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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Benjamin Davies

In memory of:

Private Benjamin Davies

August 21, 1917

Military Service


Service Number:

70615

Age:

19

Force:

Army

Unit:

Canadian Infantry (British Columbia Regiment)

Division:

29th Bn.

Additional Information


Son of T. H. and Mary E. Davies, of Trail, British Columbia.

Commemorated on Page 225 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

VIMY MEMORIAL
Pas de Calais, France

Grave Reference:

N/A

Location:

Canada's most impressive tribute overseas to those Canadians who fought and gave their lives in the First World War is the majestic and inspiring Vimy Memorial, which overlooks the Douai Plain from the highest point of Vimy Ridge, about eight kilometres northeast of Arras on the N17 towards Lens. The Memorial is signposted from this road to the left, just before you enter the village of Vimy from the south. The memorial itself is someway inside the memorial park, but again it is well signposted. At the base of the memorial, these words appear in French and in English:

TO THE VALOUR OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN IN THE GREAT WAR AND IN MEMORY OF THEIR SIXTY THOUSAND DEAD THIS MONUMENT IS RAISED BY THE PEOPLE OF CANADA


Inscribed on the ramparts of the Vimy Memorial are the names of over 11,000 Canadian soldiers who were posted as 'missing, presumed dead' in France. A plaque at the entrance to the memorial states that the land for the battlefield park, 91.18 hectares in extent, was 'the free gift in perpetuity of the French nation to the people of Canada'. Construction of the massive work began in 1925, and 11 years later, on July 26, 1936, the monument was unveiled by King Edward VIII. The park surrounding the Vimy Memorial was created by horticultural experts. Canadian trees and shrubs were planted in great masses to resemble the woods and forests of Canada. Wooded parklands surround the grassy slopes of the approaches around the Vimy Memorial. Trenches and tunnels have been restored and preserved and the visitor can picture the magnitude of the task that faced the Canadian Corps on that distant dawn when history was made. On April 3, 2003, the Government of Canada designated April 9th of each year as a national day of remembrance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Photo of Benjamin Davies– We found this photograph among some estate effects that were brought to us. As a commercial funding partner with a number of local museums, we try to place place information such as this picture within the public domain, rather than selling it into a private collection. Lest We Forget Benjamin Davies. 
Andrew - Manager
Everything Old Canada Antiques & Vintage
  • Reverse side of Photo– We found this photograph among some estate effects that were brought to us. As a commercial funding partner with a number of local museums, we try to place place information such as this picture within the public domain, rather than selling it into a private collection. Lest We Forget Benjamin Davies. 
Andrew - Manager
Everything Old Canada Antiques & Vintage
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Daily Colonist of September 15, 1917. Image taken from web address of http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist59y240uvic#page/n0/mode/1up
  • Newspaper Clipping– From the Daily Colonist of September 16, 1917. Image taken from web address of http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist59y241uvic#page/n0/mode/1up. Note that Ben Davies service number is 706151.
  • Circumstances of death registers– Source: Library and Archives Canada. CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH REGISTERS, FIRST WORLD
WAR Surnames: Dack to Dabate. Microform Sequence 26; Volume Number 31829_B016735. Reference RG150, 1992-93/314, 170. Page 759 of 1140.  Body not recovered for burial.
  • Inscription– France 2007

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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