally, and doubt few Americans take much offense at this. i for one am happy to see Canadians taking pride in themselves! It is no secret that Canadians tend to struggle with their identity: being 'British' for so long then coming into the shadow of the US. quickly after that! Canada & the US have strong ties and i hope they remains true indefinitely!
Have you ever read this before: not even in '45 did German squaddies admit fear ofthebRed Army+ although admitting fear for their families),but during '17- 18 they admitted to be terrified of the Canadian's.
I honestly think this is overplayed, I have read many German journals and the only real reference I can find is that they knew they were Canadians if they had more machine guns. They didn't really fear anyone, but didn't like the Canadians as they often killed them after surrendering.
Germans didn't like Canadians in both wars because they thought of as barbaric and desperate which is perfectly fine by me. The Germans started it and got what they deserved. Plain and simple. Proud Canadian here btw.
@@crixusthenorman1603 You have every right to be proud, and the Canadian contribution to the war was immense. But having studied rafts of German documents about the front, I can find little about the Germans being fearful of anyone. They certainly didn't like to surrender to Canadians as they thought they would be bayonetted rather than taken prisoner, and they noted that when being attacked, Canadian units had far more machine guns. They may have been more effective because of such certain factors but I can't find any proof that they were used as storm-troopers any more than normal allied divisions. You have to separate the myth from the facts. A detailed study was made of '% of successful attacks against opposed German opposition' during the '100 Days' by IWM Head historian Peter Simkins. For example, the 'successful opposed-attack' record of the nine British divisions in Rawlinson’s Fourth Army was 70.7 per cent - exactly the same as in the five Australian Divisions, and only slightly lower than that of the four, much larger Canadian Divisions (72.5 per cent), and well above that of the New Zealand Division (64.5 per cent). Moreover two British divisions - the 19th Western Division and 66th Division (both comprising mainly soldiers from north-west and midlands of England) had success rates of 100 per cent, and the 9th Division (Scottish) had a success rate of 93 per cent, this last averaged out over fourteen separate attacks. The 24th Division (London and also East Anglia) racked up an 85 per cent success rate and the 16th Division (Irish) 80 per cent. There is more, however. Six Dominion divisions (1st, 2nd and 5th Australian and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Canadian) achieved a success rate of between 70 and 80 per cent in 'opposed attacks', but so, quite apart, from the divisions mentioned above, did five more British Divisions - Guards Division (Coldstream, Grenadier, Irish, and Welsh Guards), 18th Eastern Division (London, Home Counties, East Anglia, and South Midlands), 24th Division (London area), 34th Division (Northumberland and Tyneside), and 38th (Welsh). From this it is possible to infer that 10 of the 56 British divisions did as well, or better, than the six crack Dominion divisions. And remember, the British had also fought throughout the Spring of 1918, whereas the Canadians were generally fresher during the last 100 days. But of course, these findings highlight that the remaining 46 British Divisions had slightly lower success rates, perhaps to be expected bearing in mind the number of Conscripts. Again, separating fact from myth is important.
@@OldWolflad I’ve always been suspicious of Simkins stats. Simply put, where are they? They should be available for review and open to the possibility of critique. That’s the intellectual honest thing to do. But all I can find are the same often quoted percentages, with zero background or disclaimer on method. Without seeing that, I would still point out that the Canadians were routinely given “difficult” assignments. That was the case at Amiens (where of course they spearheaded along with the Aussies); the Droucourt Switch (a horrendous depth of heavily defended land, with multiple length of barbed wire 60 ft deep; the most fortified of the war according to Currie), the Canal du Nord crossing and subsequent move against Cambrai, etc. These were some of the toughest objectives (if not the “toughest”) in those last 100 days. And I’m not sure how Simkins methodology accounts for any of it, because it’s simply not available. I recall that at Canal du Nord, after it was taken in what some historians have called “the most impressive operation of the war” or something along those lines, their was mention about how an assault by a neighbouring division to the Canadians left, using a Canadian bridge built by CEF engineers, allowed for complete success for that neighbouring BEF division. This of course after the riskiest part was taken care of already with Currie’s audacious plan having been executed. So how would that be accounted for by Simkins?
The title of this UA-cam video does not match the actual content. The actual documentary starts after Vimy Ridge and covers right up to and after the armistice. Someone should correct this. It is an excellent documentary which describes the enormous contribution of the Canadian Corps in the last year of the First World War. I am not Canadian.
The Gage name is well connected with the history of and between the U.S and Canada. I live in Hamilton Ont.Can.and the history behind that name is here to stay. From the Revolution to the war of 1812 and their legacy lives on with Gage Park.
My grandfather served in WWl. Wounded 3 times, gassed twice. He never talked about it much, very little. And of course today I'd like to ask him a little bit. Maybe just as well, as I believe that he suffered from PTSD. Not said they said people suffered from PTSD back then but I'd bet it ran rampant, sadly. His generation may not be the same as those in WWll but they were very special. There all gone now. But thanks so much for there sacrifice. He came back and was very prosperous till he went home just before his 93rd birthday. Hurts my heart 💓 now that I'm older and see what they went through. Don't know what they went through or know how they felt, but can understand that to talk about it would hurt there souls. PS: Thank you also to the nursing sisters!
PTSD has been a thing since war has been a thing. Unfortunately, most accounts of wars have been from the view point of the officers, often because they were most often literate AND kept diaries and accounts. Having accounts from the field soldier is a more recent thing, especially so many accounts of them. I think it was only since WW1 that such an emphasis has been put on the mental state of the soldier who experienced constant fear for their life and and serious trauma from wide destruction.
@@louisdugas4067 Only in the minds of idiots and imbeciles like you. BTW learn to spell louis. That said why don't you learn about about General Curry I'd suggest you may want to try the Military Biography of Sir Arthur Curry to get a reasonably accurate take on the man's accomplishments. After all no idiot would have been made commander of all Empire forces on the Western Front, if the war had continued into 1919.
During WWII, the Germans feared the Canadians most. They referred to them as ruthless, fearless fighters, remembering their battles from WWI. My Uncle landed on D-Day with the NNSH, and it was the murder of their captured comrades in a church cemetery near Caen that lit their anger above their fear and fought ruthlessly against the Germans all the way into Holland. Canadians, the greatest freedom fighters ever.
Another thing their great courage purchased for our country was the soverignty and right to decide how and when to enter WW2, which we did quickly but of our own accord. This is one of the few times in history where an empire legally gave up rights to one of its massive colonies as thanks for protecting them in war.
Canada in both the 1st and 2nd world war were the absolute gold standard of a fighting force! They were called in where ALL the others failed, and NEVER lost a battle!! Canada does not get the credit it deserves!! If not for Canada WWI would have been lost!
Canadian Government has traditionally treated thier military with indifference . From Currie down they fought for King and country only to return home to fight again for benefits etc . Treated with a callous indifference We hear the same complaints from todays soldiers and veterans of foreign postings . A Government which is quick to put Armed forces in harms way but slow to compensate
Anyone who says that shell shock, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is not a thing is either an idiot who doesn't know what they are talking about or they are lying. It is a real danger. As real as any physical injury. And it is probably the injury that's the most difficult to prevent.
Yea... the brain doesn't want you to get blown up, and thats also where your feels and motor skills and everything else comes from. Call it whatever you want, war isnt normal.
@@1987MartinT Its physically abnormal in the human brain, thats why we always react with shellshock, battle fatigue, PTSD, drug addiction, whatever. Its not a natural function to kill on command for reasons that aren't personal, watching people ripped apart screaming and dying, just for the words of older more powerful people.
"A terrible picture presented itself to me. A French and a German soldier on their knees were leaning against each other. They had pierced each other with the bayonet and had dropped like this to the ground...Courage, heroism, does it really exist? I am about to doubt it, since I haven't seen anything else than fear, anxiety , and despair in every face during the battle. There was nothing at all like courage, bravery, or the like. In reality, there is nothing else than texting discipline and coercion propelling the soldiers forward" Dominik Richert, German Army, 1914.
wow, really gladi i watched this. as a baltimore yank, an armchair history buff, age 61, never saw a docu that told the actual and basic truth of the US Army, WW1. And, never heard the pro-Canada, pro Currie stories, and suspect it's true. All I know of the Black Watch and Juno Beach Docus have turned out to be accurate historically speaking...
