In a short chapter of this kind attempting to deal with Canada's effort in the great war it is obviously impossible to go into detail or give more than the briefest of historical pictures. Consequently much that is fascinating can be given but a passing glance: for greater detail larger works must be consulted. Nevertheless it is well to try and view in perspective events as they occurred, in order to obtain some idea of their relative importance. In February, 1915, the first Canadian division crossed the Channel to France, and began to obtain front-line experiences in a section of the line just north of Neuve Chapelle. While the first division had been going through its course of training in England a second division had been raised in Canada and arrived in England shortly after the first left it. During that period the conflict in Europe had passed through certain preliminary phases--most of them fortunate for the Allies. The unexpected holding up of the German armies by the Belgians had prevented the enemy from gaining the channel ports of Calais and Boulogne in the first rush. Later on the battle of the Marne had resulted in the rolling back of the German waves until they had subsided on a line roughly drawn through Dixmude, Ypres, Armentieres, La Bassee, Lens, and southward to the French border and the trench phase of warfare had begun. [Illustration: Photograph] ON VIMY RIDGE, WHERE CANADA WON LAURELS The Canadians took the important position of Vimy Ridge on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917. They advanced with brilliance, having taken the whole system of German front-line trenches between dawn and 6.30 A. M. This shows squads of machine gunners operating from shell-craters in support of the infantry on the plateau above the ridge. [Illustration: Photograph] Photo from Western Newspaper Union GENERAL SIR ARTHUR CURRIE Commander of the Canadian forces on the Western Front. The British held the section of front between Ypres and La-Bassee, about thirty miles in length, the Germans, unfortunately, occupying all the higher grounds. Shortly after the arrival of the Canadian division the British, concentrating the largest number of guns that had hitherto been gathered together on the French front, made an attack on the Germans at Neuve Chapelle. This attack, only partially successful in gains of terrain, served to teach both belligerents several lessons. It showed the British the need for huge quantities of high explosives with which to blast away wire and trenches and, that in an attack, rifle fire, no matter how accurate, was no match for unlimited numbers of machine guns. It showed the enemy what could be done with concentrated artillery fire--a lesson that he availed himself of with deadly effect a few weeks later.