The Okanagan regiment in the Battle of Vimy Ridge had few casualties, which may be why it was glossed over in the media, according to an Okanagan College history professor.

B.C. had the highest volunteer and enlistment rate of all the provinces, said Howard Hisdal, professor at Okanagan College. 香蕉视频直播淭he regiment from the Okanagan took the centre of the ridge and we took it on time, with no difficulties and little casualties,香蕉视频直播� he said, adding the units that caught the public香蕉视频直播檚 imagination are ones that had the most problems.

Hisdal served for 18 years in the British Columbia Dragoons, which is a descendant of the second Canadian Mounted Rifles, which fought in France and Flanders until the end of the First World War. Initially, the regiment had between 600 to 800 soldiers from the Okanagan Valley and Victoria.

According to the Canadian War Museum, Canadian troops were ordered to seize Vimy Ridge in April, 1917.

香蕉视频直播淪ituated in northern France, the heavily-fortified seven-kilometre ridge held a commanding view over the allied lines. The Canadians would be assaulting over an open graveyard since previous French attacks had failed with more than 100,000 casualties,香蕉视频直播� reads the museum香蕉视频直播檚 website.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 like the hobbits and the ring in Lord of the Rings, we香蕉视频直播檙e the hobbits,香蕉视频直播� Hisdal laughed. 香蕉视频直播淭he reward we got for the success at Vimy was more difficult objectives as they came up.香蕉视频直播�

To commence the 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge, the Okanagan Military Museum is hosting a lecture series on topics which include: Vimy Pilgrimages Then and Now, The Great Way as a World and Colonial War, Nov. 2 from 5 to 6 p.m.; An Okanagan Regiment Captures the Centre of Vimy Ridge, Nov. 9 from 5 to 6 p.m.; Vernon Enemy Alien Internment Camp, Nov. 16 from 5 to 6 p.m. and Hell on Earth: Canada香蕉视频直播檚 Passchendaele Offensive, 1917, Nov. 23 from 5 to 6 p.m.

In his lecture, An Okanagan Regiment Captures the Centre of Vimy Ridge, Hisdal will speak about the success of Okanagan Valley soldiers during the battle, which is viewed as a defining moment in Canadian history.

香蕉视频直播淭hey went from being very naive to very good and actually becoming superior. The Canadians became the best killer of Germans on the western front,香蕉视频直播� said Hisdal, adding Canadian soldiers being portrayed as victims isn香蕉视频直播檛 realistic.

香蕉视频直播淭hey became very good at what they did and very aggressive. a battle and put it all through three lines of trenches to take the object. From then on, we didn香蕉视频直播檛 lose a single battle we were in (during the First World War).香蕉视频直播�

Retelling this history is important, so we don香蕉视频直播檛 lose our achievements, said Hisdal.

香蕉视频直播淲e fought hard and we earned ourselves a place in the world. We discovered we weren香蕉视频直播檛 inferior to any of the militaries香蕉视频直播� and then we forgot about that, we香蕉视频直播檙e constantly releasing it. We香蕉视频直播檙e not a people that make movies about ourselves.香蕉视频直播�

The lecture will have an outside component to show the public how Canadians took the ridge.

According to Keith Boehmer, of the Okanagan Military Museum, the museum has run several speaker series to honour the centennial of the First World War throughout the year.

Highlighting these events near Remembrance Day is important because it香蕉视频直播檚 a time to draw the public to these themes that other times in the year they may gloss over, he said.

He recommends seeing the internment presentation, as it speaks to a broader audience. 香蕉视频直播淲hich speaks about our current immigrant process,香蕉视频直播� and how originally welcomed, immigrants are turned and ostracized, he said.

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carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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