And guess who came to everyone's rescue? America! We are used to cleaning up European messes. Currie was a great soldier & had war gone on another year the British PM would have made him commander of all Brit soldiers & commonwealth soldiers but he was still a thief, embezzled $.
@@juliehildahl2758 The U.S. only entered WWI (and WWII) when it came down to no other choice but to do so because of threats to the U.S.. They did not do it out of altruistic (ie. "saving everyone") ideals. It is also quite a thing to come in fresh near the end of a war, after the other Allies have been fighting and dying and suffering for years and then claim the credit. I'm not saying the American contribution, albeit late, wasn't important, but it's like someone sitting out a team marathon event for 3/4 of the distance and then rushing in in the last quarter to bring in the final push with new energy...coming out on top and then claiming they were better than everyone else who went the full distance. It's really not a good look nor a fair way to treat allies.
It's a mental health disorder, definitely Not a brain injury. It's modern name is PTSD, which can cause a whole host of secondary mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, mania, insomnia, hyper-vigilance, ECT. You get the point, right?
We were born in 1608....we became a united community in 1775 and reaffirmed in 1812.... We became our Dominion, against all odds in 1867...and We became a Forge on the Ridge.
Yep, it's a disgrace. Canada also developed a lot of military tactics still used today. D day is the most annoying. Canada never gets the credit for taking the hardest beachhead. Always all about useless America
Thank you, Mr. Paul Gross, for narrating this video. BTW, you were AWESOME in Slings and Arrows, which, IMO, is one of the best producing/writing/acting combinations OF ALL TIME for the masses by way of TV! Keep it up! LL
Note to self,found another video on Hughes, he had ego I believe, but he was also a Canadian patriot, my thinking. He also called up Curry from retirement ,we all have our day's. God bless out there, happy Monday 🙏🇨🇦
Yeah well history is funny. Currie was in trouble because he embazzled money. He borrowed money to pay depts. so I think that had a part in him being put a side. And in doing so the Canadian Corps.
Sam has a rifle he’d like to sell you, Vernon. Best in the world, as long as you keep it dry and clean, don’t fire it too frequently, and use the right ammunition. He was quite the character.
I've seen at least five different spellings for Curry and think my spelling is wrong but what I don't have wrong as a former US Army Infantry squad leader is that of all of the north American Generals he was the one that inspired me the most, not Patton not Eisenhower but our Canadian cousin. Curry, or Currie, you know who I mean.
It appears either version would be correct. Reading on his bio, his original name was Corrigan, but when his grandparents emigrated from Ireland, they changed their name to Curry (anglicized) and Aurthur himself changed it to Currie. You can be forgiven for the spelling error in light of this.
@@inconnu4961 thank you very much for providing that interesting information, sometimes history seems to be a vast " lost and found " and the good General deserves place in found column .
Yes. None of us can comprehend things that we did not witness. All we can do is pass on the memories of our observations of those that were in these things. These will be the histories that keep our sons from killing each other because they are bored and in need of excitement. I will pass on my dads memories of being a child and watching his grandfather eat durring in the late/morning hours, steak or whatever food he wanted because he starved in the trenches and swore he would always eat whenever he was Hungary. Or how he laboured in his breathing, while walking on a sidewalk with a very low angle. His chest heaving due to his damaged lungs, an experience from being gassed in 1915.
And our children will describe war as " It's just like a big video game but it's for real. Lotsa killing but you never get hurt and if you run out of lives, you just have to press "R"."
they do in holland ,school children keep graves of canadians tended with love ,,it was ww2 but relevent to canada , i am 70 when i was a 16 yrold i worked with a man who was wounded at ypres ,he was with a raiding party ,5 infantry to bayonet the wounded from the grenades or mills bombs that he would toss into enemy positions ,they where spotted and a shell burst killed all except billy telling the story ,he was wounded with shrapnell in his back ,he laid alone all night wounded and passing in and out ,,he was picked up the next day by a stretcher party ,he bought the shrapnell and showed me ,just lumps of jagged iron ,he had 12 wounds ,,on nov 11 th i will remember them
My grandfather said when it was over nobody believed it was because every weekend they said it was over but they was always the comfort of a wet ditch to sleep in while machine gun bullets screamed over head as your lullaby.
Currie was a genius, one of the world’s great leaders of men, an innovator (unlike the British and French generals) who found a way to get results with far fewer casualties than.others could.
@@myparceltape1169 I think you are on to something. So many tank generals in ww2 were cavalry, not Rommel. He started in the infantry. He even wrote a book about infantry tactics. It is still an applicable book for infantry today.
Two of my grandfathers and grand uncle would be proud of present day Canada. My father served in the RCAF and both myself and my sister served. We have a good country that tries its best. Do something good. You sound like one of these new-age Conservatives.
Really? Ashamed of what? All the things that were promised to the Vets when they returned home in 1919 and in 1945-46?The Universal health care? The high standard of living? The very high lifespan? Canada is a great place. I think that the vets would be proud. If you look at what they had to endure before the war horrendous working conditions, massive corruption, and people were literally starving to death on the street. My father and grandfather (both vets) were proud of what the nation has become. How could I be different.
@@kinggeorgeiii7515 The only censorship I've seen lately have been Reich Wing Nutters screaming about how certain books trigger them. Not so much from sane people though.
The Netflix of History. Use code 'timeline' for 80% off bit.ly/TimelineHistory
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My great granddad, a young man from Cornwall, England - who had moved to America in 1912, signed up for the Canadian Army in NYC March 1918. He was not a US citizen at the time. He was assigned 3rd Canadian Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Canadian Corp. He fought in the last hundred days of the Great War. He survived and came back to America to further build his future. He lived to be 87 years old and I am grateful to have known him well. He inspired me so much. He still does.
Ya they don't make ppl like that generation anymore that's for sure we have so much but we still complain far to much these days hats off 2 your grandfather thanks for his service all the way from Guelph Canada 🇨🇦
Good man.
👍
My great uncle fought for most of WW1 sadly he died in Passchendaele. He survived the somne and Vimy but not the last big Canadian battle.
I am a French Canadian from Acadian descendants. We were killed and deported by the British for years around 1755. English folks think we didn't care or fight well my great uncle volunteered. He had to travel by train 8 hours away to enlist.
My grandfather was refused by the military due to being too malnourished. The army felt so awful food was donated to his college were he was studying at the time because so many were so malnourished and sick.
My dad served for a few years though never deployed. My mom won though when I thought about a military career. My dad wanted me to become an officer. I do wonder if I would have served better our communities and country if I had enlisted.
My friend will be retiring soon he was deployed to Afghanistan for 6 months. He was a mess when he returned back but luckily he had a baby girl and has been happy.
Anyways lest we forget who fought for our freedom and rights. Thank you to all who have served and sacrificed for our freedom and protection. 🙏
Oh you mean he went to the US not America, Canada is in America you know, the US is NOT America. They are a tiny part of North, Central and South America.
We will always remember them. I'm a 30 years old from Langemark, near Ypres. Even the war has ended over a 100 years ago, people in Flanders Fields will always be thankful for the Canadians, British, Aussies, kiwis, French, Indian, even the German who lost their lives here. The presence of war is still visible everywhere in the landscape, not forgetting the millions of shells, explosives, gas canisters, human remains we still find yearly, even in our own garden. Visiting the battlefields still has an eery atmosphere till this day.
my grandfather fought in Ypres and was wounded the irony is his name was Flanders Liam Flanders born 1890 in Brampton Ontario.......the grandson of IRISH stock.
God bless
God bless 🙏🙏 this is the saddest documentary I have seen. You Canadians are special people
I am sorry that it happened but nobody alive can apologise for it.
