Construction of the memorial

In 1924, the Canadian Battlefield Memorials Commission hired Dr. Oscar Faber (a young Danish structural engineer) to prepare foundation plans and to provide general supervision on the foundation work for Walter Allward's creation. This was no easy task given the many tunnels, barb wires, unexploded shells and bodies under foot. In 1925, work began. Slowly, with picks and shovels, the ground was dug in, cleared of war debris and leveled.(Excavation for Vimy Memorial. National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

Soon after, the foundation work began.(Foundations of Vimy Memorial. National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

For years men toiled...(Men working on concrete reinforcements for foundations of Vimy Memorial #1. National Gallery of Canada.)

Moving 65,000 tons of chalk and clay and even more building materials on horse drawn light railway cars...(Horses pulling "cart" on tracks for excavation of foundations of Vimy Memorial. National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

...putting up 285 tons of steel rebar...(Men on steel reinforcements for concrete for central pylons of Vimy Memorial. National Gallery of Canada.)

...and hand pouring 6,300 cubic yards of concrete...(Men working on concrete reinforcements for foundations of Vimy Memorial #2. National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

...until a foundation strong enough for the monument was in place.(Concrete foundations of Vimy Memorial. National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

In 1928, after three years of work, this was what the platform looked like. It was almost ready to be covered by the warm, white Seget limestone chosen by the creator of the monument.(Construction of the Vimy Monument. Musée Royal du 22^e Régiment.)

This stone was quarried near Split, in present day Croatia. Difficult to quarry and to ship back to France by boat, it took a full year for it to arrive on site.(Harbour (postcard). National Gallery of Canada.)

Once there, all blocks were inventoried...(Dressed stone blocks in workyard. National Gallery of Canada.)

...and lined up in groupings according to their rightful final placement on the monument.(Vimy Ridge, February 1928. W. and M. le Chat. National Gallery of Canada.)

Vast hangars were built so stone cutters and carvers could get started on pre-shaping the rough blocks...(Men working on squared and numbered stone blocks in same workshop as previous photograph. National Gallery of Canada.)

Work then began on covering the immense and unsightly concrete bed with the beautiful white stone that would soon rise from the landscape to be seen from miles around.(Installing stone facing. National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

As work progressed, workers started carefully setting in place the blocks in which all 20 allegorical statues would be carved.(Large stone block being raised up ramps, Vimy Memorial. National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

Among them was the single largest individual block of limestone used on Vimy Ridge; the one in which the Figure of Canada would be carved.(Large stone being placed on Vimy Memorial. National Gallery of Canada.)

As work continued on the pylons (left), a wooden studio was constructed (right) around the two-metre deep by four-metre high block. This allowed the carving to take place safely and away from the weather.(Close view of stone face, first level with hut. National Gallery of Canada.)

Once the 30-metre pylons were completed, the grouping of 8 statues making up the Chorus needed to be carved. It is interesting to see the rough, uneven blocks almost hanging from the pylons, waiting to be chiselled.(View from side of central pylons with overhead protection. National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

A larger hanging studio was built at the top of the structure.(Central pylons enclosed, view from left. National Gallery of Canada.)

As seen in this aerial picture, all statue groupings were eventually protected by temporary studios in which carvers could work.(Aerial view of Vimy Memorial under construction. Library and Archives Canada.)

...was then used in conjunction with half scale plaster models to produce full size, roughly hewn statues...(Duplication of Female Mourner. National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

The Tomb was also created in this way.(Sculptor sculpting the tomb for the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, France, 1935. Library and Archives Canada.)

...and after all this work, the most important and painstaking of all jobs could begin. Carefully sandblasted...(Man with protective headgear sand blasting names in face of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial along with man in a coat holding a book. National Gallery of Canada.)

...and meticulously etched, the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers left lost and graveless after the war were finally added to the brilliant white walls as an eternal testimony to the cost of freedom. After more than 16 years of planning and construction, the monument could be unveiled!(Two men cutting names into the face of the Vimy Memorial. National Gallery of Canada.)

...which were hand finished by master carvers under the watchful eye of Allward, who took part in every aspect of the monument's creation.(Sympathy of Canadians for the Helpless, Finishing touches, October 18^th, 1932. Library and Archives Canada.)

High up on their pylon and still under their protective studio, the finished statues of Justice and Faith are waiting for Hope to be carved.(National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

Here, Peace and Honour over the blocks into which Charity will be carved.(National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

Eventually, statues like The Sympathy of Canadians for the Helpless (below) were ready to be uncovered.(National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

Workers laboured over finishing touches all around the monument...(Photo showing the back of the Figure of Canada before coping stones have been placed into position on either side. It also shows the Douai Plain in the distance. National Gallery of Canada.)

...and detailing more intricate decorative pieces like these.(National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)

There, a device called a pantograph (black metal rod and pin hanging down from top of photo)...(Dressed stone blocks in work yard. National Gallery of Canada. Gift of Peter Allward, 1986.)