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My interest in becoming a guide at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial began early in high school. One of my teachers, who had been a guide during her university years, introduced me to the program. While I was initially drawn to the opportunity to travel and improve my French, I learned that the actual experience would turn out to be more impactful and rewarding than I could have ever imagined.

I vividly recall being awestruck on my first day of work. Driving in, the view of the monument slowly emerging from the mist as we crested the hill at Vimy Ridge remains burned in my memory. That first week, packed with historical training and visits to cemeteries, battlefields and memorials, still resonates with me today. Walking on the very grounds where thousands of soldiers sacrificed their lives, while learning about the events that unfolded there was truly unforgettable.

As we drove up to Vimy Ridge, the view of the monument slowly emerging from the mist as we crested the hill remains burned in my memory.

As a guide, I had the opportunity to attend and participate in multiple commemorative ceremonies. One of the most memorable was the reburial of three Canadian soldiers whose remains were uncovered during a construction project near Hill 70, in Loos-en-Gohelle, near the French city of Lens. After years of work by the Government of Canada, the soldiers were identified, and their modern-day units travelled to France to lay them to rest at Loos British Cemetery.

The care and diligence with which these soldiers’ comrades honoured their fallen, despite having never known them, was a moving tribute of the enduring impact of Canada's troops. Throughout the rest of my time as a guide, I looked back on that ceremony for inspirationand as a reminder to keep the torch of remembrance alive.

After my term as a guide ended, I discovered a personal connection to the very section of the battlefield at Vimy Ridge where the tours, visitor centre, and monument are located today. This connection came to light during a Thanksgiving dinner hosted by a family friend, Lawrence(Larry) deGruchy, and his wife, Gail. Larry’s father, Alfred Charles deGruchy, was a telegrapher for the Canadian Pacific Railway in Montreal when he joined the 42nd Battalion of the Canadian Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment of Canada) in early 1915.

The care and diligence with which these soldiers’ comrades honoured their fallen, despite having never known them, was a moving tribute of the enduring impact of Canada's troops.

The 42nd Black Watch were part of the 3rd Canadian Division during the April 1917 assault on Vimy Ridge. On the morning of 9 April 1917, they advanced over the ground where the Vimy Ridge visitor centre, preserved trenches and preserved tunnels are located today. deGruchy contributed to this assault by laying and repairing telegraph wires between Canadian trenches and command posts. A communication room used by the 42nd Black Watch during the assault, where messages were sent and received through the wires that deGruchy helped install, is accessible in the preserved tunnel section.

deGruchy was one of the last surviving Canadian Veterans of Vimy Ridge, passing away at age 104 in July 2000. For his service, he was awarded a plaque of honour from Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the Légion d'Honneur from the French government. He rarely spoke about his experiences in France, especially after Christmas Eve 1942, when his son, Francis deGruchy, an RCAF air gunner, went missing in action. The younger deGruchy is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial in the United Kingdom.

Discovering such a close connection to the exact battleground where I spent four months guiding tourists and learning its history was a fulfilling reminder of the importance of remembrance and the incredible people whose sacrifice to Canada I had the privilege of honouring during my time as a guide.

Without question, I have never felt more proudly Canadian than when I wore the Veterans Affairs Canada logo on my chest, representing my country and helping to keep the memory of Canada’s fallen alive.

Donovan Burt is a third year student at McGill University studying Engineering. A native of Cornwall, Prince Edward Island, he worked at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial as a student guide from May to August 2023.