History Channel - For King and Empire Canadas Soldiers in the Great War (2001) Part 2 Slaughter and Sacrifice The Canadians at the Somme - 1916

With military historian Norm Christie as our guide, we explore the battlefields, cemeteries and monuments of the First World War. The men who fought tell their stories, and we discover how the naive, amateur soldiers of 1914 became, by 1918, perhaps the most feared, efficient and deadly Allied fighting machine on the Western Front the “Canadian Corps.” FOR KING AND EMPIRE tells the stories of ordinary Canadians who fought extraordinary battles during the First World War. Six episodes represent a turning point in the Great War Ypres, the Somme, Vimy, Passchendaele, the Battles of the Last Hundred Days, and the Legacy of the War. By depicting walking tours of each battleground, For King and Empire explores the significance of the battle and what was at risk, the initial strategies and what actually transpired. In six harrowing hours rife with veteran testimonies and battlescarred films, Canadian historian Norm Christie tours WWI battlefields on foot, including Ypres, The Somme and the once blood-soaked Vimy Ridge to relive the horrors of what was known as The Great War. Canadian regiments played key roles in pivotal moments, and this well-researched series functions both to record the memories of the living and, perhaps, raise the ghosts of some of the ten million souls lost in the terrible trenches. Based on the series of books “For King and Empire” by Norm Christie.

A Breakthrough Entertainment Inc. Production in Association with History Television, Bell Broadcast, Knowledge Network and ACCESS - The Education Station

A Breakthrough Entertainment Inc. Production in Association with History Television, Bell Broadcast, Knowledge Network and ACCESS - The Education Station.

Part 2 Slaughter and Sacrifice The Canadians at the Somme - 1916

As more Canadians arrive on the Western Front, they are sent to fight in one of the most blood-thirsty battles of the Great War, The Battle of the Somme. In two months the Canadians lose 24,000 men to gain 4 miles of destroyed French farmland. In July 1916, British commander in chief General Sir Douglas Haig launched a major offensive along the Western Front. On July 1, after an 8 day artillery barrage, 120,000 men launched the attack and the Battle of the Somme began. The barrage had little effect and British troops were slaughtered. Among those killed included 700 Newfoundlanders who died less than 100 meters front their trench. There were 60,000 casualties the first day but the battle would continue for another 5 months with more than 100,000 casualties in total. Canada's three divisions - 60,000 men - were redeployed from Ypres to the Somme. Ordered to capture the village of Courcelette the Canadians were successful but at a high cost in lives and the complete destruction of the village. Their next objective was Regina Trench and several attempts were made to take it. On October 21 the fourth attempt proved more successful. They slog to victory, and suffer 25,000 casualties on the battlefield known as the graveyard of armies.

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