I never found much use in my history lessons as a youth growing up in Toronto. Part of it was the boring curriculum and part of it was my general disinterest. That all changed when I decided to take Ancient History in 11th grade. Mr. Bobb was a funny and engaging teacher and my new found passion for history was kindled in his class room and I began my journey of reading anything I could about ancient civilizations and cultures. But still my thirst for knowledge of Canadian history had not quite been established.
That came years later after I moved from Toronto to Ottawa and sensing stronger national pride here, I picked up Pierre Burton’s two part book on the War of 1812. That really stoked the fires. I read through the Burton two book set quite quickly and wanted more. And there as part of a larger set of historic recounts was his book on Vimy Ridge. I wasn’t sure what Vimy Ridge was yet I was in my late 20’s or early 30’s by this point in time. This was the turning point in my life. This is when I knew I was proud to be Canadian. This was when I felt like a light had been turned on inside me. It was the same pride in hearing the tale of Arthur Curries creeping barrage and the taking of the ridge after so many Brits and Frenchmen had died trying. A day. It took merely a day for Canadians to boot the Germans from their entrenched position and another three to mop up the mess. But the ridge was ours. And it was the first time allied forces had taken a German position and held it.
November 11th is the day veterans around the world remember those who have fought and died for our country. But it was April 9th, 1917 that saw Canada come of age as a nation. Our troops fought as one cohesive unit, alone. Without our British big brothers guiding us. It is for this reason that I would dearly love to see April 9th turned into a day of celebration that should rival the national pride we feel on July 1st.
It is also for this reason that I think of Arthur Currie as one of the most important Canadians in our short history. Today he would be proud of the free nation, whose army he lead to our greatest wartime victory.