Amiens Building

Esquimalt, British Columbia
Type
Other

Building 1031 in Work Point Barracks was designated Amiens Building in 1977 by 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in honour of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry who fought in that battle and for which action they received a Battle Honour.

The Canadian Corps’ reputation in the First World War was such that the mere presence of Canadians on a section of the front would warn the enemy that an attack was coming. This meant that great secrecy would be involved in the movements of the Canadian Corps. A large offensive was planned in France in August 1918 and Canadian troops were shifted north to Ypres, Belgium. This made the Germans think a major attack was coming there before the Canadians secretly hurried back to the Amiens sector for the real attack.

On August 8, Canada led the way in an offensive that saw them advance 20 kilometres in three days. This offensive was launched without a long preliminary artillery bombardment as was usually done (which also warned the enemy that an attack was coming) and the Germans were taken totally by surprise. This breakthrough was a remarkable development and dashed enemy morale, with the German high commander calling it “the black day of the German Army.”

Inscription

AMIENS
BUILDING

BATIMENT
AMIENS

Location
Amiens Building

Lyall and Head Streets
Esquimalt
British Columbia
GPS Coordinates
Lat. 48.4261391
Long. -123.3983846

Amiens Building

Jack Bates
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