Hill 70 Memorial

---

Introduction

The Hill 70 monument was built to commemorate the WWI Battle of Hill 70, a battle between the Canadian Corps and the five divisions of the German 6th Army.  The monument features an obelisk and surrounding walkways located near the site of the Battle of Hill 70 in Loos-en Gohelle, France.

On August 15, 1917 the Canadian Corps commenced an attack on Hill 70 in Loos, France.  The Hill was captured in the first four hours of the attack was held against 21 determined German counter attacks during the ensuing five days.  Six Victoria Crosses were earned over the course of the ten-day battle, more than at any Canadian battle in the First War prior to Hill 70.  This was a pivotal battle, not only for the Allied war effort, but for the Corps and for Canada.  For the first time, the 100,000 man Corps was commanded by a Canadian, Lieutenant General, Sir Arthur Currie.  Currie was not a professional pre-war soldier, but a reserve officer in the Militia who accomplished what the other allied armies had failed to do.  And yet, this victory has gone unmarked for almost 100 years.  When the Canadian Government chose the sites that would have official monuments, Hill 70 was left out.  Currie himself lamented that Hill 70, because of its crucial importance should be included for consideration, was not. Casualties numbered 9,198 Canadian and over 20,000 German soldiers for the period of August 15th to 25th.

In 2012, against this backdrop, a number of like-minded Canadians believed that the time had come to build a monument for Hill 70 dedicated to the Canadians who fought and died for this forgotten victory.  The  Project Team, with the support of the citizens of Loos, secured a prominent location just inside the Canadian front lines of August 1917 and next to a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.  The monument was officially opened in August, 2017.

Project Hill 70, under the patronage of the Right Honorable David L. Johnston, Governor General of Canada and with a committee of dedicated, private citizens, led several initiatives to help define and pay tribute to the battle and make the monument a possibility including but not limited to educational packages, fundraising events that raised millions in private funds from corporations, charities, and individual Canadians, and coordination with French authorities.

Background

The Hill 70 Memorial Project is a Canadian and France-based registered charity, with the objective of ensuring that the forgotten WWI Hill 70 victory is remembered.  The project team members come from a variety of backgrounds: educators, retired military, bankers, architects, and businessmen, who like the men of the Canadian Corps are all volunteers.  Initiated through volunteer-driven effort, an educational program; a publicity campaign, including a best-seller official history; a travelling museum; and, a permanent memorial near the site of the battle was constructed and opened to the public in 2017.

Design

Situated on the former Canadian frontlines, The Hill 70 Memorial site is located within an existing eight-hectare municipal park belonging to the French town of Loos-en-Gohelle and leased to the charity in 2014 for 99-years. The monument creates a physical presence for the commemoration of the Battle of Hill 70 and produces an enduring legacy for current & future generations of Canadians regarding their own history.  It includes an interpretative visitors' centre that displays information in both English & French. 

This parcel of land features an obelisk, an amphitheater, interconnecting trails, adjacent agricultural land, as well as a near-by Commonwealth War Graves cemetery that was started by Canadians in July 1917.  Over two hundred twenty of those men are buried in the Cemetery a hundred metres away from the tunnel entrance initiated after the Battle for Hill 70.  The majority of the monument’s elements are landscape features such as trees, walkways, benches and plantings, all with low maintenance requirements. 

The Battle of Hill 70 Memorial Park opened to the public in 2017. The centerpiece of the Memorial is an obelisk signifying the victory of the Canadian Corps at the Battle of Hill 70.  The Memorial Park is located near the start line where the Corps began its advance to capture Hill 70.  The actual location of Hill 70 is 1.4 kilometres to the east.

Konowal Walkway

The Memorial site is made up of several different elements. After leaving the welcome centre, the visitor begins a gentle climb along a curving pathway.  Set into the pathways on the site are 1877 Canadian Maple Leaves, each representing a Canadian Soldier who died achieving the Victory at Hill 70.

