Two representatives from the Royal Westminster Regiment will be joining folks from around the world at the 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge.
New West resident Terry Leith is among a Canadian contingent set to attend ceremonies to commemorate the First World War battle at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France and the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
“It was one of the battles that basically defined the Canadian troops,” said Leith, who manages the Royal Westminster Regimental Association Museum in the Armory. “I believe it’s designated as Canadian soil where the national memorial is. They claim that during the Second World War Hitler posted guards there so it wouldn’t be destroyed.”
Vimy Ridge, located in northern France, is Canada’s largest overseas national memorial. The monument was built in 1936 to commemorate the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which was from April 9 to 12, 1917.
Leith is honoured to have been nominated by the Royal Westminster Regimental Association to attend the memorial celebrations and is proud to represent the Royal Westminster Regiment and its predecessor, the 47th Battalion (British Columbia).
The regiment has a strong connection to Vimy Ridge, as acting Cpl. Filip Konowal was with the 47th Battalion during the Battle at Vimy Ridge and the Battle of Hill 70. The New Westminster man received the Victoria Cross, the highest award in the United Kingdom honours system, for his bravery and leadership at Hill 70 in Lens in August 1917.
“Because I manage the museum, I deal with a lot of this. We have lots of photographs and stuff like that,” said Leith, who also serves as vice-president of the New Westminster Legion #2. “It’s going to be interesting. It probably will be emotional. I have never been over there. They say the memorial is just awesome.”
Dave Cole, the city’s manager of engineering operations, has been a reserve member with the Canadian Forces for 11 years. Each unit selected a member to attend and Cole was selected to go on behalf of the Royal Westminster Regiment.
“I will be part of the guard at the ceremonies. There will be several ceremonies that will be in and around the area. It’s incredible. It’s an amazing honour,” said Cole, who has never been to Vimy Ridge. “It means a lot to me as well because my great-grandfather died over there during World War I and his name is engraved on the Vimy memorial. I think it is going to be an amazing honour to stand up there where so many have fallen, and represent my unit here and the Canadian Forces. There was a lot of allies that participated in that particular battle. It means a lot for the Canadian side of it because the anniversary of Vimy Ridge for us was the day the Canadians took Vimy Ridge, whereas a lot of the other countries couldn’t, but we succeeded.”
