American World Traveler Summer 2017 Issue
Now in our 15th year of publishing, American World Traveler explores the culture and history of worldwide destinations, sharing the adventure of discovery with our readers and motivating them to make their travel dreams a reality. Published quarterly, AWT helps sophisticated, independent American travelers choose their next destination by offering a lively blend of intelligent, informative articles and tantalizing photographic images from our World’s best destinations, cruises, accommodations and activities to suit every traveler's taste.
Now in our 15th year of publishing, American World Traveler explores the culture and history of worldwide destinations, sharing the adventure of discovery with our readers and motivating them to make their travel dreams a reality. Published quarterly, AWT helps sophisticated, independent American travelers choose their next destination by offering a lively blend of intelligent, informative articles and tantalizing photographic images from our World’s best destinations, cruises, accommodations and activities to suit every traveler's taste.
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An Ode to Vimy Ridge & Canadian battlefields<br />
Article & Photography by Ilona Kauremszky<br />
Vimy Ridge is one of those haunting<br />
places that look beautiful from the<br />
outset.<br />
Surrounded by fields of green, the manicured<br />
lawn by the Douai Plain spreads over<br />
the rolling hillocks embraced by tall maple<br />
trees and at its epicentre stands the<br />
Canadian National Vimy Memorial, a jewel<br />
in the French countryside.<br />
Brief Backgrounder<br />
The memorial, an 11 years-in-the-making<br />
stone structure, was unveiled in 1936 by<br />
King Edward VIII to honour the Canadian<br />
fallen soldiers in a battle that has been<br />
described by historians as: “the Birth of a<br />
Nation.”<br />
Four divisions of the Canadian Corps that<br />
had never fought together came together<br />
here with the purpose to overtake the now<br />
infamous ridge. It was Easter. April 9, 1917.<br />
There was sleet, snow and muddy mounds<br />
mixed with blood and bones. The carnage<br />
was obscene, unimaginable. Out of 10,602<br />
casualties, 3,598 Canadians gave their lives.<br />
Inscribed on the ramparts of the Vimy<br />
Memorial are the names of over 11,000<br />
Canadian soldiers who were posted as<br />
“missing, presumed dead” in France.<br />
For bravery and heroism, Canada was<br />
awarded four Victoria Crosses considered<br />
the highest medal for military valour for this<br />
blood-spattered battle that occurred over 3<br />
days. They were: Private William Milne,<br />
Lance-Sergeant Ellis Sifton, Captain Thain<br />
MacDowell and Private John Pattison.<br />
The Canadian Battlefields Tour<br />
This spring I attended the centennial anniversary<br />
of the Battle of Vimy Ridge thanks to a<br />
special 11-day niche tour offered by<br />
Trafalgar Canada titled the Canadian<br />
Battlefields Tour. People ask me, “How did<br />
you get to see the ceremony?”<br />
The premier tour operator made it possible<br />
for my group to be there.<br />
With 70 years of touring experience under its<br />
belt Trafalgar is a pro on logistics handling<br />
the group transfers as it fulfilled the<br />
advanced booking procedures required by<br />
Veterans Affairs Canada. Every attendee was<br />
registered and the site was restricted and<br />
Celebrating Canada’s 150th
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