Today marks the 102nd anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge

Today is Vimy Ridge Day, a day to commemorate Canadian deaths and casualties in the Battle of Vimy Ridge fought 102 years ago in World War One.

Two Nova Scotia battalions – the Nova Scotia Highlanders, and the Cape Breton Highlanders – played significant roles in the battle.

Historian Jean Boileau says the Highlanders played a pivotal role in taking Hill 145, where the Vimy Memorial stands today.

“Although they were designated the Cape Breton Highlanders they did have soldiers from other parts of the province,” says Boileau. “They were to be a kilted battalion, but by this time they had not yet received their kilts, and were referred to derisively by the troops, by the soldiers in the other units as Highlanders without kilts.”

“Well after their actions at Vimy Ridge, well, they got the name 'The Never Fails',” continues Boileau.

He says the Cape Breton battalion were raw, untested soldiers, and two companies were ordered to attack – and ended up without artillery support for their 6:45AM attack.

That was due to an original planned bombardment being cancelled because of concerns the shells would explode among their own troops, and so the highlanders were waiting at the scheduled time for the artillery barrage.

“Within 30 seconds, the tension was broken with a battle cry from the highlanders, up out of the trenches, over the top, and advance towards the German lines, and immediately into a hail of rifle and machine gun bullets because there had been no preliminary artillery barrage to keep their heads down,” says Boileau. “So the troops had been ordered do not stop to fire, just keep moving and fire.”

“In fact, if they'd stopped, they would have been killed,” says Boileau.

By the time victory was declared at Vimy, more than 3,500 Canadian soldiers died, and another 7,000 had been wounded.

A commemorative ceremony is being held today at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.