Hundreds of young cadets are in the Capital to help mark the 95th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
While today is the day thousands of Canadians will join the country's Governor General and Minister of Veterans Affairs in France for a special ceremony, students participating in local events say what's happening here is just as special.
"Canada came of age because of the courage of those incredible people back then and for young Canadians to recognize that and not only have this parade but then to mount the vigil through the whole night until [the] morning's service I think is absolutely wonderful," said Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk.
The young Royal Canadian Army Cadets began their vigil at 6 o'clock Sunday night. Groups of four cadets and one officer took shifts standing post at the memorial.
"I know a lot of people, their grandfathers, and great grandfathers participated in that war so it's nice to see that they actually came to see us. It makes us feel really good inside to know that other people feel the same way we do," said Brett Beauchemin.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a key victory in the First World War, taking a strategic ridge in France from the Germans. There were 97,000 Canadian soldiers who fought for it; 3,500 of them did not return home.
The cadets joined the Parliamentary Secretary the Minister of Veterans Affairs in the commemorative ceremony at the National War Memorial Monday morning.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Katie Griffin