Sir Arthur Currie Amphitheatre

Continuing along the pathway the visitor enters the General Sir Arthur Currie Amphitheatre. This is one of the key features of the Hill 70 Memorial Site. Located immediately below the Obelisk, the amphitheater is a central gathering point for visitors and tour groups who are exploring the site.

Frederick Lee Walkway

The Frederick Lee Walkway winds around the General Sir Arthur Currie Amphitheatre at the Hill 70 Memorial in Loos en Gohelle, France. It starts with a trench which represents the trench warfare of the first three years of the war. On the higher ground it provides good views of the vicinity and includes a bridge which crosses the amphitheater towards the obelisk. It is named for Frederick Lee, who was born into a respected Chinese Canadian family whose members had originally immigrated from Sun Wei county near the city of Guangzhou, China. He was also one of only 300 or so Canadians of Chinese descent who served with the Canadian Corps during the First World War.

Obelisk

Overlooking and standing 14 meters high and whose tip is approximately 70 meters above sea level is a stone Obelisk. The obelisk is situated in the Canadian trench lines at the start of the Battle of Hill 70, roughly in the area of the 10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Set into the Obelisk are two swords of sacrifice and the words: CANADA 1917 (front and back). The tapered portion at the top is 5 feet 6 inches, the height of an average Canadian soldier and represents all the soldiers of the Canadian Corps who fought throughout the First World War.

Visitors are encouraged to continue on from either the Obelisk or the Amphitheater and visit the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery located to the southwest of the Memorial Site. This cemetery, The Loos British Cemetery, was started by Canadian Corps in July 1917 and hundreds of the soldiers who died capturing Hill 70 rest in this cemetery.

Opening Ceremony

The monument was dedicated and unveiled on April 8, 2017 Loos-en Gohelle, France.  Attendees at the dedication ceremony included the Right Honorable David L. Johnston, Governor General of Canada, General Jon Vance Chief of Defence Staff, Harjit Singh Sajjan Minister of National Defence, and other dignitaries.  The monument officially opened to the public at a centennial commemoration of the Battle on August 22, 2017, officiated by the Commander of the Canadian Army, LGen Paul Wynnyk.

Interpretation of the Architects Design

The park is planted with several trees native to Canada, the Sugar Maple (Maple is our national tree), the red Oak (symbolic of the tough stock from which the soldiers were made). The grassed areas are planted with a mix of wild flowers native to the region of Pas de Calais.  Most notable is the Poppy, which was made famous in LCol John McCrae’s poem, in Flanders Fields.

The Pathways compresses and channelizes as you approach, rather like the approach to war in summer 1917.  The gradual rising pathway has 1,877 imprinted maple leaves, one for each Canadian killed during the battle at Hill 70.  At the top junction of the principle walkway one has the choice to go into the amphitheater or into trench, representing the claustrophobic effect of trench warfare.

At the top of the trench the visitor can clearly view the battlefield to represent the soldier who is exposed visually to and from the battle; it is the most vulnerable moment before the objective is achieved. 

The Amphitheatre is named for Lt Gen Sir Arthur Currie, the first Canadian-born General to command the Army overseas. On its floor is imprinted an enormous maple leaf of the style used in cap badges of the Canadian Corps its scale, more difficult to perceive as you walk into the amphitheater, which captures the significance of the battle when viewed from afar.

The Bridge represents no man's land and how a soldier is exposed and vulnerable when they crossed it. At the obelisk, victory is represented through its location as a metaphor for the ultimate objective, of the capturing of the hill; the seizure of the high ground of Hill 70. From its base on the higher ground, the visitor has a good view of The CWGC cemetery, the town, and with binoculars the Canadian monument at Vimy. The hilltop obelisk is also visible from afar; major roads, the fields of battle and other significant regional locations

The Obelisk, a traditional symbol of victory, is made of white limestone. It rises to 70 meters above sea level, representative of Hill 70. The capstone pyramid is 5’6” representing the average height of a Canadian soldier victorious atop Hill 70.  Attached to the obelisk are two crosses of sacrifice; these are crusader swords reversed to form the image of a cross, a traditional commemoration for fallen warriors.