Thank you for your comments.
Americans have left the chat...
General Arthur Currie is a True Canadian Hero. This should be compulsory teaching in all Canadian schools.
So why dont they? Any idea?
So why dont they? Any idea?
@@inconnu4961They do. If you take a history class, he's talked about.
General Sir Arthur Currie
But Currie didn't change the course of history.
Much respect to our fellow dominion brothers and sisters from Australia 🇦🇺❤🇨🇦
Right back🍻
I remember being taught in school that population growth was such that ww1 and ww2 didn't even register in the graph of population vs time. That's false for both Canada and Australia. Canada lost about 69000 out of 9 million. Australia about 60,000 out of 5 million. Each had 100s of thousands wounded. We justly celebrate our accomplishments in the Great War but we paid a horrific price
The Canadians were unstoppable, so much respect for them. this documentary was well made. unfortunately in school here in Australia we learnt the Australians were used as a human shield for the English forces. Because we were still considered the convict settlement of the English.
Almost all Canadians are big fans of Australians as well! My wife and I visited down under a long time ago, and if we hadn’t just put down permanent roots in my home city of Vancouver, we’d’ve stayed in Brisbane. Or in Bunbury! West coast was epic! Love Australia! Come on over and visit Canada when you can!
@@charlesmitz5239 Actually, Canada lost far few men by population than virtually every other combatant nation, 0.8-0.9%. This compares with Australia (1.2%), New Zealand (1.5%) and the United Kingdom (1.9%). All are dwarfed by Germany (3.4%), France (4.3%) the Ottoman Empire (13%) and Serbia (16.4%).
It’s about time someone made a documentary about how badass Canadians are. Please share this video so these boys accomplishments are remembered.
I doubt if many Canadian vets care to be remembered as ‘badass.’ They fought for their buddies then, as they do now. My Grandpa was a Vimy vet. Proud, yes. Humble, yes. Tough, yes. Brave, yes. Disciplined, yes. Braggart, no. Badass, never. Badass is about impressing others and glorifying the act. Facta non verba.
@@dashcroft1892 I see your point Canada let’s her actions speak. Just showing out proud of our history I am.
Many of us brits who know something of the Great War recognise the Canadian sacrifice and pay our respects to your great nation. The Vimy Monument is without doubt the most beautiful and touching one anywhere on the western front.
JTF2 facta non verba
@@jackthebassman1 thank you Jack. My Grandfather was a stretcher bearer in the Canadian Corp. He served in the 11th field ambulance. He was at Vimy, but would never speak about the war. I'm sure the memories were painful. In Canada we often refer to April 9, 1917 as the day we became a nation
I stand in absolute awe of these men this makes me proud to be Canadian and I thank them for their service and sacrifice in these extremely strange days this gives me hope
more then ever.
As a Canadian who has lived abroad the reputation of the Canadian military through its victories and sacrifices over the past 100 years gave me an automatic respect I was very conscious of earning and maintaining during my travels.
Awesome my sister!
I was in Germany for two years.
With the NATO forces.
We got along so well with the German civilians. ❤
The Americans brought Crime, sexual assault, theft armed robberies to the areas around their bases. Stomping around like outlaw bikers.
The Cool Americans (I met many) would travel disguised as Canadians. Just to avoid the hate.
✌️🌈🇨🇦
As a relatively new Canadian I made a point of watching this. And all I can say is, thank you.
Where are you from?
Glad if you’re a new Canadian you watch and learn about our history that makes me proud.
Canada should be immensely proud of its effort and sacrifice in both World Wars. From a thankful and very grateful UK.
We want reparations. Pay me.
The Canadian Army was invincible and pushed the Germans back in every battle in the last 100 days. Proud to be Canadian.
same here brother.....be safe
Oh so many temptations!!! But ya pride of ones country is pretty awesome. I do love Canada! As an American I just have to say... that is NOT bacon, that is ham!
@@realmetis8002 be safe? You Canadians really do care about each other. And one more thing, that is NOT bacon, that is ham!
Mike, Untill i watched this I had no idea what was given by the Canadians. Respect it was very enjoyable. Never tahght this at school.
🇨🇦🤘
My great great grandfather fought for Canada in WW1 🇨🇦🇬🇧
Oh my god he does exist! I just thought John Doe was that person in that show that no one knows?
God bless your GG Grandfather!!! Nothing but respect for those men & women
@@juliehildahl2758 for some reason I exist too 🙌🏻
God bless him.
John cagney fought and died at vimy ridge, 31st canadian infantry alberta regiment B company. This is one of my distant relatives. He was a Canadian citizen but originally Irish (like me) from Cork
Even as a small boy in the Battle of Britain and the London blitz, it was a wonderful comfort to know that Britain had real dependable allies who were more than just helping they were there alongside all of us, friends alongside to the end.. Much strength was drawn from this. We saw them everywhere in their uniforms, and even the food that appeared on the Table came from Canada. What more can you say? We were , i am sure all in awe that they unhesitatingly came to Britain's aid with such energy and strength.
"A country who has on more than one occasion come to the defense of this great nation" (from a speech in the British house of parliament - speaking of Canada)
@@ArcticAmaarok God bless the Canadians and ANZACS, Indians, North and South Africans
My grandfather was a motorcycle dispatch during the Battle of Britain, he brought back the motor of one of those buzz bombs. My great grandfather served for Britain during ww1 and moved to Canada afterwards.
Two of my great grandfathers served during WWI. My grandfather also stormed Juno Beach with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders on June 6th, 1944.
My paternal grandfather who was tall for his age (5,9" aged 15) lied about his age and enlisted in 1916. He was wounded three times, caught VD and fought in every major battle that the 2nd Division fought in. He loved soldiering, joined the Canadian Scottish and was hyped to go overseas again in WW2 when my Grandmother found out about his banging another woman and she ratted him out to the army about how badly wounded he was in the Great War. The army agreed with grandma, kept him at CFB Vernon as a machine gun instructor.
My Uncle was there too with the NNSH!
@@bgorveatt He was from the Devoe clan.
How utterly Canadian to try and bury the reputation of a great General as Arthur Currie .
The 100 days campaign and the battles leading into it won the war
What a brilliant leader Arthur Currie was. What courage and fierce our soldiers had. Though you are all long departed from this Earth, you will never be forgotten. So proud to be Canadian, so proud!
I always felt that the Canadians never got the recognition that they should have got It's nice to see a video like this about the Canadian army From a Proud Canadian🇨🇦
My uncle Jim was at Vimy ridge. He was in constant pain from the bits of shrapnel coming to the surface and having to be removed. He was in and out of surgery countless times. I'm amazed that he lived as long as he did.
R.i.p
My father lost a leg by stepping on a German landmine in WW2. Canadians were great soldiers in both World Wars. We owe them everything.
A massive debt we owe the very brave men of Canada 🇨🇦 🇬🇧. Thank you for your sacrifice
Absolutely not
@@therooster1339 why
Thank you Canada
This made me shed a tear of patriotic proudness
Un tel homme. Il n’ya qu’un Canada.
@@dashcroft1892 bien sur mon ami
Thank you grandpa and all the other Canadians for your sacrifice. Gone But Never Forgotten
Amen.
Pride, Valour & Integrity. The lament of the Canadian Corps!
The Maple Leaf Forever!
❤️❤️🇨🇦
Prouder than ever to be Canadian
Excellent documentary on the efforts of Canadian forces during World War I. Glad to see that they are receiving their just due credit; too bad, it is only 100 years too late.
My Grandfather fought with the 31st battalion South Alberta in world war 1 .Wounded at hill 60 in the Yypes salient. Sadly Canadian war history is not taught in our schools ,which is a disgrace .Respect to our Commonwealth brothers and to our American , French and other allies .
The history of Canada (and the U.S. and Australia) should be taught as a heroic narrative. Canada has a great martial history and, in both world wars, sacrificed her sons and daughters for the freedom of others.
