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Battle of Hill 70 (1917)

The Battle of Hill 70 (15–25 Aug. 1917) was an important First World War battle. General Arthur William Currie, commander of the Canadian Corps, was ordered to make a frontal assault against the fortified and ruined city of Lens, France, which would have resulted in heavy casualties in an environment that favoured the German defenders. The new corps commander surveyed the battlefield and persuaded his superiors that the attack should instead be directed against Hill 70, which overlooked Lens from the north. His idea was to capture the hill and then set up a kill zone targeted by thousands of rifles, 200 heavy machine guns, and scores of artillery pieces. The Germans would be compelled either to pull out of Lens or to advance into a firestorm. After detailed preparations, the Canadian assault on 15 August worked as Currie had planned. The enemy counter-attacked 21 times over four days but never retook the hill, and instead left behind thousands of dead and dying on its slopes. Despite having their forces shattered, the Germans refused to withdraw from Lens. Currie unwisely ordered two probing strikes into the city on the 21st and 23rd, which were beaten back with heavy losses. A more experienced commander might have waited longer to see if his artillery could have dislodged the enemy, but Currie knew that his army commander had called for Lens to be taken and he felt the pressure to keep moving forward. Even with this setback, and more than 9,000 casualties by 25 August, Hill 70 was an overwhelming victory for the Canadians.

Related Biographies

ALEXANDER, WILLIAM
CAIRNS, HUGH
CAMPBELL, ARCHIBALD GLENLYON (Glen)
CHASSÉ, HENRI (baptized Marie-Joseph-Émilien-Henri)
CURRIE, Sir ARTHUR WILLIAM
KAMAKURA, YOICHI
LEARMONTH, OKILL MASSEY
LOOMIS, Sir FREDERICK OSCAR WARREN
WATSON, Sir DAVID

Other Resources

Assault on Hill 70 | Legion Magazine. Content archived on 7 Aug. 2020
Battle for Hill 70 - The Canadian Encyclopedia. Content archived on 3 Dec. 2024
Battle of Hill 70 - Wikipedia
Canada's History - Hill 70
First World War - The Canadian Encyclopedia. Content archived on 24 Dec. 2024
Hill 70 - Home
Hill-70 Project | Princess of Wales' Own Regiment Foundation
Land Battles - Hill 70 | Canada and the First World War
The Battle of Hill 70 – Vimy Foundation
The Canadian Corps and the Battle of Hill 70 | Library and Archives Canada Blog
Vimy: A Battle Remembered, Hill 70: A Battle Forgotten | Legion Magazine. Content archived on 17 Aug. 2022

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Nous reconnaissons l'aide financière du Musée canadien de l'histoire à travers les œuvres du programme de référence en ligne financés par le gouvernement du Canada.

We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada.


Nous reconnaissons l’appui du gouvernement du Canada.

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