A candlelight vigil and parade to commemorate Vimy Ridge Day took place Tuesday evening at Thunderbird Square in Abbotsford.
The annual parade involved veterans, soldiers, Royal Canadian Legion members, cadets, police, firefighters, sheriff branch members and others.
Candles were placed in memory of those who served at Vimy Ridge, remembering those who died defending the freedom and democracy enjoyed by all today.
Vimy Ridge Day was established by the government in Canada in 2003 to commemorate the battle of Vimy Ridge, which took place from April 9 to 12, 1917 in northern France.
The Canadian Corps successfully battled the Germans to gain control of the strategically valuable ground – the first time the four Canadian divisions fought together as a united Canadian corps under mostly Canadian commanders.
The heavily fortified seven-kilometre ridge that held a commanding view over the Allied lines came at a heavy cost – 3,598 Canadians were killed and another 7,000 were wounded.
