Today is Vimy Ridge Day, commemorating a World War I battle that marked a turning point for Canada when soldiers from all four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought together for the first time. Nearly 3,600 Canadians lost their lives in that battle.

And it was spring of the next year that the first wave of the Spanish flu pandemic swept across the globe aided in part by the travel taking place because of the war.

You may notice flags at City Hall and city facilities flying at half-mast today (thurs). That’s because this is Vimy Ridge Day. It’s a day to remember Canadians who victoriously fought in the battle of Vimy Ridge in northern France during the First World War. The day is also known as the National Day of Remembrance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.