At the time of ww1 canada was still pretty young nation, so canda sarficed half the 1 quarter of the population, lest we forget
I live in langemark near ypres. May we never forget the heroes who fell here and keep remembering them because they gave us the ultimate sacrifice a human could do. Die for a better world.
My friend Edward Cooper was awarded the VC in 1917 with the British Kings Royal Rifle Corps at Langemarke.
Brought a tear to a Canadians eye 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
Everything does that to Trudeau. Ever time I see that guy he's crying.
@@no.4mk126 He's a sensitive soul, and about as popular as his father was before his father left office!
@@inconnu4961 Fidel Castro died he didn't leave office.
Arthur currie, the definition of humble heroism. God, we'd probably lost the war without him
I know alot about WW2,not near as much about WW1.Didnt know til now the Canadians were such badasses.Sounds like they were the finest army in the world,& Im American.
Respect brotha sometimes the rivalry gets in the way we all deserve credit when due. Americans are the bravest dudes I know stay safe down south🇨🇦
@@martincuda7947 Very, very true! The flow of people back and forth over the 'border' was near constant! My mother's side of my family emigrated from Canada to the US to work her mills & factories. We were one generation old when this war broke out, fought for the US, but still kept ties with family back in Canada! And Canadians were not always kind or understanding to see fellow Canadians leave for the US. Whole towns in Quebec were emptied as the people moved to the US work and have a better life! Even though so many had the intention to move back to Canada, most never returned!
I know this is a ww1 video yet as a guy from the netherlands, the canadians will always have a special place in our minds and heart for liberating us in ww2, thank you lads, a tremendous sacrifice yet a justified one in my opinion. Bless all Canadians.
The Canadians referred to the American Army's Rainbow Division as arriving after the storm! As am an American, we should all be PROUD of our neighbors to the North! They served with distinction and Honor. God bless them! I have always found Canadians much more polite than American City people that can be rude and selfish. Not all Americans are like city people. Most rural people work for a living and don't like city people either.
Americans served with distinction and honor too. We were not part of the British Empire and so America did not have to declare war on Germany in 1914. This fact is something lost on our neighbors to the North.
Ya, generally we’re huge fans of Americans as well.
I heard another of those John in Trafalgar Legion in Victoria B.C. Old guy in a corner alone with a beer said to himself "The great American doughboys! They were kneaded in 1914 and didn't rise until 1917 and were kneaded in 1939 and didn't rise until 1942 I found that amusing as i went back to my ship.
Americans should be proud of their WW efforts! Canadians always stood by their brothers to the south! Freedom must prevail!
Sisters are truly heroes for Canada, there should be a monument for them
A brilliant, moving, really exemplary documentary, fully worthy in every way of the heroism, dedication and sacrifice it more than chronicles but depicts and duly honours. Much thanks for your service too who produced it and presented it here. God bless.
Je suis français et j'habite à Vis-en-Artois, où l'Offensive des Cent Jours s'est poursuivi, à partir du 26 août 1918. Pour ceux qui auraient des doutes sur la Vaillance et la Combativité des Troupes Canadiennes, je les invite à venir constater, sur place dans les cimetières, le nombres de jeunes gens, qui se sont sacrifiés pour nous délivrer de l'emprise allemande que nous subissions depuis 4 années. A titre d'exemple significatif, le 2 septembre 1918, 7 Soldats Canadiens , reçoivent la Victoria Cross pour leur bravoure dans l'avancée des Troupes Canadiennes. Souvenons-nous, Philippe.
Merci c'est tres gentille Phillipe mon grandpere etait dans les deux guerre mondial
Merci beaucoup Philipe, Nous nous en souviendrons toujours. 🇫🇷 🇨🇦
Love you Canadian folk.
Greetings from England...We wont forget .
Aw, I love you too :)
@@Usammityduzntafraidofanythin 💞💕
As a young Canadian myself I hate war and the fact we still do it and threaten it all over the world. That said I have studied WW1 and others since childhood with the aim of understanding how, and the heroism of those who tried to stop it. A switch is flipped if war does happen, that anger at injustice has a direction, and like my ancestors I know I would fight and die in foreign fields to prove the same point. Many of the lessons from the war itself are forgotten, but those brave men themselves live on in our hearts.
We need to invent a new concept for war. War that saves lives instead of taking lives. eg. World War III against Covid and its ally the Anti-Vaxxers. Pick items to war against that you know that it will benefit humanity. eg. war on climate change. Instead of putting out money to space programs, use that same money to figure out the renewable power mystery. A lot of money can be made.
@@davidleaman6801 lol covid is just a disease, the war would be with the fascism that removed all our rights for 2 years claiming false emergencies. I didnt allow the pandemic to happen, and I can fight covid alone easily enough, thats not my problem. The problem is I still cant live regardless, because of new fundamentally illegal "health guidlines".
Arthur Currie was a rare thing in this War. A General who valued life.
Had to, out of necessity. Canada had only 4 divisions doing the lion's share of taking ground amongst the Allies, in addition to receiving insufficient reinforcements from Canada (the Government had to enact conscription in 1917 and many refused).
as the commenter above said smaller combatants like canada had to , while the absolutely massive armies of continental europe could take massive losses and still keep going
@@odochartaighofodonegal9815the mention of the Canadian government having to enact conscription shows the low-level of commitment of the population.
@@anthonyeaton5153 Conscription was a death sentence for politicians in Quebec, seeing how French descendants had a problem fighting for Britain, even though they would have been fighting for the 'Motherland'- ironic huh ? Over the entirety of the conflict 630,000 served, with 530,000 being volunteers, the remainder being conscripts, but only from 1917.
@@odochartaighofodonegal9815Artillery takes the ground, the infantry occupies the ground. Basic ware fare. How much could 400,000 men do against hundreds of thousands. Don’t overstate your case and remember WW1 would still have been won without Canada but not without Britain.
My Grandfather was a surgeon in the Canadian medical corps . His rank was Major . It is said when he finally returned long after the end that he packed his war chest up , disposed of it , medals and all and never spoke of it for the remainder of his life .
There is a different example of a closed chest I have seen.
Refugees fleeing from Mao's army put everything, not much more than the clothes they were wearing into a chest and left it in the hallway of their house.
For over 40 years, till eventually they died of old age. I wonder who disposed of the chest.
As a surgeon, he had to deal with the maimed and suffering, every day. It's no surprise that he compartmentalized his war experiences and tried to get rid of them.
I lived spent about 7-years of my childhood in a town that had a large army training base. There was a large number of homes built for officers than were later sold to veterans when the base closed in the 1960’s. Veterans of WW1, WW2 and Korean War.
As a kid, I never even thought about why so many friends fathers had alcohol problems no doubt dealing with the demon memories of war. I very clearly remember my father telling me that a neighbour nearby had been on the Death March when the Japanese captured Hong Kong. The man was gaunt and seldom spoke. My father told me that he was a real hero. I was too young and ignorant to appreciate that man’s experience. My father never talked much about the war. I don’t think many fathers did. They just did their best to carry on with their lives. Only now that I myself am old do I have enough context of life to recognize how war affects the minds of men. My father was in the CDN Navy. He was reassigned off the destroyer he served time a few months before it was torpedoed and sunk. So many men he knew were lost. No question the war and convoy trips through the North Atlantic, witnessing lost ships, dead bodies, men asking to be picked up out of the water but not permitted to stop and help them. When a man is in his early twenties, the horrors of war last a life time. A circumstance an entire generation carried. I doubt any of us other than another veteran of war can not grasp what a heavy weight they carry in their minds. Thanks to all that served.
Young men are sent to the fight, supported by their parents and neighbours.
They return to remake the world they should have been part of all the time.
No wonder the strains sometime show on the outside.
Imagine you spent 4 years killing a man's sons and then had to ask him to let you plough his fields.
Easy ???
The impact of PTSD was not understood until, what, the 1970s? So many veterans were scarred for life and suffered alone, taking solace in drink and the company of only those others with shared experiences.
Brilliant.
Thank you.
Canadians have every right to be proud.
