Pop-up Exhibit Explores the Battle of Vimy Ridge

City of Charlottetown Partners with The Prince Edward Island Regiment Museum and Veterans Affairs Canada for Pop-up Exhibit
Posted on 04/09/2021
On the anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the City of Charlottetown has partnered with The Prince Edward Island Regiment Museum and Veterans Affairs Canada to launch a pop-up exhibit that explores the history of the iconic battle that many consider to be a turning point in Canada’s history. The display is located on the first floor of the Confederation Court Mall.

The Battle of Vimy Ridge took place in northern France on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917, and lasted until April 12, 1917. The area, which is on a long, high hill that dominates the surrounding landscape had been captured by Germany early in the First World War and was well fortified. Previous unsuccessful attempts by the Allies to retake the position resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties. The well planned, but difficult offensive would be the first time that all four divisions of the Canadian Corps – soldiers from coast to coast to coast - fought together as one formation and is widely considered to be a pivotal chapter in our nation’s history as a strong and independent country. The battle was a success, but it came at a terrible cost with 3,598 Canadians killed and another 7,000 wounded in the brutal fighting.

In order to create the exhibit, The Prince Edward Island Regiment Museum, Veterans Affairs Canada and City of Charlottetown Archives staff searched through their collections and contributed numerous photos and military artefacts such as a gas mask, bugle, badges and uniforms.

The City of Charlottetown, The Prince Edward Island Regiment Museum and Veterans Affairs Canada would like to thank the Confederation Court Mall for donating space, and all the individuals who have generously contributed materials to make this exhibit possible. It is through these donations that we learn about our past and share knowledge with the public. For more information on donating photos or allowing us to scan images, please contact the Planning and Heritage Department at 902-629-4051 or [email protected] .

The exhibit will be available during mall hours until May 24, 2021. Updated information can be found at www.confedcourtmall.com. To ensure a safe visit to the exhibition, visit www.princeedwardisland.ca/covid19 or call the general information line at 1-800-958-6400 for the latest up to date information on COVID-19.

Past exhibits can be found at charlottetownstories.wordpress.com