Content to use in your web page for Assignment 2 Please note: we extracted text for this assignment from these websites: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/ http://www.linksnorth.com/canada-history/canadaandworldwar1.html _________________________________________________ Webpage 1: Homepage Each year, Canada marks Veterans' Week from November 5 to 11. Veterans' Week is a time to honour and remember all those who served Canada in times of war, military conflict, and peace. All Canadians, especially youth, should be taking active role in commemoration. Taking part in remembrance events develops a deeper understanding of the sacrifices and achievements of those who have served and continue to serve our country. To become involved in remembrance, you could - talk to a Veteran - visit a local cenotaph or monument - read a book - attend a Remembrance Day ceremony When we take an active role in commemoration we become part of a legacy of remembrance and gratitude. We also set an example for future generations so that the torch of remembrance continues to burn brightly. __________________________________________________________________________________ Webpage 2: Famous Battles Battle of Vimy Ridge: The Battle of Vimy Ridge began at 5:30 a.m. Easter Monday, April 9, 1917, with some of the heaviest artillery fire of the war. Behind this, the first wave of 20,000 Canadian soldiers, each carrying up to 36 kilograms of equipment, advanced through the wind-driven snow and sleet into the face of deadly machine gun fire. Battalions in the first waves of the assault suffered great numbers of casualties, but the Canadian assault proceeded on schedule. Hill 145, as the main height on the ridge was called, was taken on the morning of April 10. Two days later, the Canadians took "the Pimple," as the other significant height on the ridge was called. The Germans fell back and the Battle of Vimy Ridge was over. The Canadian Corps, together with the British Corps to their south, had captured more ground, prisoners and guns than any previous British offensive of the war. Canadians would act with courage throughout the battle. Four Canadians would win the Victoria Cross, our country's highest medal for military valour. They were: Private William Milne, Lance-Sergeant Ellis Sifton, Captain Thain MacDowell and Private John Pattison. The Battle of Vimy Ridge would prove a great success, but it would come at great cost. Canadians suffered approximately 11,000 casualties, of these, nearly 3,600 of them fatal. By the end of the First World War, Canada, a country of less than eight million citizens would have more than 600,000 service people in uniform. The conflict took a huge toll with more than 60,000 Canadians losing their lives and 170,000 being wounded. At Vimy Ridge, regiments from coast to coast saw action together in a distinctly Canadian triumph, helping create a new and stronger sense of Canadian identity in our country. Canada's military achievements during the war raised our international stature and helped earn us a separate signature on the Treaty of Versailles that ended the war. Today, on land granted to Canada for all time by a grateful France, the Canadian National Vimy Memorial sits atop Hill 145, rising above the now quiet surrounding countryside. This great monument is inscribed with the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who were listed as "missing, presumed dead" in France. It stands as a tribute to all who served their country in battle and risked or gave their lives in the war and paid such a price to help ensure the peace and freedom we enjoy today. Battle of the Somme: Many Canadians know July 1st as Canada Day. However, in Newfoundland and Labrador, the day has an additional and more solemn meaning. There, the day is also known as Memorial Day and marks the anniversary of the fighting at Beaumont-Hamel during the First World War. During the time of the First World War (1914-18), Newfoundland was a dominion of the British Empire and not yet a part of Canada. Once Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914, Newfoundland like Canada was automatically at war. The people of Newfoundland responded with a great outpouring of patriotism and many rushed to enlist. From a total population of about 240,000, more than 12,000 Newfoundlanders would join up during the war and almost as many would try but be rejected for service. During the time of the First World War (1914-18), Newfoundland was a dominion of the British Empire and not yet a part of Canada. Once Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914, Newfoundland like Canada was automatically at war. The people of Newfoundland responded with a great outpouring of patriotism and many rushed to enlist. From a total population of about 240,000, more than 12,000 Newfoundlanders would join up during the war and almost as many would try but be rejected for service. The 1st Newfoundland Regiment was quickly assembled and hastily trained, with the first recruits sent overseas in October 1914 to become a unit of the British Army. They would become known as the "Blue Puttees" because of the colour of the uniform leggings they wore on their lower legs. After seeing action in the Gallipoli campaign in Turkey in late 1915, the regiment was withdrawn and the Newfoundlanders sent to the Western Front in France in the spring of 1916. Following the opening battles of 1914, the First World War in Western Europe quickly bogged down into trench warfare with the opposing armies dug in, facing one another from a complex series of trenches across the blasted 'No Man's Land,' defended by lookouts, barbed wire, and guns. Artillery, snipers, grenades, mines, machine guns, and sickness took a great toll. The generals could see only one way to end the stalemate brutal frontal assaults in the face of intense fire to break the enemy defences. The Allied plan for 1916 was to make the "Big Push," and the Somme was chosen as the site for a joint French and British assault. It would be on the first day of the Battle of the Somme near the village of Beaumont-Hamel in northern France that the 1st Newfoundland Regiment would enter the action. Battle of Beaumont-Hamel: At 7:30 a.m., on July 1, thousands of British and French troops began