We have arrived in Arras, France, a city of about 40,000 just south of Vimy Ridge. The Battle of Vimy Ridge, as you may now, was part of the broader Battle of Arras fought in Easter, 1917. (Canadian troops were the only ones to achieve any success in that broader battle.)
It was an uneventful 7 hour flight across the Atlantic and it is midnight as I type this. The Prime Minister stayed at his end of the plane for the duration and did not have anything to say to us today. He, Mrs. Harper, and their children Ben and Rachel are staying in the city of Lille, about a 40–minute drive north of the Vimy Memorial.
I am told there is great interest in this weekend from the European press. BBC has sent some crews and the major French media are here as well. About 150 media credentials have been issued to non-Canadian personnel.
Tomorrow is a busy day. I have to get up in about five hours for a sunrise tour of the battlefield. This should be fascinating. I’ve brought my digital camera along and I’ll try to put some pics up here as soon as possible.
Harper and his family will attend Easter Sunday church services in the town of Vimy at Saint-Martin-de-Vimy. Then, from there, they will head down here to Arras for what’s known as a “Freedom of the City” parade. This ceremony originated in the Middle Ages. When an army was passing through a region and wanted to go through a town, the commander of the army would ask the permission of local leaders. So, tomorrow, LGen. Andrew Leslie, Canada’s Chief of Land Staff, will literally knock on the main door of the city and ask Mayor Jean-Marie Vanlerenberghe for permission for Canadian troops to come through the town. Then, Canadian troops — a mixed bunch representing the various units that fought at Vimy Ridge — will parade with bayonets fixed and flags unfurled through Arras. We are told as many as 30,000 will be on hand for this parade.
Finally, in the evening, Prime Minister Harper will be the guest of honour at a dinner for the veterans who have travelled over here.