Thank you for this. Very good film indeed. Great film clips I had never seen before too. I have huge admiration for the Canadians in WW1 - superb fighting machine. My great uncle Claude Stevens (who had emigrated to Canada a few years before WW1) won the MC with the Fort Garry Horse in the 100 days for leading his (mounted) squadron against a defended wood on 9th Oct (Bois-de-Montaux-
Villes and Bois-de-Cattigny). and capturing 400 Germans... crazy! However, it must be remembered that the Canadians often attacked with other participants too. For instance, at the remarkable Drocourt-Queant engagement, First Army with the Canadian corps also had the XXII Corps, and the 11th (Northern) Div, less 34th Brigade, as well as the Third Army which had the XVII Corps, 52nd (Lowland) Div, 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Div, and the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division with them.. Other breaches in the Hindenburg line were also made without the Canadians - eg the Battle of St Quentin canal with the at the end of Sept 18.British, ANZACs and Americans . But back to the Canadians, incredible performance when you consider all the major engagements they were in and came out on top.
In two world wars and Korea, Canadian forces out shadowed all the rest,by meeting the toughest challenges and overcoming them. Despite how Canada’s “leaders” have devalued our once great fighting force,the strong men and women currently serving are all willing,able and ready. I was refused because of a broken back,but wish I could have served with the best.
Strayed a lot of asian civilians in korea.
Thousands. Right on.
@jaypee389 alot less than the kpa did still tho. If they were killing 10000 and we killed 1000 to stop it, did we kill 1000 or save 9000?
Jackalister
where were the Canadians at the Battle of the Imjin River in Korea in 1951 and where were the Canadians at the Battle of The Hook in Korea in 1953.
As an American, I take my hat off to the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) for their bravery and outstanding achievements on the Western Front. The British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, referred to the Canadians as "the shock troops of the Empire." I also wish to salute those Canadian airmen - e.g. Raymond Collishaw, Donald MacLaren, Andrew McKeever, Frank Quigley, and William Barker -for their prowess in air combat during the War.
Billy Bishop.
Wish my grandfather could read some of these comments. Would have uplifted his heart to know what they went through was appreciated 💕. Bless them all.
My Grandfather Cpl Edward Albert Andrews was a 48th Highlanders of Canada 75th infantry in ww1
15th
@@dagbohsons6087 sorry you are incorrect. His service number was 139503 and his medals list him with the 75th Canadian Infantry.
48th highlanders sent 3 battalions in WW1. The. 15th, 92nd and 134th.
75th is the Mississauga battalion.
The Canadians Australians Kiwis Indians etc all fought heroically from 1st Ypres 1914 (where Khudadad Khan became the first indian to win the VC) in the Empire army. In the last 100 days which was more bloody than trench warfare, they were very much in the vanguard of the advance. Arthur Currie and John Monash were as good as any generals in any army.
Pershing on the other hand was a bumbling idiot wasting tens of thousand of american lives hence the minimal impact of the meuse argonne offensive compared to the 100 days.
No Aussies at 1st Ypres me old mate.
@@anthonyeaton5153The Australians were busy fighting elsewhere .That you cannot deny .
The Canadian's showed how you do it after others could not. Never wavered from the objective..even with death. Held when other ally lines were collapsing ..scared krauts ....sucked in the gas..and brushed the bullets in the nests and still charged the objective. The Maple Leaf Forever.!
Arthur Currie deserves to be known in every Canadian household. To be ignored and discredited by his own government is shameful.
This film should be shown in every school in Canada to all grades and once EVERY year to teach our youth what made this country.
He is virtually unknown in Canada. In high school we were forbidden to study the Great War, It was evil and all those who were in it were the same. One teacher said anyone who volunteered did not deserve a pension.
Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen was quoted to us by a limey teacher (of all people). Vietnam war had something to do with this. I didn't listen and read on my own. The greatest Canadian General ever.
Sorry about your luck with that particular school board. I was in school post Vietnam, and I was taught that Canadians played a huge role in the last 100 days of WW1. That was in Saskatchewan. Did you by chance go to school in BC? They might have been influenced by the American draft dodgers who moved there in droves.
That overhead picture of the town of Passchendaele is one picture that really shows what WW1 battles were like. The complete devastation of anything and everything in sight. Just amazing and sad.
This is Part 3 ("The Last Hundred Days") of "Far from Home: Canada and the Great War". It starts with the Battle of Passchendaele and continues to the end of the war. Part 1: "Sam's Army", Part 2: "The Battle of Vimy Ridge". All were narrated by Paul Gross who wrote, directed, and starred in the movie "Passchendaele" (good effort...we rarely produce anything like it in Canada, but oh it needed a rewrite)
Thanks.
Canada - what a magnificent nation !
From sea to sea to sea
@@fergusmallon1337 To sea
My grandfather was a reservist with the Winnipeg Rifles, Pre-WWI. He was also a locomotive fireman, and so had some "management" experience as well as working and living on his own. On January 1, 1915, he signed on with the "Regulars" and was part of the 1st Canadian Expeditionary Force to northern France. He spent the whole of that unbelievably dreadful war fighting in that area - in the process was wounded by shellfire and 4 German gas attacks. However, they just kept patching him up and sending him to the forward lines. He said Gen.Arthur Currie was a brilliant man, who took endless pains with both training and logistics. By the time of Vimy Ridge my grandfather had been promoted to being a Sergeant-Major, partly because he' managed to survive for 4 years, but also because he was a very good tactician. He participated in the Vimy Ridge assault, a well as the battles that followed. At the war's end, he was judged to be "40% disabled" because of lung damage from the gas attacks - which didn't mean much since pensions for wounds were rare and not much money. He went back to the railroad, and returned to being a fireman, until he had enough seniority to be rated as a locomotive engineer. He did that for the rest of his working life, married and was the father of six children, and went on to become the senior union representative on the 'road from Toronto to the Pacific. He was a small, slight man, with the manners of a true gentleman. After retirement, he wwound up in hospital several times, to remove pieces of shell fragments - his wounds had become very painful. He lived into his early 90's, and finally succumbed to pnenumonia aggravated by having lost 40% of his lungs. He lived an extraordinary life, but was so quiet and so humble that he rarely, if ever mentioned either his war experiences or the decades spent on the railroad. He was decorated several times, but would not wear either the ribbons or the medals. I think the memories associated with those were events he did not want to re-live. Heroic does not begin to describe his life, or the way he lived it.
My paternal grandfather left England - from Manchester - to come to Canada with my grandmother and their 4 year old daughter in 1912.
By early 1915 he was in combat on the western front. In November, 1918 his luck ran out and he left a leg in France.
He returned to Canada in 1919 and left hospital in 1920. He never spoke of his experiences.
Sadly he died young... probably due to alcohol abuse but it was pretty hush, hush. No doubt those 5 years were the cause.
"How many knights and princes are going to be killed .... the officers, general staff at their chateaus, fine villas, waited on hand and foot, stroking away with careless pens thousands of lives." Isn't that the story of almost every war- beyond unforgivable.
Thank you Canada 🇨🇦
Love 💕 you my fellow Canadians 🌸🌾
We remember your courage and strength 🍁💫
What giants. Thank you to the men and women who sacrificed in The Great War. Everyone had such a strong sense of duty to their fellow man. Its somewhat sad to see how backwards we've got things now fighting for our own self interests and 'My Own Happiness'. It wont leave such an honourable legacy.
The civilian 'Dominion' soldiers from Australia, Canada and New Zealand were the finest in theatre. Shock troops among the demoralized French, the often timid British, and later the reluctant Americans. They were magnificent. The Dominion troops were generally big, strong, smart, practical men who could improvise and turn their hand to anything from shoeing a horse to fording a river or digging a tunnel. Frontier men.
Megafauna STOP! INSULTING the British and Americans they were both Brothers in Arms. Britain had 700,000 men killed in WW1 now I wonder how those 'Timid' men might have died, could it by chance that they fought and slugged it out with a powerful German army in many many battles.
