Vimy – Beyond the Battle

Remembered as a victory, the Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 9–12, 1917) in France was also one of Canada’s costliest engagements during the First World War. Over the past century, Canadians have remembered and commemorated this battle in many different ways and for many different reasons. Vimy – Beyond the Battle sheds light on how and why we commemorate by exploring private and collective memories of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the First World War and more recent conflicts. The exhibition is a potent reminder that acts of commemoration help us construct our past and shape our present.

This exhibition is developed by the Canadian War Museum with the generous support of John and Elizabeth Irving.

Credit:
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How do you commemorate war?

Commemorations are all around us. Individuals, communities and nations take time to remember people, events and actions related to war and conflicts. Commemoration can take many forms — a private object or photograph, a public monument, sculpture or building, an action, a ritual or ceremony — and can serve multiple purposes. The examples below are images taken by Canadians of conflict commemorations that are meaningful to them.

Want to see your image here? Post a photo to your Twitter or Instagram account using the hashtags #MyCommemoration and #BeyondVimy. Your photo of a conflict commemoration might even be selected to appear in the multimedia experience at the end of our special exhibition Vimy – Beyond the Battle.