StraitTalk - November 2019

Vimy Ridge Memorial
Beaumont Hamel Monument
the Battle of Vimy Ridge was over. At Vimy
Ridge, regiments from coast to coast saw
action together in a distinctly Canadian
triumph, helping create a new and stronger
sense of national identity in our country.
We also stopped at the coastal town of
Dunkirk, a small town on the coast of France
that was the scene of a massive military
campaign during World War II. From May
26 to June 4, 1940, some 338,000 British
Expeditionary Force (BEF) and other Allied
troops were evacuated from Dunkirk to
England as German forces closed in on them.
The massive operation, involving hundreds
of naval and civilian vessels, became known
as the “Miracle of Dunkirk” and served as a
turning point for the Allied war effort.
On our last day, we visited the Menin Gate
Memorial in Ypres to witness the Last Post.
In 1928, a year after the inauguration of the
Menin Gate Memorial, prominent citizens in
Ypres wanted a way to express the gratitude
of the Belgian nation towards those who
had died for its freedom and independence.
Since 1929, the Last Post has been sounded
at the Menin Gate Memorial every night and
in all weathers. It was an honour for all of us
to view this ceremony.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit
Europe, take some time to visit these
sites which helped shape who we are as a
country today. You will see the beauty of
these monuments that honours the past
and reminds us of what was once so much
death and destruction. I’m sure If you visit,
the experience will stay with you forever; I
know it will for us.
Photos by Capt. A Keeping
The Danger Tree
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