their shoulder-to-shoulder advance across No Man's Land in broad daylight toward the German positions to open the Battle of the Somme. The result would be slaughter more than 57,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers were killed, wounded or missing the heaviest combat losses ever suffered by the British Army in a single day. The sector of the front in Beaumont-Hamel where the 1st Newfoundland Regiment would see action was supposed to be taken by surprise, but the Germans knew the attack was coming. In addition, the initial Allied bombardment failed to damage most of the German defences. At about 9:15 a.m., the Newfoundlanders forming part of the 29th British Division attacked from a support trench nicknamed St. John's Road. They attacked from this trench, which was actually behind the front line, because of the sheer number of soldiers involved in earlier attacks who were dead or wounded and clogging the front trenches. This meant that the Newfoundlanders had to traverse more than 200 metres in full view of the enemy before they even made it to the Allies' own front line. Once they made it to No Man's Land, they were then expected to cross through tangles of shattered barbed wire to reach the enemy trenches more than 500 metres down the slope. As the Newfoundlanders advanced toward the enemy, there was a tree halfway down the slope that marked the spot where German fire seemed to become particularly intense. This gnarled tree was nicknamed the "danger tree" by the Newfoundland troops and it marked the spot where many of them would fall that morning. As they walked into the hail of machine gun and artillery fire, it was said that many of them tucked their chins in, almost like they were walking into the teeth of a blizzard back home. But this time it was not snow flying all around them the 1st Newfoundland Regiment would be practically decimated in less than half an hour of intense German artillery and machine gun fire. July 1st would only be the first day of more than four brutal months of fighting during the Battle of the Somme, a campaign in which Canada would also see significant action. By the time it was all over, the Allies would have more than 650,000 soldiers killed, wounded, missing or taken prisoner, and both the Allies and the Germans would each lose about 200,000 lives. For this incredible cost, the Allies moved the front line forward about 10 kilometres. The losses sustained by the 1st Newfoundland Regiment at Beaumont-Hamel on July 1, 1916, were staggering. Of the 801 Newfoundlanders who went into battle that morning, only 68 were able to answer the roll call the next day, with 255 dead, 386 wounded and 91 missing. The dead included 14 sets of brothers, including four lieutenants from the Ayers family of St. John's. The Newfoundlanders' sacrifice did not go unnoticed on the front lines. The commander of the 29th British Division said of the actions of the 1st Newfoundland Regiment on that July morning: "It was a magnificent display of trained and disciplined valour, and its assault only failed of success because dead men can advance no further." The Newfoundland Regiment would be practically wiped out, but the survivors would continue to see action in the fighting and reinforcements would come to help rebuild the regiment. The 1st Newfoundland Regiment would go on to earn the official designation "Royal" from the British Crown in recognition of the regiment's gallant actions in the battles at Ypres and Cambrai later in the war the only unit of the British Army to earn that distinction during the war years. By the end of the war, more than 6,200 Newfoundlanders had served in its ranks, with one quarter of the regiment's overseas force losing their lives and almost three-quarters of those who served in battle becoming casualties. The loss of so many young lives, compounded by the number of wounded, disabled and sick who returned to Newfoundland after the war, would have a significant impact on the colony for many years afterward. The incredible sacrifices of the men of the 1st Newfoundland Regiment at Beaumont-Hamel still echo in Newfoundland and Labrador. The citizens of the province pause July 1 to remember those who gave so much to help protect the peace and freedom people in our country enjoy today. As one of the most striking First World War memorials in Europe, the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial in France stands as a monument to those from the colony who gave their lives in the First World War. The site is one of few where visitors can see a Great War battlefield much as it was, its artillery craters and trenches left untouched after the war. The twisted skeleton of the danger tree has been preserved and still stands at the spot where many brave Newfoundlanders fell on that tragic morning . . . a permanent reminder of the great courage and sacrifice seen that day. The monument of the great bronze caribou, emblem of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, stands on the highest point overlooking the former battlefield. At the base of the statue, three bronze tablets bear the names of more than 800 Newfoundlanders who died in the war and have no known grave. The Battle of Normandy: History tells us that June 6, 1944 was the beginning of the end of the Second World War. Imagine you were there ... By the spring of 1944, Germany had conquered most of the European continent, including France. A narrow stretch of water, called the English Channel, was all that separated the German Forces from Great Britain. An Allied attack on the French coast at Dieppe in August 1942 had resulted in heavy losses for the Allies, particularly Canada, but by 1944 the Allies had made strong gains against German troops in both Italy and Russia. A final victory over Germany could only occur with its defeat in western Europe. Knowing this, the Allies decided to launch a major invasion against German Forces on the European continent. The Allies planned this launch for more than a year. In total secrecy. Great numbers of troops, boats, tanks, supplies and equipment had been massed in England. Ground, sea and air forces rehearsed endlessly to make sure their timing and coordination was perfect. Portable docking facilities were built for the supply ships