The battalion arrived in France on February 10th, 1917. They were stationed at a rest camp before being transferred to Houdain and again to Gouy-Servins. The battalion was informed that they would be acting as a work battalion under the 4th division, and would be assisting with the build up of troops at Vimy Ridge. When the Battalion arrived at divisional HQ, they were met with jeers and insults. Men of the 72nd battalion, the Seaforth Highlanders, looked at the Nova Scotians as an ersatz regiment, for their lack of kilts. They called them the Highlanders without Kilts, as an insult, and laughed at their pipes and drums. This took a heavy toll on the battalion morale, but did not dismay them entirely. The battalion set to work, digging trenches, moving guns and ammunition, and taking turns as defensive troops in quiet sections of the line. The bands, which had not been approved for action in France, were forced to work with the rest of the infantry. Despite this, they had, with the officers' help, smuggled their instruments across the channel, and were able to play for the battalion in the evenings. This was a stroke of luck, as they were the only two bands within the division. For the remainder of the war they would act as the divisional bands, playing in parades and ceremonies on a semi-regular basis.
Vimy Ridge is a defining moment in Canada's history. The Germans had held the ridge since the early stages of the war, and since then, they had made it into a fortress. The ridge overlooked the Canadian lines for miles, making it seemingly impossible to move troops in secret. The Germans also had concrete dugouts throughout their lines, making it easy for troops to man their positions after a barrage. Along with the impenetrable front line defenses, the Germans had stationed large amounts of defensive artillery units in the woods behind the ridge. These guns were well hidden, and were pre-ranged to targets on the ridge, making it hard to assault without high casualties. Both the French and the British had both tried, and failed, to take the ridge, and now it fell to the Canadians.
After being given the task of taking the ridge, General Byng and Major General Currie set about reforming the Canadian Corps to deal with the task. Command while in combat was given to platoon officers, with their section commanders encouraged to act on initiative during combat. Supply trenches were replaced with a network of underground tunnels leading to and from the front line, keeping the movements secret to the Germans. Artillery troops trained tirelessly to perfect the creeping barrage that had failed for the British at the Somme. To combat the artillery, new techniques of detection were developed and the positions of German artillery were collected. The troops trained for months on a scale map of the ridge, and by the end of March, they knew every major position by heart. Every man was issued a map so that, in the event of an officer dying, any man can take over and command the section.
On April 9th, Easter Monday, the Canadian Corps sat in the tunnels under the ridge, waiting for the creeping barrage. At precisely 445 am, the barrage lifted, and the infantry poured out of their tunnels and into the assault trenches. Almost like clock work, at precisely 5 am, a creeping barrage began to roll up the ridge. Right behind it, marched the Canadian infantry. They continued to march up the ridge with almost opposition, advancing through all objectives by 1 pm. Some parts of the ridge, however, had failed to be taken. By mid afternoon, some battalions of the 4th division had to fall back as a rear guard, almost all the way back to the starting position. Hill 145, had yet to be taken.
Vimy Ridge is a defining moment in Canada's history. The Germans had held the ridge since the early stages of the war, and since then, they had made it into a fortress. The ridge overlooked the Canadian lines for miles, making it seemingly impossible to move troops in secret. The Germans also had concrete dugouts throughout their lines, making it easy for troops to man their positions after a barrage. Along with the impenetrable front line defenses, the Germans had stationed large amounts of defensive artillery units in the woods behind the ridge. These guns were well hidden, and were pre-ranged to targets on the ridge, making it hard to assault without high casualties. Both the French and the British had both tried, and failed, to take the ridge, and now it fell to the Canadians.
After being given the task of taking the ridge, General Byng and Major General Currie set about reforming the Canadian Corps to deal with the task. Command while in combat was given to platoon officers, with their section commanders encouraged to act on initiative during combat. Supply trenches were replaced with a network of underground tunnels leading to and from the front line, keeping the movements secret to the Germans. Artillery troops trained tirelessly to perfect the creeping barrage that had failed for the British at the Somme. To combat the artillery, new techniques of detection were developed and the positions of German artillery were collected. The troops trained for months on a scale map of the ridge, and by the end of March, they knew every major position by heart. Every man was issued a map so that, in the event of an officer dying, any man can take over and command the section.
On April 9th, Easter Monday, the Canadian Corps sat in the tunnels under the ridge, waiting for the creeping barrage. At precisely 445 am, the barrage lifted, and the infantry poured out of their tunnels and into the assault trenches. Almost like clock work, at precisely 5 am, a creeping barrage began to roll up the ridge. Right behind it, marched the Canadian infantry. They continued to march up the ridge with almost opposition, advancing through all objectives by 1 pm. Some parts of the ridge, however, had failed to be taken. By mid afternoon, some battalions of the 4th division had to fall back as a rear guard, almost all the way back to the starting position. Hill 145, had yet to be taken.