Educational Initiatives

Learning Kit

The Learning Kit is a hands-on set of materials available for teachers throughout Canada for use in elementary and secondary schools. Through the kit, students learn why Canada was involved in the Great War, how Canada’s role evolved, how Canada gained a seat at the Paris Peace talks, how Lieutenant General Currie demonstrated the value of meticulous planning, integrated artillery and infantry effort, the use of technological advancements, and, above all, the stories of courage and leadership.

The kit is composed of the story of the Battle of Hill 70 told in a narrative-style book format, an album of historic photographs, a documents file including attestation papers, letters, a map collection, and other material. A package of lesson plans relevant to each province’s or territorial’s curriculum is also available as part of the teacher’s guide. The lesson plans are designed to engage students in real and meaningful learning about the key Battle of Hill 70.

Books & Publications

Capturing Hill 70 edited by Drs. Delaney and Durflinger an d published by UBC Press	This ground-breaking collection groups together leading scholars whose contributions dissect different facets of the battle’s planning, conduct, and longer-term ramifications. Based on Canadian, British, and German records, these essays form a powerful addition to the emerging literature on Canada and the First World War, and will offer a detailed and comprehensive understanding of a little-known, yet significant, part of Canada’s wartime experience. This innovative, thought-provoking, and timely collection will appeal to scholars, students, and anyone interested in Canadian military history, the First World War, and Canadian history generally.
Victory Forgotten	Read about the story of Hill 70 and the contribution of the soldiers of Canada. The action undertaken by the infantry battalions, the corps, and other supporting groups tells the story of the Battle of Hill 70. Learn about the honours and perpetuations of each battalion. Learn why your hometown regiment carries the Hill 70 battle honour. Victory Forgotten is an invaluable resource for teachers who wish to draw on local history to explain national events and is available in a bilingual format.
The Lads in Their Hundreds	The story of the Canadian experience in World War 1 is told through the experiences of the soldiers who fought at Hill 70. Each individual provides a compelling and detailed story which takes the reader through the Battle of Hill 70 from the early stages of preparation to its conclusion. Stories of courage, fear, and sacrifice are told in a narrative style which brings the focus sharply on the individual experiences in trenches, in tunnels, in the general officers’ planning exercises, and in the rapid surge up Hill 70. Learn about General Currie and the six Victoria Cross winners, learn about Sam Sharpe and the tragedy of psychological wounds, and learn about the care for the wounded. This book will have appeal to any reader who wants a deep understanding of how the Battle of Hill 70 is a capsule of Canada’s war experience.
The Battle of Hill 70	“The Battle of Hill 70” is a children's graphic novel featuring the true story of Brock Chisolm who fought at Hill 70 and later went on to become the 13th Surgeon General of Canada & the First Director of the United Nations World Health Organization.
Valour Forgotten	“Valour Forgotten” recounts the personal stories of 13 ex-cadets of the Royal Military College who served with The Canadian Corps during the First World War. Individuals included in this book are Billy Bishop (who scored his last 2 victories over Hill 70 before receiving the Victoria Cross), Lawrence Cosgrave, who fought at Hill 70 & on whose back John McCrae had penned his first draft of “In Flanders Fields” during a lull in the earlier Second Battle of Ypres, and Harry Crerar, who would go on to command the First Canadian Army during the Second World War

Contributors

The Hill 70 Memorial Project relies on its donors in order to continue offering educational programs to Canadian Elementary and Secondary schools and to fund bursaries and scholarships to students attending Canadian Colleges and Universities.  

Hill 70 Memorial Project

This article "Hill 70 Memorial" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Hill 70 Memorial. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

---