Captures & Aftermath

Now was the time to capitalize on that hard fought victory. Looking ahead, down on the Douai Plain, the Allies must rout the Germans out to gain that foothold.(First World War, Souchez. Library and Archives Canada.)

The scourge of war has made the surroundings a veritable waste land. (Dug-outs in the Ypres Salient. July 1916. Library and Archives Canada.)

Bodies of the fallen lay in the mud after paying the ultimate price...(The battlefield after a Canadian charge. Library and Archives Canada.)

... while those alive, but broken, wait for transportation from the field.(Stretcher cases waiting to be loaded on light railway. Vimy Ridge. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

No rest for the weary.(German machine gun emplacement in the village of Thélus. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

As the Canadian line moves forward...(Captured German gun emplacement near Thélus. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

... the very machines of war used to hold the advance at bay...(A German 5.9 taken out of action by a direct hit. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

(Captured German 5.9 in Farbus Village. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

... now in the hands of the Allies...(German 8-inch Howitzer captured on Vimy Ridge by 27^th Battalion. August 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

(Loading a large naval gun on the Canadian front, during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Library and Archives Canada.)

... were being used on the retreating German forces.(17^th Battery C.F.A. firing a German 4.2 on the retreating Boche. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

(Two big German Howitzers on Vimy Ridge, captured by Canadians and used against the enemy. May 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

(A captured German gun emplacement in Farbus Wood. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

(German Naval 8-inch Gun captured on the railroad at Farbus. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

(Captured 8-inch German Naval Gun on railroad at Farbus. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

(German Whiz-Bang captured by Canadians at Thélus. Vimy Ridge. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

(Taking back a German captured gun. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada Library and Archives Canada.)

Not all enemy strongholds were so easily salvaged.(Gun emplacement and ammunition captured by Canadians. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

The devastation of these German strongholds became more evident as the assault pressed on...(A battered German trench on Vimy Ridge captured by Canadians. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

(Gun captured in Farbus Wood by Canadians. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

... a credit to sound ranging and our men in artillery.(German gun emplacement badly knocked about by our artillery. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

(German trenches demolished by artillery showing German dead – captured dug-out. Library and Archives Canada.)

(A shell exploding in the village of Vimy. Library and Archives Canada.)

This is what was left of the village of Farbus. (The ruined village of Farbus captured by Canadians. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

War devestated many villages.(The ruins of the village of Farbus which was captured by the Canadians. April 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

(A few of the empties fired on the Germans in the attack on Vimy Ridge. May 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

As more of the Germans were routed out, many were imprisoned as the Canadians moved from village to village.(Boche prisoners with boots off in prison cage. August 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)

But the elation of the victory would be short-lived. The next few months would be extremely difficult for the Allied Forces.(Germans captured by Canadians at Vimy Ridge passing through a French Village. May 1917. Library and Archives Canada.)