Remember this,
The war would have still been won without the Canadaians but NOT without the British. Please don't diminish others to pump up your own, it is poor understanding of history.
Wow...All of this in some of the most difficult conditions & brutal fighting in human history...Very proud of our neighbors to the North! I wish we had more that could look past only what they're told.
LOL Why would people look past what they were taught? Why dont we simply teach properly from the start? Is it do to personal pride and political leanings? Even in the US, it depends on where you come from, what light the history of the US is presented to us. If you come from a progressive part of the country, you will get the self-loathing, America is a terrible place type rendition. We were not angels, but we were not demons either. Simply very fallible humans.
This is the true story of how Canada won WW1 thay you will not find in many other histories. It was British PM Lloyd George who called the end of the war 'Canada's 100 Days'. Canadians were not mindless warriors, they pioneered artillery observation from ground and air, calibrated artillery, the first use of tanks, made armorored personel carriers to transport troops to the battlelines and combined arms with infantry, armor, artillery and air observation and attack, telephone and radio communications. All of these were of great interest to the Germans who wanted to know why they lost the war. Blitzcreig was a great surprise to the Allies in WW2 because they never looked at why Canada was so sucessful. As far as I know Canada never lost a battle, offensive or defensive in the whole war. At Vimy Ridge the Allies had suffered 500,000 casulties and never took it. Canada took it in one day with 100.000 men and 5000 casulties.
Another little known fact is that just 4 divisions of the Canadian Corps, during the entirety of the war, met in battle, and defeated 25% of ALL German divisions fielded during the conflict. Is that not glorious ?
I'm not trying to detract from the glory for the Canadians but I'm not sure its quite as simple as that. Anzacs and Brits had tried in vain to take Vimy, and failed but the Germans were worn down buy by their attempts. Remember, 60-65% of Canadian troops at Vimy were British-born anyway. The Germans were exhausted and starving, battered by effective accurate artillery and much weakened, when the Canadians had a go. Many of them more or less walked in, others as you expect from Canadians, performed fantastically. But it is a bit disrespectful to demean the attempts of others. It was a battel of attrition. Currie was a key reason for success, maybe Anzacs or Brits would have taken it at that stage, with such wonderful preparation and training and with his leadership, and with the number of machine guns that the Canadians units had. But again, the Canadians were undoubtedly superb, we owe them a great debt of gratitude. The British PM acknowledged this, rightly so. Just trying to give it some balance.
@@OldWolflad Appreciate this attempt at balance! Canadians are not accustomed to having much pride in their nation, unlike Brits & Americans. We NEED to let them have this moment!
The Soviet Union of Canada.
2024
Rodneyinvsnco,
Canada DID NOT WIN WW2, it is a STUPID STATEMENT on stilts. The war would have still been won without Canada but not without Britain.
Think about it
RIP to my great grandfather who was a sergeant for the Canadian military in WW1 - Thomas Edward Flynn
Every time this documentary is interrupted by an advertisement,my blood boils. How ungrateful ,uncaring and cold are those who try to profit on the graves of these precious men.Lester from Cape Breton N.S.
Hi there... it is best to pay for the subscription ... then no adds.
I watched this documentary with disquieting interest, the anger beginning to boil within me until this moment when I've had to pause for this comment. The honor and courage with which the Canadian Corps conducted themselves is without question. Yet in this war, as with any other there were people who were too quick to step in and demand the credit when all was going well and even more quick to strike to villainy when thing did not necessarily go as planned. The attitude of the politicians and military superiors who sit in oak paneled offices behind great desks far from the war and the fighting, eating off of silver and sipping tea. It greatly offends me. As it would any combat veteran, of which I am one, having served in Vietnam. These lording politicians are the one who start these wars and have been since the beginning of time. Never has a war been started by someone just going about the business of living. But we are the ones who pay the price so that people like Winston Churchill, who we saw in the top hat can have that s****y grin. War is pure evil. The worst thing man can do to his fellow man, complete and utter insanity. Governments who send their people off to war, for any reason should honor and respect their people who they ask to go and not berate,ignore,and forget them on their return. P.S.No, I am not a Canadian.
Maybe time for some new, stronger meds.
"These lording politicians are the one who start these wars and have been since the beginning of time. Never has a war been started by someone just going about the business of living. But we are the ones who pay the price ..." You said this perfectly.
@@kincaidwolf5184 I am fully aware of the service that Mr. Churchill had provided as a soldiers Lord of the Admiralty during the 1st World War and his service before that. In fact, it is my opinion had Britain listen to him during the inter-war period there very well may not have been a Second World War.. However, it is clear, through some of his actions during the war that he desperately wanted to hang on to the dominance throughout the world that Britain had enjoyed for centuries, largely because of her Navy. He continued in this vain hope long past when it was obvious that for a variety of reasons Britain was no longer going to be able to. That's not to take away anything from the tremendous effort, both personal and professional that he exerted to win the war along with all of the other allies. I just thought he looked a bit to smug there and it upset me as it is the politicians who start these wars.
I'm not an intransigent cheer boy for Winston Churchill, and I don't mean to detract from the force of your comment - just to remind you that Churchill was no stranger to combat. He experienced the thick of it - including time spent at the sharp end of the front in France leading troops in WWI - just forget when and for how long.
Maybe today you can understand....its not always a choice but a necessity
Excellent documentary. It’s elucidating to see just how effective and innovative the Canadians under Arthur Currey were. The Germans actually kept track of their movements to determine the apex of a coming attack! Only criticism is that it was unnecessary to take an entire subheading to disparage the American effort. It’s true they were late to the effort and not nearly as effective as the Canadians. They suffered under questionable and obstinate leadership. The Canadians had their initial hiccups too with the Ross rifle and the bumbling of Sam Hughes.
Sorry Currie
Don't worry. How many documentaries have you seen that focus on the Canadians' contribution...
Your right, the Ross rifle was a disaster in the mud of WW1, but it was actually one of the finest rifles made at the time. It was extremely accurate and used by hunters and competition shooters long after the war.
The Ross sucked at infantry role, but was amazing for sniping and was still used in WW2, also hughes being very hubris.
As an American, with Canadian ancestors I personally, and doubt few Americans take much offense at this. i for one am happy to see Canadians taking pride in themselves! It is no secret that Canadians tend to struggle with their identity: being 'British' for so long then coming into the shadow of the US. quickly after that! Canada & the US have strong ties and i hope they remains true indefinitely!
Have you ever read this before: not even in '45 did German squaddies admit fear ofthebRed Army+ although admitting fear for their families),but during '17- 18 they admitted to be terrified of the Canadian's.
I honestly think this is overplayed, I have read many German journals and the only real reference I can find is that they knew they were Canadians if they had more machine guns. They didn't really fear anyone, but didn't like the Canadians as they often killed them after surrendering.
Germans didn't like Canadians in both wars because they thought of as barbaric and desperate which is perfectly fine by me. The Germans started it and got what they deserved. Plain and simple.
Proud Canadian here btw.
@@crixusthenorman1603 My late Father served in Korea,he always said that no UN troops would F with the Canadians,not even the Turks.
