The Impact of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in Nanaimo

Nanaimo was a coal town. While reading these old newspapers, one comes to notice that coal mining accidents were a part of everyday life. Two disasters in 1915 killed a total of 45 men. This is another huge reason why Vimy Ridge (or any other battle) would generally only be important in Nanaimo to families of soldiers who fought there. Countless more young men from Nanaimo were killed from mining accidents at home than in any single battle abroad. The soldiers who fought at Vimy came from all corners of Canada. Many families from coast to coast to sparsely populated coast have ancestors who fought there (even in Nanaimo).They are spread out enough for their stories to unite us all, but, rather ironically, too far apart to impact every Canadian community.