1. The Second Battle of Ypres: 5,975 Canadian Casualties
With 18,000 in the Canadian Troops, April 22nd - May 25, 1915, in their first major battle, experienced first hand the effects of chlorine gas, introduced by the Germans on the first day of battle. 2. The Battle of Beaumont-Hamel: 710 Nfld Casualties It completely devasted the First Newfoundland Regiment, with 801 soldiers at the ready, only 68 were able to attend roll call the next morning. The regiment's harrowing losses are remembered every July 1st, to this day across the province. Besides the Vimy Memorial, the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel is one of the two existing National Historic Sites of Canada outside of the country's borders. 3. The Battle of the Somme: 24,029 Canadian Casualties 85,000 Canadians participated in one of the bloodiest battles in the war, perhaps one of the most unavailing and futile battles in history, losing over 600,000 souls on either side of the fight. The battle was fought between July 1st, and November 18th,1916 in a campaign of attribution, a fruitless accomplishment. Many have argued however, that the battle did serve as lessons well learned to the Canadians who would move on to take the Ridge of Vimy the following year. 4. Battle of Hill 70: 9,198 Canadian Casualties After the success at Vimy, Arthur Currie, now commander of the Canadian Corps, with meticulous planning managed to capture the high ground of Hill 70, and thus the Western Part of the City Lens, in Pas-de-Calais, France. The mission took more than 119,000 men, the total strength of the Canadian Corps at the time. 5. Second Battle of Passchendaele: 15,654 Canadian Casualties From October 26th-November 10th, 1917, the Second Battle of Passchendaele in Ypres, Flanders, Belgium was taken on by 130,000 men, the toatl strength of the Canadian Corps at the time. The significance of this battle specifically for our nation is mind boggling. The Victoria Cross, the Commonwealth's highest military honor, was awarded to Canadians 96 times over the course of the First World War. Nine of them were bestowed on acts of bravery performed in the mud of Passchendaele, more than twice than that of the Battle of VImy Ridge, and more than half of the total awarded in the entirety of the Second World War. 6. Canada's Hundred Days: 45,835 Canadian Casualties In Amiens, France, to Mons Belgium, from August 8th - November 11th, 1918, a series of Allied successes took place, ultimately ending with German defeat. This defeat was spear headed by the Canadians, pushing German troops back as much as 20 kilometers in three days. The last Canadian to be killed in combat during the Great War aws George Lawrence Price, of Moose Jaw Saskatoon, killed at 10:58am on November 11th, two minutes before conflict officially ended.