@@crixusthenorman1603 You have every right to be proud, and the Canadian contribution to the war was immense. But having studied rafts of German documents about the front, I can find little about the Germans being fearful of anyone. They certainly didn't like to surrender to Canadians as they thought they would be bayonetted rather than taken prisoner, and they noted that when being attacked, Canadian units had far more machine guns. They may have been more effective because of such certain factors but I can't find any proof that they were used as storm-troopers any more than normal allied divisions. You have to separate the myth from the facts. A detailed study was made of '% of successful attacks against opposed German opposition' during the '100 Days' by IWM Head historian Peter Simkins. For example, the 'successful opposed-attack' record of the nine British divisions in Rawlinson’s Fourth Army was 70.7 per cent - exactly the same as in the five Australian Divisions, and only slightly lower than that of the four, much larger Canadian Divisions (72.5 per cent), and well above that of the New Zealand Division (64.5 per cent). Moreover two British divisions - the 19th Western Division and 66th Division (both comprising mainly soldiers from north-west and midlands of England) had success rates of 100 per cent, and the 9th Division (Scottish) had a success rate of 93 per cent, this last averaged out over fourteen separate attacks. The 24th Division (London and also East Anglia) racked up an 85 per cent success rate and the 16th Division (Irish) 80 per cent. There is more, however. Six Dominion divisions (1st, 2nd and 5th Australian and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Canadian) achieved a success rate of between 70 and 80 per cent in 'opposed attacks', but so, quite apart, from the divisions mentioned above, did five more British Divisions - Guards Division (Coldstream, Grenadier, Irish, and Welsh Guards), 18th Eastern Division (London, Home Counties, East Anglia, and South Midlands), 24th Division (London area), 34th Division (Northumberland and Tyneside), and 38th (Welsh). From this it is possible to infer that 10 of the 56 British divisions did as well, or better, than the six crack Dominion divisions. And remember, the British had also fought throughout the Spring of 1918, whereas the Canadians were generally fresher during the last 100 days. But of course, these findings highlight that the remaining 46 British Divisions had slightly lower success rates, perhaps to be expected bearing in mind the number of Conscripts. Again, separating fact from myth is important.
@@OldWolflad I’ve always been suspicious of Simkins stats. Simply put, where are they? They should be available for review and open to the possibility of critique. That’s the intellectual honest thing to do. But all I can find are the same often quoted percentages, with zero background or disclaimer on method.
Without seeing that, I would still point out that the Canadians were routinely given “difficult” assignments. That was the case at Amiens (where of course they spearheaded along with the Aussies); the Droucourt Switch (a horrendous depth of heavily defended land, with multiple length of barbed wire 60 ft deep; the most fortified of the war according to Currie), the Canal du Nord crossing and subsequent move against Cambrai, etc. These were some of the toughest objectives (if not the “toughest”) in those last 100 days. And I’m not sure how Simkins methodology accounts for any of it, because it’s simply not available.
I recall that at Canal du Nord, after it was taken in what some historians have called “the most impressive operation of the war” or something along those lines, their was mention about how an assault by a neighbouring division to the Canadians left, using a Canadian bridge built by CEF engineers, allowed for complete success for that neighbouring BEF division. This of course after the riskiest part was taken care of already with Currie’s audacious plan having been executed. So how would that be accounted for by Simkins?
The title of this UA-cam video does not match the actual content. The actual documentary starts after Vimy Ridge and covers right up to and after the armistice. Someone should correct this. It is an excellent documentary which describes the enormous contribution of the Canadian Corps in the last year of the First World War.
I am not Canadian.
Chris Gage I'm proud to be Canadian
The first part is called/ Far from Home, Sams Army, it is on time line and on youtube.
@@punkjd6886 I'd be proud if Chris Gage was Canadian.
Nope, goes right after Hill 70 (August 15-25 1917)
The Gage name is well connected with the history of and between the U.S and Canada. I live in Hamilton Ont.Can.and the history behind that name is here to stay. From the Revolution to the war of 1812 and their legacy lives on with Gage Park.
My grandfather served in WWl. Wounded 3 times, gassed twice. He never talked about it much, very little. And of course today I'd like to ask him a little bit. Maybe just as well, as I believe that he suffered from PTSD. Not said they said people suffered from PTSD back then but I'd bet it ran rampant, sadly. His generation may not be the same as those in WWll but they were very special. There all gone now. But thanks so much for there sacrifice. He came back and was very prosperous till he went home just before his 93rd birthday. Hurts my heart 💓 now that I'm older and see what they went through. Don't know what they went through or know how they felt, but can understand that to talk about it would hurt there souls.
PS: Thank you also to the nursing sisters!
PTSD has been a thing since war has been a thing. Unfortunately, most accounts of wars have been from the view point of the officers, often because they were most often literate AND kept diaries and accounts. Having accounts from the field soldier is a more recent thing, especially so many accounts of them. I think it was only since WW1 that such an emphasis has been put on the mental state of the soldier who experienced constant fear for their life and and serious trauma from wide destruction.
BRAVO CANADA! And GREAT General Arthur Curry.
General Curry has to be one of the most underrated General's in military history.
He was a idiot and a imbecil
@@louisdugas4067 And still 1000 times more accomplished than a troll on UA-cam.
@@louisdugas4067 Curry is 10x the man you are buddy.
@@louisdugas4067 Only in the minds of idiots and imbeciles like you. BTW learn to spell louis.
That said why don't you learn about about General Curry I'd suggest you may want to try the Military Biography of Sir Arthur Curry to get a reasonably accurate take on the man's accomplishments. After all no idiot would have been made commander of all Empire forces on the Western Front, if the war had continued into 1919.
During WWII, the Germans feared the Canadians most. They referred to them as ruthless, fearless fighters, remembering their battles from WWI.
My Uncle landed on D-Day with the NNSH, and it was the murder of their captured comrades in a church cemetery near Caen that lit their anger above their fear and fought ruthlessly against the Germans all the way into Holland. Canadians, the greatest freedom fighters ever.
Thanks for posting!!
Another thing their great courage purchased for our country was the soverignty and right to decide how and when to enter WW2, which we did quickly but of our own accord. This is one of the few times in history where an empire legally gave up rights to one of its massive colonies as thanks for protecting them in war.
"This is the most outstanding documentary on Canada's role during the Great War."
~ All Nine Livez
Francis Pegahmagabow could not be stopped. Under fire, a ghost that roams the battlefield. Move between the lines, a soldier breaking the confines
Sounds like a First Nations name, am i correct? Do you know what tribe he was from or more info? Are you of First Nations heritage?
Canada in both the 1st and 2nd world war were the absolute gold standard of a fighting force! They were called in where ALL the others failed, and NEVER lost a battle!! Canada does not get the credit it deserves!! If not for Canada WWI would have been lost!
As a Canadian normally we are chill but when we need to be we are ruthless
Nah, just a lot of pent up rage, that you finally took out on the poor Germans!
Canadian Government has traditionally treated thier military with indifference . From Currie down they fought for King and country only to return home to fight again for benefits etc . Treated with a callous indifference We hear the same complaints from todays soldiers and veterans of foreign postings . A Government which is quick to put Armed forces in harms way but slow to compensate
Anyone who says that shell shock, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is not a thing is either an idiot who doesn't know what they are talking about or they are lying. It is a real danger. As real as any physical injury. And it is probably the injury that's the most difficult to prevent.
Marcos 989 Patton was an idiot
Yea... the brain doesn't want you to get blown up, and thats also where your feels and motor skills and everything else comes from. Call it whatever you want, war isnt normal.
@@MrLoobu Sadly, wars happen frequently enough that it is normal. But that doesn't mean that they are something anyone should have to experience.
@@1987MartinT Its physically abnormal in the human brain, thats why we always react with shellshock, battle fatigue, PTSD, drug addiction, whatever. Its not a natural function to kill on command for reasons that aren't personal, watching people ripped apart screaming and dying, just for the words of older more powerful people.
"A terrible picture presented itself to me. A French and a German soldier on their knees were leaning against each other. They had pierced each other with the bayonet and had dropped like this to the ground...Courage, heroism, does it really exist? I am about to doubt it, since I haven't seen anything else than fear, anxiety , and despair in every face during the battle. There was nothing at all like courage, bravery, or the like. In reality, there is nothing else than texting discipline and coercion propelling the soldiers forward" Dominik Richert, German Army, 1914.
Sobering thought, and from our war time adversary at that!
wow, really gladi i watched this. as a baltimore yank, an armchair history buff, age 61, never saw a docu that told the actual and basic truth of the US Army, WW1. And, never heard the pro-Canada, pro Currie stories, and suspect it's true. All I know of the Black Watch and Juno Beach Docus have turned out to be accurate historically speaking...
