Battle of Vimy Ridge

Canadian Corps (1st British Army), 75,000
Lieutenant-General Sir Julian Byng, Commander
1st Division — Major-General Currio
2d Division — Major-General Burstall
3d Division — Major-General Lipsett
4th Division — Major-General Watson
Cavalry Brigade — Brigadier-General Seeley
13th British Imperial Brigade Reserves Troops—36,000

German Forces (Bavarians), 140,000
Crown Prince Rupprecht, Commander

The storming of Vimy Ridge by the dauntless Canadian Army Corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Julian Byng, was the most brilliant episode of the general attack launched along the Arras front on April 9th, by the First and Third British Armies. The Canadian Corps formed a part of General Sir H. S. Home's First British Army; it comprised 75,000 fighting troops in all the branches of infantry, cavalry, artillery, cyclists, aircraft and motor transport.

Assisting the Canadians in this operation were two famous British regiments, the Royal West Rents and the King's Own Scottish Borderers, forming the 13th Brigade of the Fifth Imperial Division. Some 36,000 other Canadian troops were held in reserve on the line of communication. The German forces occupying Vimy Ridge numbered 140,000 veteran troops, mostly Bavarians, commanded by Crown Prince Rupprecht.

Though the German strategists regarded Vimy Ridge as an almost impregnable position, yet in anticipation of an attack by the Canadians, they had taken the precaution to strengthen their position above Souchez Village by constructing a number of concrete and steel forts that would resist almost anything except a direct hit by steel. Also, by means of systematic mine explosions, they had broken up their front, scooping out a series of enormous craters, too wide for any attacking force to bridge.

In event of the Canadians attacking, they would be compelled to creep around the sides of these craters and expose themselves to the direct fire of thousands of machine guns cleverly hidden in the German...

German Sixth Army commander General Ludwig von Falkenhausen was responsible for the Cambrai–Lille sector and commanded 20 divisions (plus reserves). Vimy Ridge itself was principally defended by the ad hoc Gruppe Vimy formation based under I Bavarian Reserve Corps commander General der Infanterie Karl Ritter von Fasbender. However, a division of Gruppe Souchez, under VIII Reserve Corps General Georg Karl Wichura, was involved in the frontline defence along the northernmost portion of the ridge.
Position of the defending and attacking forces before the battle

Three divisions were ultimately responsible for manning the frontline defences opposite the Canadian Corps. The 16th Bavarian Infantry Division was located opposite the town of Souchez and responsible for the defence of the northernmost section of the ridge. The division was created in January 1917 through the amalgamation of existing Bavarian formations and had so far only opposed the Canadian Corps. The 79th Reserve Division was responsible for the defence of the vast central section including the highest point of the ridge, Hill 145. The 79th Reserve Division fought for two years on the Eastern Front before being transferred to the Vimy sector at the end of February 1917. The 1st Bavarian Reserve Division had been in the Arras area since October 1914 and was holding the towns of Thélus, Bailleul and the southern slope of the ridge.

Canadian Corps commander Lieutenant-General Sir Julian Byng commanded four attacking divisions, one division of reserves and numerous support units. He was supported to the north by the 24th British Division of I Corps, which advanced north of the Souchez river and by the advancing XVII Corps to the south. The 4th Canadian Division was responsible for the northern portion of the advance that included the capture of the highest point of the ridge followed by the heavily defended "Pimple" just west of the town of Givenchy-en-Gohelle. The 3rd Canadian Division was responsibl...