to off-load their cargoes in France. A long flexible pipe, called "Pluto," was built to carry fuel under the sea from England to Normandy. Even with all these preparations, the Normandy invasion would not be easy. The Normandy beach was littered with German land mines, barbed wire, heavy artillery batteries and machine-gun nests. Harbours along the Normandy coastline would have to be secured for the hundreds of ships that would be needed to ferry food, medical supplies, weapons and fresh troops after the invasion. Once in France, the Allied armies would need to get fuel through "Pluto" to continue the invasion of occupied Europe. For all these reasons, the coastline from Denmark to the south of France was known as "Fortress Europe." Defeat would have meant certain disaster as there would be no way to move troops to safety. But if the invasion succeeded, the Allied Forces would finally gain that all important foothold in western Europe and a chance to liberate France, Holland, Belgium and Denmark from German occupation. Despite fierce German opposition at Juno Beach, Canadians captured three shoreline positions and established themselves near the village of Creully. Savage fighting in Normandy continued, as Canadian forces faced powerful German Panzer tank divisions in the struggle for Caen. Through the summer of 1944, the fighting continued through choking dust and intense heat. The living conditions were terrible and the enemy was ruthless. Even with these conditions, the troops moved forward and on August 25, 1944, Paris was liberated by the Allies. This successfully completed the Normandy campaign. But it would be another nine months before the Allies achieved total victory in Europe. The Cost of Battle: Against terrible odds, the Canadians advanced against the best troops the enemy had, but victory would come at a terrible cost. Canadians suffered the most casualties of any division in the British Army Group. Many paid the ultimate sacrifice, with their lives, and lie buried in a place far from their homes and loved ones. Others returned home with injuries to body and mind that they carry to this day. Canada, as a nation, owes an everlasting debt of gratitude to the men and women who have served and continue to serve their country in times of war, military conflict, and peace. Each year, on November 11, our nation pauses on Remembrance Day to remember those who served. During Veterans' Week, from November 5-11, Canadians turn their attention to recognizing the achievements and sacrifices of those who served and died for their country in the struggle for global peace. The collective experiences and stories of Canada's Veterans who landed in Normandy in that summer of 1944 and fought through to the Falaise Gap and beyond provide Canadians with a proud and lasting legacy that will continue into our country's future. We must always remember those who served, and the fallen. We must help to keep alive the values they fought and died for - truth, justice, peace, freedom and diversity. These values guide much of what we do today and reflect our free and peaceful country. Text on this page was taken from this website: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/information-for/educators/learning-modules/ __________________________________________________________________________________ Webpage 3: Remembering Remembering: Every day, we are part of the grandest story of all life. The Heroes Remember Web site allows us to share in a special time in the lives of ordinary individuals, who became extraordinary when life took an unusual turn. Young men and women departed from their families and the safety of their homes because of their unyielding sense of duty and patriotism and, for many, to satisfy their curiosity and desire for adventure. Most of them were unaware of, and innocent to, the notion that their service would change their family history forever. First-hand accounts of Canadian service men and women take us into the well-guarded and often private recesses of never-forgotten memories. Learn about events that helped to shape Canada as a nation, events which contributed to the formation of Canadian values and, most importantly, the personal encounters of Canada's brave young men and women with fate. They share emotional, sometimes incredibly funny, and always extremely interesting chronicles set in military action. These recollections are mostly from wartime, although some have taken place in more modern-day conflicts. Either way, hear from Canadian citizens who reside in all areas of the country, and who represent the various nationalities that make up Canada. Witness history unfolding through the eyes of the private, the orderly, the officer, the military nurse, the seaman, the paratrooper and the young teenage boy fulfilling a family legacy by following in his father's footsteps. Learn about contributions made by Canadians in the South African War in the late 19th Century, the first World War, the second World War, the Korean War, and afterwards. To learn of wars and conflicts through genuinely presented material is informative, but to also learn about the laughter, the tears and the friendships that were formed during that particular period is inspirational. Take a moment to glimpse into the lives of those Canadians who felt compelled to divulge their occasionally painful memories so that their fallen comrades may be remembered forever. Help carry on their memories, so that those who perished in war did not do so in vain. Veterans often say that they are more afraid of being forgotten than they are of death. Remember veterans by visiting the Heroes Remember Web site. Relive personal stories, listen to opinions expressed by valiant men and women, then share with others what you have learned so that stories from these Canadian heroes can live on forever. We hope you will share your experience with others so Canada's rich oral history will never be lost. Lest we forget. Stories can be found on: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance The text for the creation of this site (used for our assignment) was taken from: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/ ___________________________________________ Webpage 4: Q&A See Owl instructions for what to put here.