No offense, but about 325,000,000 Americans are similarly educated on your northern neighbors
And guess who came to everyone's rescue? America! We are used to cleaning up European messes. Currie was a great soldier & had war gone on another year the British PM would have made him commander of all Brit soldiers & commonwealth soldiers but he was still a thief, embezzled $.
Canada has a great military history from the Boer war to Afghanistan. Canada also turns out fabulous documentaries.
@@juliehildahl2758 Who saved the hostages in Iran?
@@juliehildahl2758 The U.S. only entered WWI (and WWII) when it came down to no other choice but to do so because of threats to the U.S.. They did not do it out of altruistic (ie. "saving everyone") ideals. It is also quite a thing to come in fresh near the end of a war, after the other Allies have been fighting and dying and suffering for years and then claim the credit. I'm not saying the American contribution, albeit late, wasn't important, but it's like someone sitting out a team marathon event for 3/4 of the distance and then rushing in in the last quarter to bring in the final push with new energy...coming out on top and then claiming they were better than everyone else who went the full distance. It's really not a good look nor a fair way to treat allies.
Such a good show those Canadians
The Canadians gave more of themselves and left it all on the battlefield. I honor them.
They really punched above their weight, for sure! Not quite 8 million total population, but so many served and served with distinction.
Shell shock = traumatic brain injury. Unbelievable it took us a century to figure that out!
It's a mental health disorder, definitely Not a brain injury. It's modern name is PTSD, which can cause a whole host of secondary mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, mania, insomnia, hyper-vigilance, ECT. You get the point, right?
@TRIGGERED! that's sort of how all wars go. Send in the grunts, Semper Pie 🍰
Birthplace of a nation.
We were born in 1608....we became a united community in 1775 and reaffirmed in 1812.... We became our Dominion, against all odds in 1867...and We became a Forge on the Ridge.
Not anymore Trudeau is pissing in our face
Marcos 989 💦
@@darrenturcotte7799 I know it must be difficult but please try to remain on topic
@@fergusmallon1337 WW1 was a banker war anyway.
canadians had hardest fighting ww1 and 2, and no credit....better then the best
Yep, it's a disgrace. Canada also developed a lot of military tactics still used today. D day is the most annoying. Canada never gets the credit for taking the hardest beachhead. Always all about useless America
@Khalif Domond they took the 2nd hardest beach
@Khalif Domond Omaha was the hardest with Juno right after that. Utah was actually the "easiest", having less than 200 casualties.
@highstreetkillers4377
You Canadians are getting as gobby as the Australians when talking about WW1 and 2. Wind it back.
@@highstreetkillers4377 Juno was no where near as dangerous as Omaha, and I'm British
Thank you, Mr. Paul Gross, for narrating this video. BTW, you were AWESOME in Slings and Arrows, which, IMO, is one of the best producing/writing/acting combinations OF ALL TIME for the masses by way of TV! Keep it up! LL
My uncle and grandfather were over there. My uncle survived Vimy and Passchendaele but not the war.
Paul Gross (Due South) doing the voice. Cool!
An absolute disgrace , nay it was an act of criminality to execute shell shock victims
This is an important documentary, it's a shame that it's presentation is marred by the occurrence of so many lengthy commercials
You can just skip to the end, let the last 10 seconds play and then replay the video 😉
@@MrSwisseagle ... that worked a trick
UA-cam would be unwatchable without ad blocker.
Wonder if narrating this is what inspired Paul Gross to do Passchendaele a few of years later.
Mr. Curry was treated terribly, and Mr Hughes was cagy,watched a history story about Hughes.
Note to self,found another video on Hughes, he had ego I believe, but he was also a Canadian patriot, my thinking. He also called up Curry from retirement ,we all have our day's. God bless out there, happy Monday 🙏🇨🇦
Yeah well history is funny. Currie was in trouble because he embazzled money. He borrowed money to pay depts. so I think that had a part in him being put a side. And in doing so the Canadian Corps.
Sam has a rifle he’d like to sell you, Vernon. Best in the world, as long as you keep it dry and clean, don’t fire it too frequently, and use the right ammunition. He was quite the character.
Hughes was a patriot. Often wrong as well
@@dashcroft1892 actually a lot of snipers in ww1 LOVED the Ross rifle. It just wasn't suited to a regular infantry rifle though, that is for sure.
I've seen at least five different spellings for Curry and think my spelling is wrong but what I don't have wrong as a former US Army Infantry squad leader is that of all of the north American Generals he was the one that inspired me the most, not Patton not Eisenhower but our Canadian cousin. Curry, or Currie, you know who I mean.
It appears either version would be correct. Reading on his bio, his original name was Corrigan, but when his grandparents emigrated from Ireland, they changed their name to Curry (anglicized) and Aurthur himself changed it to Currie. You can be forgiven for the spelling error in light of this.
@@inconnu4961 thank you very much for providing that interesting information, sometimes history seems to be a vast " lost and found " and the good General deserves place in found column .
Yes. None of us can comprehend things that we did not witness. All we can do is pass on the memories of our observations of those that were in these things. These will be the histories that keep our sons from killing each other because they are bored and in need of excitement.
I will pass on my dads memories of being a child and watching his grandfather eat durring in the late/morning hours, steak or whatever food he wanted because he starved in the trenches and swore he would always eat whenever he was Hungary. Or how he laboured in his breathing, while walking on a sidewalk with a very low angle. His chest heaving due to his damaged lungs, an experience from being gassed in 1915.
And our children will describe war as " It's just like a big video game but it's for real. Lotsa killing but you never get hurt and if you run out of lives, you just have to press "R"."
Every time An Englishman or A Frenchman sees A Canadian They should give them A BIG HUG; I know I would.
Good luck getting a Frenchman to hug anyone, especially a Canadian. They don't even like French Canadians.
Never
Pleased to inform you, mission accomplished............daily.
they do in holland ,school children keep graves of canadians tended with love ,,it was ww2 but relevent to canada , i am 70 when i was a 16 yrold i worked with a man who was wounded at ypres ,he was with a raiding party ,5 infantry to bayonet the wounded from the grenades or mills bombs that he would toss into enemy positions ,they where spotted and a shell burst killed all except billy telling the story ,he was wounded with shrapnell in his back ,he laid alone all night wounded and passing in and out ,,he was picked up the next day by a stretcher party ,he bought the shrapnell and showed me ,just lumps of jagged iron ,he had 12 wounds ,,on nov 11 th i will remember them
@@Sal77 So correct.
My grandfather said when it was over nobody believed it was because every weekend they said it was over but they was always the comfort of a wet ditch to sleep in while machine gun bullets screamed over head as your lullaby.
Currie was a genius, one of the world’s great leaders of men, an innovator (unlike the British and French generals) who found a way to get results with far fewer casualties than.others could.
Not sure but is it possible that Rommel noticed how fast movement has an impact.
@@myparceltape1169 I think you are on to something. So many tank generals in ww2 were cavalry, not Rommel. He started in the infantry. He even wrote a book about infantry tactics. It is still an applicable book for infantry today.
The Canadians were bonnie fechters. Love from Scotland, the auld country. 🇨🇦🏴💙♥🙏🏻
Aye ❤
Finally, Canada gets the light it deserves
Gen. Curry was top notch
Our boys would be ashamed of what our country has become. Sad times indeed
Two of my grandfathers and grand uncle would be proud of present day Canada. My father served in the RCAF and both myself and my sister served. We have a good country that tries its best. Do something good. You sound like one of these new-age Conservatives.
Really? Ashamed of what? All the things that were promised to the Vets when they returned home in 1919 and in 1945-46?The Universal health care? The high standard of living? The very high lifespan? Canada is a great place. I think that the vets would be proud. If you look at what they had to endure before the war horrendous working conditions, massive corruption, and people were literally starving to death on the street.
My father and grandfather (both vets) were proud of what the nation has become. How could I be different.
@@kinggeorgeiii7515 The only censorship I've seen lately have been Reich Wing Nutters screaming about how certain books trigger them. Not so much from sane people though.
Had just read a book on the battle of Vimy Ridge. It’s cool to put faces to the names.