18 - Mount Sorrel: Inside the Battle That Shook the Canadian Corps

On June 2, 1916, the ground beneath Canadian soldiers at Mount Sorrel exploded. German mines and artillery shattered the front line near Ypres, killing hundreds in minutes and throwing the Canadian position into chaos.After weeks of preparation, German forces opened a massive artillery bombardment against the Canadian lines. Beneath the trenches, carefully planted mines detonated, tearing apart the front and killing or burying hundreds of soldiers in seconds. The attack shattered the Canadian position on Hill 62 and the slopes of Mount Sorrel.

In the chaos that followed, Canadian forces regrouped under intense pressure. Within days, they launched a determined counterattack to reclaim the shattered ground.

The Battle of Mount Sorrel became a brutal test of leadership, resilience, and the growing reputation of the Canadian Corps on the Western Front.