Description
The breathtaking Canadian National Vimy Memorial, designed by Canadian sculptor and architect Walter Allward, stands as a tribute to all Canadians who served during the First World War.
Transcript
NARRATOR: The breathtaking Canadian National Vimy Memorial, designed by Canadian sculptor and architect Walter Allward, stands as a tribute to all Canadians who served during the First World War. It represents service, sacrifice and courage. The Government of Canada maintains this national historic site. As part of an ongoing commitment to remember and honour those who gave so much during the First World War and to help tell their stories to the thousands of visitors each year, the Government of Canada contributed five million dollars in funding for a new Visitor Education Centre.
The Vimy Foundation, which helps preserve and promote Canada’s entire First World War legacy, raised an additional five million dollars for the construction of the centre. Canadians from across the country, through the Vimy Foundation, offered their support to the project through fundraising initiatives, and individual and corporate donations. Each donor has their own reasons for supporting this New Visitor Education Centre.
MADAME HELEN VARI: My beloved late husband, the Honourable George William Vari’s philosophy was that education is the most important thing and everything should be based on education. So this education centre will now serve as a place of respect and a memory for the thousands of fallen Canadian soldiers, our heroes, and most importantly, to study and to work for peace in the world.
JOHN P. CARSWELL: My grandfather, James Morrison Carswell, was a private and then a sergeant with the Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade and during the battle of Vimy Ridge, he was actually in headquarters and helped plan the machine gun barrage. So I knew a lot about Vimy. I was in the military myself. I was an air force officer like my father. And so I thought it was a good cause. And when you go to Vimy, you realize how terrible the conditions were and how brave the soldiers indeed were.
ANDREW CARSWELL (Second World War Veteran): I think maybe they might think twice about getting involved in a war, you know, because when I was involved in the war, I just thought of what I saw in the movies and the heroic things that the fighter pilots did and so forth. What I learned about war is that it’s not very nice.
NARRATOR: Offering a view over the trenches, the New Visitor Education Centre presents the experience and sacrifices of those who fought during the First World War and honours their memory. Thank you to all who have made this possible.
MADAME HELEN VARI: Voyagez à Vimy. Visitez Vimy. Au revoir à Vimy.
A message from the Government of Canada