The Vimy Memorial commemorates Canada’s role in the First World War with stone figures that symbolize the values defended and the sacrifices made. The works of art produced by Canada’s war artists record and illuminate the nation’s military achievements by documenting, and commenting on, Canada’s notable contribution.
The memorial at Vimy Ridge, France, was built between 1925 and 1936. Construction workers used 11,000 tonnes of concrete and masonry, and 5,500 tonnes of stone.
Allward’s Dream
"I dreamed I was in a great battlefield. I saw our men going in by the thousands and being mowed down by the sickles of death . . . Suddenly . . . I saw thousands marching to the aid of our armies. They were the dead. . . . Without the dead we were helpless. So I have tried to show this in this monument to Canada’s fallen, what we owed them and we will forever owe them."
— Walter Allward, 1921
About the Dots
Stonecarvers used the dots scattered across this half-size working model as reference points for determining height, width and depth when carving the final stone figures.
![Canvas of War [ Home ]](../images/cwhomee.gif){kind=small}
