It’s called Canada’s forgotten victory.
On August 15th, 1917, roughly four months after the Battle of Vimy Ridge during World War I, Canadian soldiers successfully assaulted a position known simply as Hill 70 near the town of Lens, France.
In just five hours, the Canadians had succeeded where other forces had failed. Then they fought off 21 counterattacks over the next five days to retain the strategic high ground.
It was the first time Canadian troops fought independently under a Canadian commander, General Arthur Currie. In fact, Currie balked at the original orders by the British High Command to attack the town, suggesting the hill was the better target. They relented.
It was a victory orchestrated and performed entirely by Canadians, using newly-developed combat techniques. Some say it was the battle after which Currie and his forces were regarded as a national army and not just call-ups from the colonies. "The whole Canadian Corps for the very first time fought under a Canadian. And as a result it was a significant event in the development of Canada," says Mark Hutchings, Chair of the Hill 70 Project.
Yet the story of the Battle of Hill 70 is rarely told. Most Canadians have likely never heard of it.
Hutchings and his organization are trying to change that. The Hill 70 project is launching a series of initiatives to increase public awareness of the battle, including educational kits for students and teachers, a series of books including a graphic novel, and a travelling exhibit.
On Monday, the 99th anniversary of the battle, a small group of supporters, two young actors in WWI uniforms, and a piper, roamed downtown Ottawa to bring attention to their cause.
Their biggest initiative by far is a new monument to be built in Loos-en-Gohelle, France, just outside of Lens. Hutchings says they hope to break ground later this year. Construction will be completed in time for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Hill 70 in 2017.
The hope is that Canada’s forgotten victory will be forgotten no more.
