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Victoria High School's Fourth Building Opens
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International Pretext:June
June 28, 1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand and wife are assassinated
July 6th, 1914: Germany offers Austria-Hungary monies for support in military action against Serbia
July 23rd-28th 1914: An ultimatum is given to Serbia and five days later, the country’s partial acceptance is rejected and war is declared -
International Pretext: July
July 31: Russia announces the mobilization of her army, and Germany, as well as Austria demand that she stop, but Russia ignores their request.
* France respects Belgium’s neutrality, while Germany does not. -
International Pretext: August
August 1: Germany declares war on Russia
August 3: Germany declares war on France
August 4: Germany invades Belgium and Luxemborg to invade France.
* Britain declares war on Germany
Canada is immediately at war as part of the British Empire -
Canadian Troops
Aug 5 1914: Four nursing graduates from St. Joseph’s Hospitals and five from the Royal Jubilee Hospital (In Victoria, BC) volunteer for active service
Aug 26-28 1914: The first troops leave Victoria for war in Europe -
First Battle of Ypres
- The battle’s duration was from October 19 through to November 22, 1914
- The Allied forces captured approximately 600 prisoners and killed 1,500 German troops
- Every day Ypres was heavily bombed
- In those bombings, because of their inaccuracy, killed many civilians as well as soldiers
- Fighting stopped because by winter the Germans had yet to take Ypres and the massive rainfall made any movements impossible
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First Canadian Unit In Action
- Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry became Canada’s first unit in action
- Canada's Impact on the War
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Victoria: Troops Departing
- Thousands gather in Victoria's Harbour to watch the 30th Battalion leave for Europe
- Battalions consisted of 1000 officers and men, then were divided into 4 companies
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Victoria: Soldiers Depart
- The 67th Battalion (Canadian Scottish Regiment) departed for the front
- Battalions consisted of 1000 officers and men, then were divided into 4 companies
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Second Battle of Ypres
- Consisted of 4 major battles (Gravenstafel, St. Julien, Frezenberg Ridge, and Bellewaarde)
- Lasted from April 21st – May 25th of 1915.
- First battle where mass use of Chlorine gas by the Germans
- First time Canada, a former colony of Britain, defeated a European power.
- Ypres is Remembered
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Victoria: More Troops Depart
- From June 2nd to 6th The Canadian Mounted Rifles leave for Europe
- Battalions consisted of 1000 officers and men, then were divided into 4 companies
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Canada: Franchisement
- Women won right to vote in Saskatchewan
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Canada: Franchisement
Women won right to vote in Alberta -
Reinforcements Depart
- The 88th Battalion (Victoria Fusiliers) left for Europe
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Harold Eustace Whyte: VHS Grad
- Enlisted in 1916, left June of that year
- Three weeks later he was injured and sent home
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Battle of the Somme
- From July 1 – November 18, 1916
- Fought on the lines of the Somme River
- The British forces joined up with the French in this attack against the Germans
- One of the largest battles in the First World War, as well as one of the bloodiest.
- VHS Teacher, John A. MacDonald died here
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More Troops Leave
- 103rd Battalion leaves for the front
- Battalions consisted of 1000 officers and men, then were divided into 4 companies
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VHS Graduate Leaves for Front As a Nurse
- Nurse Collis enlisted in 1916 and left that November
- Served in Britain and France, but spent a majority of time in Salonika, Greece
- Returned home following the armistice of 1918.
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Teacher Perishes in the Somme
- John A. MacDonald dies heroically in Battle of the Somme, earning the military cross.
- Taught at Victoria High School from 1912 - 1916
- Enlisted in 1916
- Wrote letters to students who admired him
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Reinforcements En Route
- 143rd Battalion (British Columbian Bantams) leaves for the front
- Battalions consisted of 1000 officers and men, then were divided into 4 companies
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USA Declares War
- U.S.A declares war on Germany
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The Battle of Vimy Ridge
- Took place from April 9th-12 of 1917
- The British and French previously tried to capture this position, but the Canadians managed to take control of the German-held position
- Distinguished the Canadians and set them apart from the British.
- Fought in North-East France
- VHS Graduate Jack Dowler died here
- - Historica Minute Video on Vimy Ridge
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Beloved Jack Dowler Dies in Battle
- Died in battle for Vimy Ridge
- He was the only son of his parents
- Came from a prominent family in Victoria, BC where a street is named after the family
- He name is etched into the family monument at Ross Bay Cemetery
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Battle of Passchendaele
- Otherwise known as the third battle of Ypres
- VHS Grad Harry Cross was gassed in this battle
- Between July 31 to November 10 of 1917
- The British Empire and the French battled the Germans for control of the South and East ridges of Ypres
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Canada: The Conscription Crisis
- Conscription is implemented under the Military Service Act
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Canada: Franchisement
- Wartime Elections Act allows female family members of men at war to vote
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VHS Graduate Robin Gray Dies in Crash
- Left on patrol on October 31st, 1917, and his plane was shot down by the Germans, who then captured him and he died in a Prisoner of War Camp due to injuries sustained.
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Canada's Airforce
Royal Canadian Air Force is formed -
Canada Strikes Down The Red Baron
- The “Red Baron” also known as Manfred von Richthofen was shot down by Canadian, Arthur Roy Brown
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Canada: Franchisement
- The Canada Elections Act is signed franchising all Canadian women over 21
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*WARNING: Spanish Influenza Breakout*
- First outbreak of Spanish Influenza in Halifax
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Armistice of 1918
- November 11th, 1918 at 11am the Armistice was signed; an Armistice is NOT a peace treaty!
- Signed by Woodrow Wilson (America), David Lloyd George (Britain) and Georges Clemenceau (France)
- Germany was accountable for all of the damages because of article 231 of Treaty of Versailles, “The War Guilt Clause”
- Hermann Müller and Johannes Bell, German delegates, signed the Treaty of Versailles on behalf of Germany on June 28,
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Heroic Blayney Scott Dies
- Born and raised in Victoria
- Established athlete with the James Bay Athletic Association acquired the Distinguished Flying Cross after climbing onto the wing of the aircraft twice, the first unsuccessfully, to plug a bullet hole in the Petrol tank
- Returned home but died November 9th, 1919
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Intellect Harry Cross Perishes From War Wounds
- Gassed in the Passchendaele in attempts to warn fellow comrades of danger ahead
- A Camosun Idol in 1916
- Never recovered from being gassed, and died as a direct result.